The Cross Section, Volume 14, Number 4, September 1967 Page: 4
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Page 4 THE CROSS SECTION September 1967
Sprinkler Irrigation-
( Continued from Page 1)
by automatic sprinkler systems.
Let's try to answer a few questions
irrigators commonly ask when explor-
ing. the possibility of buying a Self-
Propelled Sprinkler System.
WHAT ABOUT CROP DAMAGE?
Crop damage by the wheels of. a
self-propelled system is less than 1%2
This loss is almost insignificant. The
system usually tracks perfectly and
the wheel damage is limited to the
first time the system is used.
HOW DOES THE SYSTEM
OPERATE IN ROW CROPS?
When using a self-propelled sprink-
ler system on row crops you do not
have to make any changes. You do not
need to change the direction of the
rows or the length. Systems usually
operate with ease under any planting
method.
WHAT ABOUT UNEVEN LAND?
Automatic springler systems w i l1
operate on rolling land and most of
them will handle slopes up to 5%.
Slopes greater than 5% may require
a small amount of levelling, but not
as much as would be required to fur-
row water.
INSTALLATION PROBLEMS?
Automatic sprinkler systems a r e
usually designed to the exact needs of
each individual farm. They are engi-
neered to get the best results possible
from each individual water supply.
Most manufactures have technicians
to set the system up and make all nec-
essary adjustments.
WILL I BE ABLE TO MOVE MY
SPRINKLER FROM FIELD TO FIELD
Most systems, depending on their
size, are easily moved. The wheels are
usually rotated 90 and the system is
pulled from one location to another
by a tractor. The entire operation can
u s u a 11 y be accomplished in a few
hours.
HOW BIG A SYSTEM CAN I BUY?system gives uniform coverage over
the entire field.
How can a farmer tell when his au-
tomatic sprinkler system makes him
a profit? To determine this he must
look at three expenses. These are ini-
tial costs (spread over some reason-
able life ); annual operating and main-
tenance costs; and labor costs.
An average automatic sprinkler sys-
tem that would water 140 acres would
cost $17,000 installed. Reasonable life
of the system is fifteen years. This
means that the annual cost would be
$1,133 or $8.09 per acre per year.
None of the above illustrations use
shorter allowable depreciation or in-
vestment credit which would be to a
f a r m e r s advantage. If fertilizer or
weed control herbicides a r e u s e d
through the system, large savings on
fuel and labor are obvious.
The figures do not reflect differ-
ence in capital investment for differ-
ent power units; electric diesel, or
natural gas. They do not reflect ad-
ditional efficiency that occurs if you
have more than one system. They do
give a fairly accurate view of the costs
involved i n a n automatic sprinkler
system.
ARE FARMERS WHO HAVE AUTO-
MATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
SATISFIED WITH THEM?
Farmers now using sprinkler sys-
tems all seem to be satisfied. They all
agree that increase yields and less la-
bor will easily pay for an automatic
system in five to seven years.
You might be miss ing a good
chance to use less water and increase
your yields and profit with the use of
an automatic sprinkler system. All
you can lose is a little time-It might
pay you to check on an automatic
sprinkler system for your farm.
Water, Incorporated-
(Continued from Page 1)Every citizen living in West Texas,
or those who expect to keep accumu-
lating dollars from W e s t T e x a s,
should make an application to offer
his talents, as well as a part of those
dollars to help MOVE WATER WEST.
Water from the flood plains of the
Mississippi to the High Plains of West
Texas requires very little "imagineer-
ing" and certainly presents no greater
problem than that of moving the wa-
ter from the "Big 0" across the cen-
tral valley, over the Tehachapi Moun-
tains and into Southern California.
.Don't ask WIY. Water, Incorporat-
ed-instead, ask-how can I fit in and
help?-For it has been said, man's
frontiers are bounded o n l y by his
imagination, and an unwillingness to
work with others.LABOR COSTS
If you operate the farm yourself without outside labor, you might
neglect this cost.
If you hire labor specifically for irrigation, the cost is between
$1.00 and $2.00 per hour.
Using $1.50 per hour as an average, 3 hours per round is a reason-
able estimate of the labor time to operate a system. This includes
checking, adjustment, routine mainten;mILre, tuneup, repairs, etc.
PER ACRE
PER YEAR PER YEAR
S $ 45.00 $ .32
_____ 90.00 .64
-___ 135.00 .96
S180.00 __n_ 1.28For 10 rounds per year
For 20 rounds per year
For 30 rounds per year ___-- - _____-
For 40 rounds per year ______WELL PUMP AND ENGINE COSTS
Although pump, engine and well are costs common to all irrigation,
we include these in order to estimate ALL costs.
The costs can vary enormously depending on depth of well and
area or region.
A lower cost well, pump and power unit would run $5,000.00; a
medium cost might be $12,000.00, and higher cost one might be
$20,000.00 or more.
PER ACRE
TOTAL COST (and a life of 10 years) PER YEAR PER YEAR
at $ 5,000.00 __-------------- __ $ 500.00 ----- $ 3.56
at $12,000.00 _-_ ___ _______-- - - 1,200.00 _--. 8.58
at $20,000.00 - -- _-- _------ _------- 2,000.00 ___.4 14.30
Notes: $ 5,000.00 = 100' well, 50' lift
$12,000.00 = 300' well, -50' lift
$20,000.00 = 600' well. 400' lift
You would deduct
$1,000.00 for electric pomrer unit at $ 5,000.00
$1,500.00 for electric power unit at $12,000.00
$2,000.00 for electric power unit at $20,000.00OPERATING COSTS
(FOR A LOW LIFT SYSTEM IRRIGATING 140 ACRES)
Costs are figured without labor, but include fuel ,grease, oil,
repairs, etc., and are based on $1.00 per hour of use.
PER ACRE
PER YEAR PER YEAR
*10 rounds per year (66 hour cycle)
applying 1" per round @ $1.00 per hour -_ -- $ 660.00 -._,._ $ 4.70
*20 rounds per year (66 hour cycle)
applying 1" per round @ $1.00 per hour - - -- 1,320.00 ___._ 9.40
*30 rounds per year (66 hour cycle)
applying 1" per round @ 1.00 per hour - 1,980.00 ----- 14.10
*40 rounds per year (66 hour cycle)
applying 1" per round @ $1.00 per hour ____ 2,640.00 __-._ 18.80
*Since heavier applications assume a greater water holding capacity for the
soil, cost would be approximately the same. In other words, five rounds ap-
plying 2" is equal to 10 rounds applying 1".
Note: Figures are based on using diesel fuel :d a low cost well installation.
Add 25% for electricity or $1.25 per hour. $educt 25% for natural gas or
.75 per hour.
ADDING IT UP ON A PER ACRE-PER YEAR BASIS
Per Acre/Per Year
Cost of system irrigating 140 acres ---------- $ 8.09
Operating-Maintenance 10 rounds per year 4.70
Labor Costs ---_ _---_----.------------------------- .32
Total ----- - -----------------13.11
Plus lower cost well, pump and engine _--- 3.56
TOTAL _-_----------------- ----- $16.67 Per Acre/
Per Year
This means that you need to increase your non-irrigated crop value only
$16.67 per acre to break even, about 16 bushels of milo.
1. With a medium cost well, pump and power installation,
the break even is __ ----------- $21.69 Per Acre/Per Year
2. With a higher cost pump, well and pewer installation,
it's about -------- --------------$27.41 Per Acre/Per Year
3. If you need 20 rounds for each crop
or cutting add _-________ S 5.02 to the above figures
4. If you need 30 rounds, add ------- $10.36 to the above figures
5. If you need 40 rounds, add _------- $16.34 to the above figures9CL
SVXIL GNV113A31
J.HVM3IS X8HlNn 'wNAutomatic sprinkler systems c a n
usually be obtained in any size, how-
ever, most of them are never over
1,500 feet long. The size of any sys-
tem depends on how the land is laid
out, water supply, soil and other fac-
tors.
HOW MUCH WATER IS REQUIRED?
Water requirements will vary de-
pending on the size of the system and
the type of crops grown. The system
could operate on as little as 300 gal-
lons per minute or require in excess
of 1,000 gallons per minute.
WHAT ABOUT MAINTENANCE?
Maintenance is determined by use.
A good thumb rule is that y e a r l y
maintenance costs are about 1% of
the systems total cost. Lubrication
a n d preventaive maintenance c a n
cut down annual maintenance costs
immensely.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE T9
WATER MY CROP? I
Speed is determined by the sibe of
the system and the water application
rate. It also depends on the type of
system being used. A circular system
can apply 1 inch of water to 160 acres
in 64.3 h o u r s. Automatic sprinkler
systems can be set at a variety of ap-
plication rates and speeds.
CAN I APPLY FERTILIZER WITH
AN AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER
SYSTEM?
Fertilizers, herbicides and insecti-
cides can be applied. The uniform ap-
plication of the chemicals through theLOt64 sexoL '>poqqn-,
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Page 4
T HE CR O SS S EC T IO N
September 1967
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Reference the current page of this Periodical.
High Plains Underground Water Conservation District No. 1 (Tex.). The Cross Section, Volume 14, Number 4, September 1967, periodical, September 1967; Lubbock, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1532910/m1/4/: accessed July 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.