1997 Bootheel Irrigation Survey

Prepared by Joe Henggeler, Extension Agricultural Engineer
Commercial Agricultural Program

Average irrigated acreage of those surveyed in 1997: 753 acres Average acreage planned for irrigation in 1998: 881 acres

17.1 % increase

I. Systems Used (by # reported)          Power Source (by acreage used on)

  Furrow, rigid pipe     3% (down 81%)   LP Gas    27% (down 7%)
  Furrow, poly-pipe     36% (up 9%)      Diesel    24% (up 24%)
  Center pivot, fixed   41% (up 21%)     Electric  26% (up 189%)
  Center pivot, towable 19% (up 19%)

II. Costs

         1) Fuel:
                  LP Gas     $7.96/acre
                  Diesel     $6.69/acre
                  Electric   $8.75/acre

         2) Maintenance and Repairs:

                  A) Wells   $ 68.72/well          $0.83/acre
                  B) Pumps   $107.71/pump          $1.30/acre
                                   note: 83.2 acres/well site
                  C) System
                       a  Fixed pivot              $4.69/acre
                       b  towable pivot            $1.14/acre
                       c  rigid pipe               $ .00/acre
                       d  poly-pipe                $1.14/acre
                       Average all systems:        $1.99/acre

         3) Special study on land-leveling:
                  A) Cost for precision-leveling, initial job:
                              $196/acre    $21.56/ac/yr
                  B) Cost for precision-leveling, touch up:
                              $ 75/acre    $13.20/ac/yr
                  C) Time interval between touch-ups:
                               8.3 years

III. Amount of Land-Forming Done by Irrigation Land Class

	Pivot Land	Flood-Irrigated Land	Dryland
Laser-leveled	23%	73%	5%
Land-planed	32%	20%	39%
No dirt Work	45%	8%	56%

--- Crowns that have been precision-graded: 64%

1997 Bootheel Irrigation Results

CORN COTTON SC SOY DC SOY MILO
Number Reported 61 46 18 13 1
Acres Reported 6677 5540 1964 1355 114
# of Irrigations, furrow 7.2 2.8 2.5 --- ---
# of Irrigation, pivot 6.6 4.6 2.8 4.8 6
Irrigated Yield 155 bu 865 lbs 41 bu 42 bu 110 bu
Dryland Yield 103 bu 723 lbs 28 bu 31 bu 70 bu
Increase over Dryland 52 bu 142 lbs 13 bu 11 bu 40 bu

1987-1997 Bootheel Irrigation Survey

Year Irrig. Corn (bu) Non-Irrig. Corn (bu) Irrig. Soybeans (bu) Non-Irrig. Soybeans (bu) Irrig. DC Soybeans (bu) Non-Irrig. DC Soybeans (bu) Irrig. Cotton (lbs) Non-Irrig. Cotton (lbs) Irrig. Milo (bu) Non-Irrig. Milo (bu)
1987 149 121 44 32 33 19 --- --- 110 101
1988 148 88 39 32 36 27 877 718 108 91
1989 152 117 37 27 29 23 807 605 92 77
1990 146 86 44 29 38 31 768 528 82 32
1991 143 84 42 29 43 30 917 678 105 69
1992 189 135 48 37 44 32 1029 990 121 108
1993 137 95 44 31 41 30 722 546 113 75
1994 162 123 47 38 43 37 933 779 101 93
1995 156 124 43 29 42 31 637 422 90 66
1996 170 124 43 32 42 25 905 719 98 63
1997 155
($2.57)* 103
($3.02)* 41
($6.75)* 28
($7.92)* 42
(---)* 31
(---)* 865
($0.58)* 723
($0.59)* 110
($3.08)* 70
($3.84)*
Avg 155 109 43 32 39 29 846 670 103 77

* Break-even price; after D. Reinbott. 1998. Crop Budgets: Southeast Missouri. Un-numbered report. University of Missouri Outreach & Extension Service. Scott County.

Difference of Irrigated over Non-Irrigated:
Corn 46 bu
Soybeans 11 bu
Double-crop Soybeans 10 bu
Cotton 176 lbs
Milo 25 bu

Yield Increase of All Soybeans to Irrigation

1997 Bootheel Irrigation Survey
Soil Type Fixed Pivot Tow-able Pivot Furrow Irrigation (Poly-pipe) Average
Sand 13.75
n = 4
17.50
n = 2
--- 15.00
n = 6
Silt 10.50
n = 5
12.00
n = 3
14.25
n = 4
12.13
n = 12
Clay/Gumbo 6.50
n = 2
3.00
n = 1
11.00
n = 3
8.17
n = 6
Average 10.96
n = 11
12.33
n = 6
12.87
n = 7
11.86
n = 24

Irrigated Soybean Yield

1997 Bootheel Irrigation Survey
Soil Type Fixed Pivot Tow-able Pivot Furrow Irrigation (Poly-pipe) Average
Sand 41.8
n = 5
42.5
n = 2
--- 42.00
n = 7
Silt 41.8
n = 5
46.0
n = 3
43.8
n = 4
43.52
n = 12
Clay/Gumbo 35.5
n = 2
38.0
n = 1
41.8
n = 5
39.75
n = 8
Average 40.75
n = 12
43.50
n = 6
42.69
n = 9
42.01 z
n = 25

Yield Increase of Corn Due to Irrigation

1997 Bootheel Irrigation Survey
Soil Type Fixed Pivot Tow-able Pivot Rigid Pipe Poly-pipe Average
Sand 72.1
n = 18
35.0
n = 2
65.0
n = 2
60.0
n = 5
66.59
n = 27
Silt 52.5
n = 8
29.0
n = 1
20.0
n = 1
62.0
n = 4
51.21
n = 14
Clay/Gumbo --- --- --- 60.0
n = 1
60.00
n = 1
Average 66.07
n = 26
33.00
n = 3
50.00
n = 3
60.80
n = 10
61.31
n = 42

Irrigated Corn Yield

1997 Bootheel Irrigation Survey
Soil Type Fixed Pivot Tow-able Pivot Rigid Pipe Poly-pipe Average
Sand 154.4
n = 2
140.0
n = 18
166.8
n = 4
157.5
n = 6
155.71
n = 20
Silt 166.1
n = 9
149.0
n = 1
120.0
n = 1
159.2
n = 11
159.78
n = 22
Clay/Gumbo --- --- 130.0
n = 1
143.3
n = 3
139.98
n = 4
Average 158.30
n = 27
143.00
n = 3
152.87
n = 6
156.31
n = 20
165.29
n = 46

Yield Increase of Cotton Due to Irrigation

1997 Bootheel Irrigation Survey
Soil Type Fixed Pivot Tow-able Pivot Rigid Pipe Poly-pipe Average
Sand 165.0
n = 3
250.0
n = 7
--- 124.9
n = 11
172.33
n = 21
Silt 170.3
n = 4
250.0
n = 1
--- -75.0
n = 2
111.60
n = 7
Clay/Gumbo 0.0
n = 1
--- --- 0.0
n = 1
0.00
n = 2
Average 147.03
n = 8
250.00
n = 8
--- 87.40
n = 14
146.67
n = 30

Irrigated Cotton Yield

1997 Bootheel Irrigation Survey
Soil Type Fixed Pivot Tow-able Pivot Rigid Pipe Poly-pipe Average
Sand 857.9
n = 8
886.4
n = 7
819.5
n = 2
871.9
n = 14
869.20
n = 30
Silt 857.3
n = 4
900.0
n = 1
--- 903.5
n = 4
882.58
n = 9
Clay/Gumbo 980.0
n = 1
--- 900.0 n = 1 1000.0
n = 1
960.00
n = 3
Average 867.11
n = 13
888.34
n = 8
846.33
n = 3
885.30
n = 19
877.66
n = 43

1997 Bootheel Irrigation Results
	CORN	COTTON	SC SOY	DC SOY	MILO
Number Reported	61	46	18	13	1
Acres Reported	6677	5540	1964	1355	114
# of Irrigations, furrow	7.2	2.8	2.5	---	---
# of Irrigation, pivot	6.6	4.6	2.8	4.8	6
Irrigated Yield	155 bu	865 lbs	41 bu	42 bu	110 bu
Dryland Yield 103 bu	723 lbs	28 bu	31 bu	70 bu
Increase over Dryland	52 bu	142 lbs	13 bu	11 bu	40 bu

1987-1997 Bootheel Irrigation Survey
Year	Irrig. Corn (bu)	Non-Irrig. Corn (bu)	Irrig. Soybeans (bu)	Non-Irrig. Soybeans (bu)	Irrig. DC Soybeans (bu)	Non-Irrig. DC Soybeans (bu)	Irrig. Cotton (lbs)	Non-Irrig. Cotton (lbs)	Irrig. Milo (bu)	Non-Irrig. Milo (bu)
1987	149	121	44	32	33	19	---	---	110	101
1988	148	88	39	32	36	27	877	718	108	91
1989	152	117	37	27	29	23	807	605	92	77
1990	146	86	44	29	38	31	768	528	82	32
1991	143	84	42	29	43	30	917	678	105	69
1992	189	135	48	37	44	32	1029	990	121	108
1993	137	95	44	31	41	30	722	546	113	75
1994	162	123	47	38	43	37	933	779	101	93
1995	156	124	43	29	42	31	637	422	90	66
1996	170	124	43	32	42	25	905	719	98	63
1997	155 ($2.57)*	103 ($3.02)*	41 ($6.75)*	28 ($7.92)*	42 (---)*	31 (---)*	865 ($0.58)*	723 ($0.59)*	110 ($3.08)*	70 ($3.84)*
Avg	155	109	43	32	39	29	846	670	103	77

Yield Increase of All Soybeans to Irrigation 1997 Bootheel Irrigation Survey
Soil Type	Fixed Pivot	Tow-able Pivot	Furrow Irrigation (Poly-pipe)	Average
Sand	13.75 n = 4	17.50 n = 2	---	15.00 n = 6
Silt	10.50 n = 5	12.00 n = 3	14.25 n = 4	12.13 n = 12
Clay/Gumbo	6.50 n = 2	3.00 n = 1	11.00 n = 3	8.17 n = 6
Average	10.96 n = 11	12.33 n = 6	12.87 n = 7	11.86 n = 24