Growers at South Texas Participate in Surge Valve Demonstration

The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco will demonstrate Surge valve which is a new water saving device in the irrigation area to the local farmers. 

Few people have seen how these surge valve in practical works, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will set up the device in one of its our grain sorghum field plots and explain how to apply the valve, and answer farmers’ questions, discussing the advantages and disadvantages. The free event will take place from 10 a.m.- Sept. 13 12:00 at the center, located at 2415 E. Business 83. And it is being presented by AgriLife Extension, The Texas Water Resources Institute and the Rio Grande Regional Water Authority.

Surge-valves send alternating pulses of water to different parts of a field to provide more efficient distribution.
Surge valves can make the best use of water by efficiently send pulses of water to different parts of a field.
An initiative of the Rio Grande Regional Water Authority will supply 32 surge valves to farmers with a discounted price. Thanks to a grant by the Water Authority, the $2,000 surge valves are sold at a cost of $ 350. One or two valves can be obtained by the farmers and each has a 50 acres capacity. 

Participating growers must still attend training on their use on either Sept. 17 or Sept. 18.The demonstration projects documented that the device has a capacity of water savings of up to 52 percent in sugarcane, 31 percent in corn and 28 percent in cotton.

A professional said surge-valve irrigation has many advantages such as use water efficiently, help the soil retain moisture while allowing plant roots to breath, and distributes fertilizer more uniformly and closer to the soil surface.
This surge valve is worth applying due to the increasing water shortage and droughts in the area. But the experts will discuss what it takes to set the device up and the best way for it keeping working.