Local farmer shows off subsurface drip irrigation

The latest State of the Bay data shows the Chesapeake received a grade of a thirty-two in 2014, which is a D+.

Water quality is improving, but environmental experts admit it’s a slow process. This is why there is increased pressure on the agricultural community to find ways to conserve water and reduce runoff pollution.

Matthew Taylor believes he’s using a method that could help do that, He’s the co-owner of Root Rain Irrigation. They install “subsurface drip irrigation” or SDI for local farmers. Taylor says, “less water, less nutrients and less runoff.”

Taylor comes from a long line of farmers and swears by SDI’s agriculture technology. According to Kansas State’s Research and Extension irrigation engineers, SDI systems consistently result in high yielding crops and water conservation.

The technology is fairly new to the Eastern Shore. Tuesday, Taylor took 47 ABC inside a filter house to see how it works.     

He continues, “The water comes in here and goes through a water meter so we know exactly how many gallons we’re using every year. We know exactly how much we’re putting out there.”

Taylor says this prevents runoff and the overuse of water. This can cut back on bills for farmers. After traveling through the meter, the water goes through a chemical check valve, then to the filter tank, and shoots out to the valve bank.

Inside the filter house, there are blue knobs to represent the zones where the drip tubes are in the fields. Four zones operate at a time. 

Taylor says, “If your pressure spikes or if a zone valve doesn’t open, then it automatically calls you or tells you.”

The process sounds like futuristic farming, especially for folks who manage crops far apart. However, the system isn’t perfect. There have been reports of rodents chewing through the strips underground. However, because the system is divided into zones, Taylor says issues are easy to find; making it a quick fix.

This system is an alternative to center pivot irrigation systems. They’ve been the standard for years. We’re told since they operate in circles, they can miss crucial areas of land. However, Taylor admits some will stick with what they know, but there is one thing farmers are on the same page about. 

Taylor says, “Everybody is trying to get better with their water, no matter what irrigation system they’re using.”

The Chesapeake Bay foundation releases their “State of the Bay” data every two years; which means a new grade is expected to be announced this coming January.

In terms of “subsurface drip irrigation,” Kansas State University has done extensive research, click here for more.