A smartphone app to extend use of a cloud-based irrigation scheduling tool

Abstract

Irrigation in Colorado, a headwaters state, is crucial for viable agricultural production; consequently, with the foreseen population growth, there will become a greater demand placed on precious water resources. Technology must be adopted and embraced as part of the solution to water shortage. Researchers at Colorado State University have created an online evapotranspiration-based irrigation scheduling tool called Water Irrigation Scheduling for Efficient Application (WISE) that uses the soil water balance method and data queries from Colorado Agricultural Meteorological Network (CoAgMet) and Northern Colorado Water Conservation District (NCWCD) weather stations. To expedite and mobilize required user interaction with the software interface, a smartphone app has been developed that allows users to quickly view their soil moisture deficit, weather measurements, and the ability to input applied irrigation amounts into WISE. Potential users: agricultural producers, irrigation managers, and research scientists, will benefit from this app as it allows lite access to the tool from any location within a cellular data network. Technology such as the scheduling tool and smartphone app, when adopted within Colorado and the western United States, allow irrigators another tool to better utilize water resources.