Farmers are being encouraged to treat soil moisture as they would a checkbook, tracking deposits and withdrawals to improve irrigation efficiency, according to an April 14 article. This approach is being highlighted as irrigation costs rise and weather patterns become more unpredictable.
The method matters because efficient water management can help farmers avoid crop stress during critical growth periods, ensuring that every inch of water delivers value. Experts say this simple shift in mindset does not require new equipment but can have significant effects on crop yields and resource use.
Dean Steele, professor and irrigation engineer at North Dakota State University, said, “The soil is our bank account. We’ve got withdrawals and deposits. Your deposits are the rain and irrigation. Your withdrawals are the crop water use and things like the deep percolation and maybe some runoff.” Steele explained that understanding when water enters or leaves the system is crucial: “If all the rain of that 12 inches comes on May 1, and you get nothing the rest of the season, then you still need 18 inches.” He also advised using tools such as rain gauges, ET calculators, and basic records to maintain a running balance of soil moisture.
Brian Arnall from Oklahoma State University noted regional differences in evaporation rates: “Our max ETs can easily hit three‑quarters of an inch a day; our normal ET is half an inch.” Arnall said that in areas with high daily evapotranspiration (ET), nearly constant irrigation may be necessary just to keep up with demand: “By the end of our cropping season, we’ll probably be right at neutral, if not negative, as far as total ET and application.”
Steele pointed out that root depth and soil type also affect how much water can be stored for crops. For example: “With a corn crop… two‑thirds of an inch, that’s not a lot of water,” he said. In sandy soils with shallow-rooted crops like potatoes, frequent monitoring is required since even modest daily ET can quickly deplete available moisture.
New technologies such as soil sensors or satellite-based tools can enhance this checkbook-style accounting by providing real-time data on actual conditions. Steele described these advances by saying: “There are people developing satellite imagery… they’re keeping track of weather and soils… trying to estimate when the crop is going to need water.” However, he emphasized that all methods should answer two questions: What is my soil water balance today? And what will it be if I do—or don’t—irrigate?
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Looking ahead into this growing season—with costs rising—experts suggest growers who manage their fields’ moisture like money will have greater control over outcomes.
