Updates for Irrigators in Dakota County

Dakota County irrigators have options for making their systems more efficient.

The first resource is the Irrigation Management Assistant (IMA) tool, an irrigation scheduling tool, developed in partnership with watershed organizations with the assistance of a consultant. This tool is a web-based version of the original manual program, with new tools that allow you to map your fields and a graphic interface that will indicate the right time to irrigate. Crops included in the tool are corn, soybeans, potatoes, edible beans, alfalfa, peas, and sweet corn.

The second resource is financial incentives for irrigation practices through our federal partners at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and locally by Dakota County. A grant application through the USDA Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) lead by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture was awarded for funding. There is be dedicated funding through the NRCS for RCPP irrigation practices through their Environmental Quality Incentives Program. NRCS can accept applications at any time. More information on the partners and focus areas can be found on the project website:  https://agcentric.org/rcpp-precision-irrigation/.

For questions related to the irrigation scheduling tool, contact Ashley Gallagher, Senior Resource Conservationist at Dakota SWCD, (651) 480-7781. For questions about funding for irrigation practices, contact the NRCS office at (651) 463-8665.