PB1721-Irrigation Cost Analysis Handbook

Irrigation is a risk management tool. The risk of yield reduction due to drought is minimized with irrigation, because moisture can be added to the soil to match the water requirements of the crop. Irrigation is also a major capital investment. The yield produced under irrigation must be sufÞ cient to produce a positive return on the investment.

This handbook is intended to assist users in determining the economics of investing in irrigation at their location. All irrigation systems are unique. Many factors are used to estimate the cost of irrigation, and each of these factors will vary with location. Issues such as the selection of pumps, pipes and power are dependent upon the characteristics of the site and cannot be generalized. This guide allows the user to approximate pump power requirements and pipe diameters so that realistic prices can be obtained from irrigation suppliers.