Program provides health checks for center pivot irrigation systems

Center pivot irrigation is gaining popularity as a primary water distribution method used on South Carolina farms and Clemson Extension has a new program to help producers get the most out of their investments.

The program – Center Pivot Irrigation Test Program, or CPIT – is a testing service implemented by Clemson Cooperative Extension Service Water Resources, Agronomic Crops and Horticulture Program teams to provide health check-ups for center pivot irrigation systems. This new program was made possible through software developed by the Clemson Precision Agriculture Team.

South Carolina growers gathered at the Clemson Edisto Research and Education Center (REC) in Blackville, South Carolina and at the Pee Dee REC in Florence, South Carolina, recently to learn about this program and other resources for center pivot irrigation. 

CPIT tests provide measures of irrigation uniformity to help identify and correct pivot issues. The tests are conducted by members of the Clemson Extension Water Resources Team and cost $125 per pivot.

“This program is used to assess pivots so that they can work more efficiently,” said Becky Davis, a Clemson Extension water resources agent and member of the Water Resources Program Team. “This will save growers money, maximize crop yields and help conserve water.”

Testing usually takes less than two hours and provides information related to irrigation depth in relationship to center and tower locations, positions of observed issues such as clogs and leaks, calibrated timer charts, irrigation costs and more. For more information or to register, go to https://bit.ly/CPIT_Registration.

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