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Irrigation

NM Integrated Water Management Handbook Cover ImageNew Mexico Integrated Water Management Handbook (AGRO - 76)

Irrigation water management is an integral part of a complete farm management program of soil, water, air, plant, and animal resources.  The New Mexico Integrated Irrigation Water Management Field Handbook is intended to be user friendly for use by planners with producers.  It provides guidance on “how-to” evaluate and understand site-specific field conditions. This will enable an increased understanding needed to evaluate and implement alternative best management practices for irrigation water management. We hope that the Handbook will assist water users in reducing water quantities and energy, costs for crop production, and the opportunity for ground water and surface water contamination, towards a more economical, sustainable, and producer-acceptable farming enterprise.


The following documents require Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, or Microsoft PowerPoint.

New Mexico Integrated Water Management Handbook (ARGO - 76)

The Handbook sections below are provided in their original format so that planners and students can make additional print copies and customize the handbook to their individual situation as needed. Adobe PDF file formats as well as html formats are also available for most document.

Handbook Setup  

Web Page

  Front Cover (DOC; 451 KB) (PDF; 129 KB) html
  Side Panel (DOC; 27 KB) (PDF; 18 KB) html
  Title Page (DOC; 334 KB) (PDF; 129 KB) html
  Table of Contents (DOC; 128 KB) (PDF; 63 KB) html
       
Section 1: Introduction
  (Intro - 1)  Purpose of NM Integrated Water Management Handbook (DOC; 38 KB) (PDF; 38 KB) html
  (Intro - 2)  Using Irrigation Water Efficiently (DOC; 26 KB) (PDF; 18 KB) html
  (Intro - 3)  NRCS Strategic Plan & Student IWM Class Presentation Format - (DOC; 40 KB) (PDF; 40 KB) html
       
Section 2: Soil Quality (SQ)
  (SQ - 1)  Soil Biology Primer (PPT; 7.7 MB) (PDF; 5 MB) html
  (SQ - 2)  Simplified Soil Food Web (DOC; 60 KB) (PDF; 94 KB) html
  (SQ - 3)  Living Soil (DOC; 2.8 MB) (PDF; 273 KB) html
  (SQ - 4)  Soil Dynamics (DOC; 2.2 MB) (PDF; 185 KB) html
  (SQ - 5)  Nitrogen Cycle (DOC; 68 KB) (PDF; 224 KB) html
  (SQ - 6)  Types of Soil Structure (DOC; 237 KB) (PDF; 80 KB) html
  (SQ - 7)  Soil Quality Considerations: is it Aggrading, Sustaining or Degrading (DOC; 82 KB) (PDF; 81 KB) html
  (SQ – 8a)  Benefits of Conservation Tillage (DOC; 32 KB) (PDF; 29 KB) html
  (SQ – 8b)  Conservation Tillage and Residue Management (PPT; 1.1 MB) (PDF; 930 KB) html
  (SQ - 9)  Water Erosion Management Considerations – Graphic (DOC; 81 KB) (PDF; 186 KB) html
  (SQ - 10)  Water Erosion Management Considerations (Assessment Guide) (DOC; 97 KB) (PDF; 133 KB) html
  (SQ - 11)  Wind Erosion Management Considerations – Graphic (DOC; 72 KB) (PDF; 261 KB) html
  (SQ - 12)  Wind Erosion Management Considerations (Assessment Guide) (DOC; 82 KB) (PDF; 61 KB) html
  (SQ – 13)  Soil Health - Quality Assessment (DOC; 102 KB) (PDF; 61 KB) html
       
Section 3: Water Quality (WQ)
  (WQ - 1) Irrigation Water Quality Sampling (DOC; 58 KB) (PDF; 58 KB)  
  (WQ - 2) Soluble Salts (DOC; 42 KB) (PDF; 149 KB)  
  (WQ - 3) Soil Salinity Reactions (DOC; 72 KB) (PDF; 266 KB)  
  (WQ - 4) Irrigation Water Salinity & Sodium Absorption Ratio Assessment Guide (DOC; 57 KB) (PDF; 94 KB)  
  (WQ - 5) Water Quality Infiltration Assessment Guide (DOC; 45 KB) (PDF; 41 KB)  
  (WQ - 6) Crop Salt Tolerance Table for NM (DOC; 125 KB) (PDF; 70 KB)  
  (WQ - 7) Salinity Assessment Guide for Selected Crops (DOC; 98 KB) (PDF; 108 KB)  
  (WQ - 8) Irrigation Water Quality Guidelines (DOC;  40 KB) (PDF; 37 KB)  
  (WQ - 9) Gypsum & Elemental Sulfur Soil Amendment Guide (DOC; 94 KB) (PDF; 69 KB)  
       
Section 4: Air Quality (AQ)
  (AQ – 1) Air Quality Considerations for IWM (DOC:172 KB) (PDF; 175 KB)  
       
Section 5: Irrigation Water Management (IWM) Considerations
  (IWM - 1) Planning for IWM (DOC; 21 KB) (PDF; 29 KB)  
  (IWM - 2) IWM Resource Inventory (DOC; 43 KB) (PDF; 32 KB)  
  (IWM - 3) Soils Data Interpretation for IWM Planning (DOC; 87 KB) (PDF; 83 KB)  
  (IWM - 4) Soils: Surface Area (DOC; 179 KB)    
  (IWM - 5) General Relationship Between Soil Water Characteristics and Texture (DOC; 210 KB) (PDF; 31 KB)  
  (IWM - 6) Irrigation Water Requirement Guide (DOC; 62 KB) (PDF; 64 KB)  
  (IWM - 7) Average Water Extraction Pattern of Plants Growing in a Soil Without Restrictive Layers (DOC; 190 KB) (PDF; 54 KB)  
  (IWM - 8) Gross Crop Irrigation Water Requirement - Planning (DOC; 50 KB) (PDF; 42 KB)  
  (IWM - 9) Soil Moisture Monitoring Example (DOC; 42 KB) (PDF; 172 KB)  
  (IWM - 10a) Estimating Soil Moisture by Feel & Appearance - 1 (DOC; 916 KB) (PDF; 144 KB)  
  (IWM - 10b) Estimating Soil Moisture by Feel & Appearance - 2 (DOC; 965 KB) (PDF; 140 KB)  
  (IWM - 11) Water Penetration & Movement in Sandy & Clay Loam Soils - Furrows (DOC; 164 KB) (PDF; 41 KB)  
  (IWM - 12) Furrow IWM (DOC; 57 KB) (PDF; 272 KB)  
  (IWM - 13) Tensiometers & Electrical Resistance Blocks (DOC; 372 KB) (PDF; 99 KB)  
  (IWM - 14) Soil Moisture Monitoring & Irrigation Record Keeping Form (DOC; 39 KB) (PDF; 31 KB)  
  (IWM - 15) Relationship between Soil-Water Retention and Crop Growth (DOC; 178 KB) (PDF; 19 KB)  
  (IWM -16) Crop Evapotranspiration (ETc) & Growing Degree Days (GDD) Guide (DOC; 51 KB) (PDF; 47 KB)  
  (IWM -17) Graded Border Irrigation Application Efficiency Analysis (DOC; 42 KB) (PDF; 41 KB)  
  (IWM - 18) QT = DA Calculations for Assessing IWM Requirements (DOC; 60 KB) (PDF; 60 KB)  
(IWM - 19) Surface Irrigation Water Management (DOC; 56 KB) (PDF; 200 KB)  
  (IWM - 20) Field Irrigation Evaluation Example Guide -Form (DOC; 121 KB) (PDF; 130 KB)  
  (IWM - 21) Soils Intake Guide (DOC; 38 KB) (PDF; 41 KB)  
  (IWM - 22) Soils Intake Families Chart (PDF; 85 KB) (PDF; 41 KB)  
       
Section 6: Irrigation Systems (IS)
  (IS - 1) Irrigation System Planning & Design Considerations (DOC; 25 KB) (PDF; 18 KB)  
  (IS - 2) Choosing an Irrigation System (DOC; 1.2 MB) (PDF; 1060 KB)  
  (IS - 3) Subsurface Drip Irrigation (DOC; 1.1 MB) (PDF; 951 KB)  
  (IS - 4) Acequia Community Ditches (DOC; 277 KB) (PDF; 103 KB)  
  (IS - 5) Center Pivots (PPT; 1.3 MB) (PDF; 905 KB)  
  (IS - 6) Irrigation Water Conveyance - Pipeline (PPT; 2.3 MB) (PDF; 1.9 MB)  
  (IS - 7) Concrete Lined Ditch (DOC; 39 MB) (PDF; 3.1 MB)  
  (IS - 8) High Flow Turnouts (DOC; 1.1 MB) (PDF; 95 KB)  
  (IS – 9) Canal and Ditch Turnout Capacity (XLS; 22 KB) (PDF; 21 KB)  
  (IS - 10) Water Measuring Methods (DOC; 1.2 MB) (PDF; 656 KB)  
  (IS - 11) Energy Use & IWM (DOC; 25 KB) (PDF; 16 KB)  
  (IS - 12) Economics & IWM (DOC; 99 KB) (PDF; 71 KB)  
       
Section 7: Nutrient Management (NM)
  (NM - 1) Nutrient Management & IWM Planning (DOC; 82 KB) (PDF; 90 KB)  
  (NM - 2) How to Collect Soil Samples & Why Soil Tests are Important (DOC; 104 KB) (PDF; 35 KB)  
  (NM - 3) Soil Fertility Interpretation Guide/Form (DOC; 69 KB) (PDF; 56 KB)  
  (NM - 4) Developing a Basic Nitrogen Budget (DOC; 39 KB) (PDF; 97 KB)  
  (NM – 5) Nutrient Management Job Sheet (590) (XLS; 524 KB)    
  (NM - 6) Nitrogen Fertilizers (DOC; 51 KB) (PDF; 177 KB)  
  (NM - 7) IWM to Increase Nitrogen Use Efficiency (DOC; 61 KB) (PDF; 71 KB)  
  (NM - 8) Phosphorus Cycle (DOC; 86 KB) (PDF; 302 KB)  
  (NM - 9) Phosphorus Index - Graphic (DOC; 445 KB) (PDF; 473 KB)  
  (NM - 10) Phosphorus Management (Using the P Index Rating) (DOC; 60 KB) (PDF; 55 KB)  
  (NM - 11) Manure Management (DOC; 69 KB) (PDF; 406 KB)  
  (NM - 12) Effluent Irrigation Guide (DOC; 50 KB) (PDF; 94 KB)  
       
Section 8: Pest Management (PM)
  (PM - 1) Pest Management & IWM Planning (DOC; 172 KB) (PDF; 120 KB)  
  (PM - 2) Pest Management & IWM Planning (Presentation) (PPT; 2.8 MB) (PDF; 1.7 MB)  
       
Section 9: Case Study (CS) Development
  (CS - 1) Watershed Approach (DOC; 12.2 MB) (PDF; 819 KB)  
  (CS - 2) Farm Record Form (case study) (DOC; 82 KB) (PDF; 75 KB)  
       
Section 10: Class Presentations (CP)
  Integrating IWM into All aspects of Planning Comprehensive Cropping Systems - (30 minute presentations; 4-students per group presentation) - (Coming Soon)    
       
Section 11: References (R)
  (R - 1) Table of Important Equations, Relationships & Concepts used in IWM (DOC; 36 KB) (PDF; 74 KB)  
  (R - 2) Why Salinity Management is Important (DOC; 29 KB) (PDF; 31 KB)  
  (R - 3) How to access NM Crop Consumptive Use Requirements (DOC; 152 KB) (PDF; 58 KB)  
  (R - 4) Additional Engineering & Irrigation Resources (DOC; 32 KB) (PDF; 18 KB)  
  (R - 5) Using IWM to Achieve Energy Conservation (DOC; 38 KB) (PDF; 33 KB)  
  (R – 6) Potassium Cycle (DOC; 81 KB) (PDF; 320 KB)  
  (R – 7) Runoff Class Based on Field Slope and Permeability Class (DOC; 111 KB) (PDF; 23 KB)  
  (R – 8) Measurement of Soluble Salts (DOC; 32 KB) (PDF; 26 KB)  
  (R – 9) Glossary (DOC; 38 KB) (PDF; 38 KB)  
  (R-10) Comparing Irrigation Systems (XLS; 30 KB) (PDF; 34 KB)  
  (R-11) Fertilizer "Jar Test" (DOC; 87 KB) (PDF; 22 KB)  
  (R-12) How to Collect and Interpret Plant Tissue Samples (DOC; 197 KB) (PDF; 126 KB)  
  (R-13) Nitrogen Fertilizer Guide (DOC; 63 KB) (PDF; 23 KB)  
       
Section 12: Field Demonstrations (FD)
  (FD - 1) Field Day Activities (Coming Soon)    
       
Section 13: Producer Workshops (PW)
  (PW-1) Purpose of Sustainable Agriculture Producer Guide (DOC; 1025 KB) (PDF; 195 KB)  
  (PW-2) Purpose of NM Integrated Water Management Handbook (DOC; 39 KB) (PDF; 25 KB)  
  (PW-3) Aggregate Stability Demo (DOC; 1085 KB) (PDF; 135  KB)  
  (PW-4) Healthy Chile Fields (DOC;  1532 KB) (PDF; 164 KB)  
  (PW-5) The Soil Food Web (PPT; 12333 KB) (PDF; 2391 KB)  
  (PW-6) Simplified Soil Food Web (DOC; 64 KB) (PDF; 56 KB)  
  (PW-7) Soil Quality-Health Assessment (DOC; 102 KB) (PDF; 158 KB)  
  (PW-8) Benefits of Conservation Tillage (DOC; 3131 KB) (PDF; 349 KB)  
  (PW-9) Soil Quality Pyramid (PDF; 173 KB) (PDF; 173 KB)  
  (PW-10) Cover Crop (PDF; 135 KB) (PDF; 135 KB)  
  (PW-11) Conservation Crop Rotation (PDF; 80 KB) (PDF; 80 KB)  
  (PW-12) Pest Management (PDF; 109 KB) (PDF; 109 KB)  
  (PW-13) Residue Management, No-Till, Strip Till, Direct Seed (PDF; 174 KB) (PDF; 174 KB)  
  (PW-14) Residue Management, Ridge-Till (PDF; 140 KB) (PDF; 140 KB)  
  (PW-15) Irrigation Water Management (PDF; 84 KB) (PDF; 84 KB)  
  (PW-16) Mulching (PDF; 127 KB) (PDF; 127 KB)  
  (PW-17) Pasture and Hay Planting (PDF; 121 KB) (PDF; 121 KB)  
  (PW-18) Waste Utilization (PDF; 72 KB) (PDF; 72 KB)  
  (PW-19) Composting Facility (PDF; 63 KB) (PDF; 63 KB)  
  (PW-20) Nutrient Management (PDF; 83 KB) (PDF; 83 KB)  
  (PW-21) Irrigation Land Leveling (PDF; 81 KB) (PDF; 81 KB)  
  (PW-22) How Does Organic Matter Work (DOC; 7051 KB) (PDF; 504 KB)  
  (PW-23) Test for Active Organic Matter Fraction - Soil Quality Fact Sheet (PDF; 282 KB) (PDF; 282 KB)  
  (PW-24) Managing Soil Organic Matter (PDF; 985 KB) (PDF; 985 KB)  
  (PW-25) Why Salinity Management is Important (DOC;  29 KB) (PDF; 20 KB)  
  (PW-26) Measurement of Soluble Salts (DOC; 33 KB) (PDF; 15 KB)  
  (PW-27) Soluble Salts (DOC;  42 KB) (PDF; 108 KB)  
  (PW-28) Soil Salinity Reactions (DOC; 76 KB) (PDF; 204 KB)  
  (PW-29) Irrigation Water Salinity & Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) Assessment Guide (DOC; 58 KB) (PDF; 57 KB)  
  (PW-30) Crop Salt Tolerance Table (DOC; 123 KB) (PDF; 18 KB)  
  (PW-31) Irrigation Water Analysis Guide (DOC; 52 KB) (PDF; 27 KB)  
  (PW-32) Irrigation Water Quality Sampling (DOC; 66 KB) (PDF; 25 KB)  
  (PW-33) Irrigation Water Quality Guidelines (DOC; 48 KB) (PDF; 12 KB)  
  (PW-34) Soil Fertility Interpretation Guide-Form (DOC; 69 KB) (PDF; 25 KB)  
  (PW-35) Nitrogen Cycle (DOC; 69 KB) (PDF; 156 KB)  
  (PW-36) Nitrogen Fertilizers (DOC; 51 KB) (PDF; 112 KB)  
  (PW-37) Nitrogen Fertilizer Guide (DOC; 63 KB) (PDF; 19 KB)  
  (PW-38) Phosphorus Cycle (DOC; 86 KB) (PDF; 223 KB)  
  (PW-39) Potassium Cycle (DOC; 81 KB) (PDF; 242 KB)  
  (PW-40) Manure Management (DOC; 69 KB) (PDF; 304 KB)  
  (PW-41) Gypsum & Elemental Sulfur Soil Amendment Guide (DOC; 94 KB) (PDF; 26 KB)  
  (PW-42) A Key to Soil Nutrient Management (PDF; 18 KB) (PDF; 18 KB)  
  (PW-43) Soil Test Interpretations (PDF; 28 KB) (PDF; 28 KB)  
  (PW-44) Soil Analysis Guide (DOC; 65 KB) (PDF; 32 KB)  
  (PW-45) How to Collect Soil Samples (DOC; 104 KB) (PDF; 33 KB)  
  (PW-46) New Mexico State University (NMSU) Soil Test Interpretation Report (XLS; 518 KB)    
  (PW-47) Soil Fertility Interpretation (DOC; 304 KB) (PDF; 41 KB)  
  (PW-48) Plant Tissue Analysis Guide (DOC; 59 KB) (PDF; 31 KB)  
  (PW-49) Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms (PPT; 19808 KB)    
  (PW-50) Cropping System Guide (DOC; 97 KB) (PDF; 38 KB)  
  (PW-51) How to Collect and Interpret Plan Tissue Samples (DOC; 198 KB) (PDF; 130 KB)  
  (PW-52) IWM Resource Inventory (DOC; 44 KB) (PDF; 17 KB)  
  (PW-53) General Relationship Between Soil Water Characteristics & Texture (DOC; 210 KB) (PDF; 27 KB)  
  (PW-54) Irrigation Water Requirement Guide (DOC; 62 KB) (PDF; 26 KB)  
  (PW-55) Gross Crop Irrigation Water Requirement (DOC;  48KB) (PDF; 23 KB)  
  (PW-56) Surface Irrigation Water Management (DOC; 56 KB) (PDF; 144 KB)  
  (PW-57) Soil INTAKE Guide (DOC; 38 KB) (PDF; 21 KB)  
  (PW-58) Estimated Soil Moisture by Feel & Appearance (DOC; 965 KB) (PDF; 142 KB)  
  (PW-59) Estimated Soil Moisture by Feel & Appearance (DOC; 916 KB) (PDF; 137 KB)  
  (PW-60) Choosing an Irrigation System (DOC; 1200 KB) (PDF; 956 KB)  
  (PW-61) Comparing Irrigation Systems (XLS; 30 KB) (PDF; 15 KB)  
  (PW-62) Soil Moisture Monitoring and Irrigation Record Keeping Form (DOC; 39 KB) (PDF; 17 KB)  
  (PW-63) Tensiometers and Electrical Resistance Blocks (DOC; 372 KB) (PDF; 90 KB)  
  (PW-64) Surface and Subsurface Drip Irrigation (PPT; 159030 KB) (PDF; 9707 KB)  
  (PW-65)  Building Sustainable Communities (PPT; 20924 KB) (PDF; 6383 KB)  
  (PW-66)  Farm Record Form (DOC; 82 KB) (PDF; 27 KB)  
  (PW-67)  Watershed Approach Graphic (PDF; 815 KB) (PDF; 815 KB)  
  (PW-68) Conservation Plan (PDF; 558 KB) (PDF; 558 KB)  
  (PW-69) Soil Map (PDF; 515 KB) (PDF; 515 KB)  
  (PW-70) Conservation Tillage & Crop Residue Management (PPT; 1045 KB) (PDF; 822 KB)  
  (PW-71) Soil Quality Test Kit (DOC; 570 KB) (PDF; 83 KB)  
  (PW-72) Sustainable Workshop Soils Field Notes (DOC; 18992 KB) (PDF; 1681 KB)  
  (PW-73) Soil Quality - Introduction (PDF; 196 KB) (PDF; 196 KB)  
  (PW-74) Indicators for Soil Quality Evaluation (PDF; 224 KB) (PDF; 224 KB)  
  (PW-75) Soil Quality Indicators - Available Water Capacity (PDF; 208 KB) (PDF; 208 KB)  
  (PW-76) Soil Quality Indicators - Aggregate Stability (PDF; 384KB) (PDF; 384 KB)  
  (PW-77) Soil Quality Indicators - Bulk Density (PDF; 338 KB) (PDF; 338 KB)  
  (PW-78) Soil Quality Indicators - Infiltration (PDF; 315 KB) (PDF; 315 KB)  
  (PW-79) Soil Quality Indicators - Soil Structure & Macropores (PDF; 488 KB) (PDF; 488 KB)  
  (PW-80) Soil Quality Indicators - Soil Crusts (PDF; 249 KB) (PDF; 249 KB)  
  (PW-81) Soil Quality Indicators - Slaking (PDF; 496 KB) (PDF; 496 KB)  
  (PW-82) Soil Quality Indicators - pH (PDF; 63 KB) (PDF; 63 KB)  
  (PW-83) Soil Quality Resource Concerns - Salinization (PDF; 77 KB) (PDF; 77 KB)  
  (PW-84) Soil Quality Indicators - Organic Matter (PDF; 33 KB) (PDF; 33 KB)  
  (PW-85) Soil Quality Resource Concerns - Soil Biodiversity (PDF; 51 KB) (PDF; 51 KB)  
  (PW-86) EEO Statement (DOC; 33 KB) (PDF; 22 KB)  
  (PW-87) Front Cover 2009 Producer Workshop (DOC; 4006 KB) (PDF; 266 KB)  
  (PW-88) Cropping system Guide with Borders Outlined Blank (DOC; 95 KB) (PDF; 37 KB)  
  (PW-89) Table of Contents (DOC; 39 KB) (PDF; 15 KB)  
  (PW-90) Integrated Farming Systems for Sustainable Production (PDF; 4397 KB) (PDF; 4397 KB)  
       

Other NRCS WM NRCS Technical Information:
          New Mexico NRCS Agronomy Technical Notes

          New Mexico Irrigation Guide

          New Mexico NRCS Conservation Practices


IWM Fact Sheets:
          New Mexico State University Water Publication Listing

          New Mexico State University Drip Irrigation Page

          Colorado State University Crops Online Fact Sheets

Last Modified: 09/15/2009