08/11/2026
Let’s talk about ranch irrigation 💦🌾
Many are unaware of what ranch irrigation entails. We call it “irritation” for a reason😆.
Most think you turn a🚰on and walla, water comes out. Wellll……it isn’t that simple.
During “irrigation season” (typically April to October), water comes from a natural source like a river or reservoir and is released through a series of canals. These canals enter properties in specific water measurements and are stored by property owners (with water rights) in a pond or other containment area.
There are two options to irrigate pastures.
One is 🌊flood irrigating where you allow the water to flood your fields. This is not the preferred method as unlevel ground is irrigated unevenly. It is also wet on livestock feet which can also be problematic.
The second method is by use of an industrial pump and piping system throughout your property. Valves around one’s property allows you to attach various sprinkler methods: Pivots, wheel lines, pod lines and/or metal pipe sprinkler lines.
The industrial pump is connected to a pipe from the pond in which it pressurizes the water throughout the property allowing the use of the sprinkler methods listed above.
Seems simple enough right? Oh the many issues that happen with pressurized water, pipes and attachments. Oh and add livestock to the mix and it gets real, really fast. 😆
Our water pump kept auto shutting off (due to lack of pressure). After a quick assessment of the issues, Deano determined the screen around the end of the pump pipe in the pond was plugged.
So Deano dawns his “Scuba Steve” gear on and gets in the pond to unplug the screen. Let me stop and say, God bless that man because if it were me, we would be done irrigating for the season. I’ll get dirty in a lot of ways but getting into a mucky pond with fish🐟, frogs🐸, algae🦠, scum🧫 and tadpoles is absolutely 🚫not on that list!
Alas, he cleaned the screen and the pump hummed back on and we were back in irrigating business! 🙌🏼
