Question: Irrigation pods and reel systems

[Kathie in Thorp]

Maybe this has been covered here before and I missed it, but would appreciate your input now.

Our property is long and narrow. We had someone from the local Conservation District out today to look at our ground and best/wish-on-a-star ways to get water to everything. It's all pasture; no hay ground. Some of the dirt we can flood. 30-40 ft. handlines are not easy for hubby to handle, so we are looking at other possible options, including some K-line type pods or the reel systems that you drag out, and they wind themselves back up. If you use either of these, can you give me some feedback about how that works for you, and if it's cost effective? Thx.

AND, before you caution me about working with a gov't agency, others here who are as right-minded as we are have dealt with that outfit, and have had no residual issues. Probably not all agency folks are the same to work with from state to state.

 

[Waterway65]

NRCS has treated us well and has been real helpful. Do you have a water permit? That should come from a state department of natural resources. How much can you increase production? How much land and how much labor will be needed? These are questions to work out withNRCS engineers. Mel

 

[Dave]

Kathie, I probably know the guy who visited with you. Actually I just looked in the directory and the guy I know is one of two possibilities. If it was Mark he will be good to work with. In this state it is much better to work with the Conservation District than to work with NRCS.

There are lots of hard hose reels in use around here. They don't have very many issues. The biggest problem can be their size and having a tractor big enough to move them around. If you go that way be sure to size the reel to your tractor. If you are looking at the soft hose reel system, I would look closely with both eyes open. They do have some issues. There were a few of those around but I don't know of any in use any more. I don't have much experience with the K-Line system. One of the neighbors has one and I see him move it with a quad. It looks to move quick and easy. I do know that people who have experience with them have good things to say about them. One thing for sure either a hard hose or a K-Line beats the heck out of moving hand line.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Dave, yes, probably Mark here, w/ Cons. Dist. Met w/ him last week. Looking at K-line for our long/narrow, or . . . . maybe KIFCO "B" reel. We are long and very narrow. Handlines here suck.

 

[chukar]

Kathy,

We put in roughly 35 acres of k-line about 3 years ago. It does take some "getting used to" when it comes to moving them, but it takes 15-20 minutes to move the 17 varying length lines. They are in 10 different paddocks that I rotation ally graze through. We were all flood irrigated before these and except for the power costs I wouldn't go back. The best part is having the paddocks being able to irrigate when needed and put the water where you want it.

The first year I moved them with a 250 three wheeler and it worked just fine, but you will want a four wheeler, about 500cc at biggest. That way you can pull up next to the tow rope, bend down, hook it up and go. Moving them with a side by side is a pain, as you have to get out every time.

 

[millstreaminn]

I have the Kifco T200L. It has around 600' of 2" hose on the reel. I use it to irrigate a patch of sweet corn and a few hay fields. If the reel you are looking at has the turbine on it to pull the gun cart back in, you will loose 10 or so psi from your pump by going through the turbine. It may not seem like much but I'm only pumping 50-60 psi, so 10 psi lost is quite a bit. I can put an inch of water down, 600' long by 150' wide in about 3 hours. I run my pto pump with a 22 hp Kubota tractor. Fuel burn is around a gallon per hour.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

I have the Kifco T200L. It has around 600' of 2" hose on the reel. I use it to irrigate a patch of sweet corn and a few hay fields. If the reel you are looking at has the turbine on it to pull the gun cart back in, you will loose 10 or so psi from your pump by going through the turbine. It may not seem like much but I'm only pumping 50-60 psi, so 10 psi lost is quite a bit. I can put an inch of water down, 600' long by 150' wide in about 3 hours. I run my pto pump with a 22 hp Kubota tractor. Fuel burn is around a gallon per hour.

Thx for that info, Millstreaminn. We're looking at maybe Kifco B series system. Would welcome your thoughts on that.