NORTH GEORGIA AGRICULTURAL
WATER USE STUDY
North Georgia Water Resources Educational Seminar
Erin Lincoln, PH
April 22, 2015
WATER
NATURAL RESOURCES
ENVIRONMENT
INFRASTRUCTURE
ENERGY
Introduction
Introduction
• Determine existing permitted and non-permitted
water use information available
• Determine water use needs for specific agricultural
products
– Crops (corn, apple orchards, etc.)
– Poultry
– Livestock (beef, dairy, swine, etc.)
• Determine gaps in existing data and plan to fill the
gaps
Introduction
• North Georgia Water
Resources Partnership
• Northwest Georgia
Regional Commission
• Coosa-North Georgia
Water Planning Region
– 18 Counties
– Chattahoochee, Coosa, and
Tennessee Watersheds
– Blue Ridge, Ridge and Valley,
Piedmont Eco-Regions
Introduction
North Georgia Physiographic Provinces
North Georgia Crop Acreage
North Georgia Crop Acreage
• 2008 Georgia Land Use Trend (GLUT)
– Natural Resources Spatial Analyst Laboratory (NARSAL)
– LANDSAT data
• 2014 Farm Gate Value Report
– College of Education and Agricultural Sciences
– County Extension Agents
North Georgia Crop Acreage
North Georgia Crop Acreage
Pasture/Forage Acreage
Row Crop Acreage
County
2013 Farm
Gate Value
Report
GLUT 2008
2013 Farm
Gate Value
Report
GLUT 2008
456
3,802
1,777
24,973
3,343
8,025
10,516
29,287
Dade
734
4,759
3,125
11,786
Dawson
565
18
700
10,589
Fannin
987
-
635
14,650
Floyd
7,589
11,187
8,519
43,759
Gilmer
2,434
7
6,605
14,760
Gordon
7,536
10,544
8,746
52,778
Habersham
3,001
-
12,500
28,892
189
32
2,180
13,369
Murray
1,370
5,171
1,465
30,229
Pickens
164
-
1,000
13,478
3,596
5,613
10,825
36,939
Towns
121
-
4,000
7,750
Union
751
4
-
16,889
Walker
3,607
10,017
15,610
51,338
White
1,150
-
6,580
19,892
759
4,927
1,227
31,143
38,350
64,108
96,010
452,500
Catoosa
Chattooga
Lumpkin
Polk
Whitfield
Total
Estimated Irrigated Acreage
• Agricultural Permitting Unit of GAEPD
– Permit required for withdrawals of 100,000 GPD
– Small farms typically don’t need a permit
• National Environmentally Sound Production
Agriculture Laboratory (NESPAL)
– Agricultural Permitting Unit of GAEPD
– Agricultural and Water Conservation and Metering
Program (GSWCC)
– GIS Imagery
GAEPD Permits
Irrigated Row Crop Acreage
• 182 Agricultural
Irrigation Permits
– 176 surface water
withdrawals
– 6 groundwater
withdrawals
• Withdrawal permits for
13,852 acres of crops
– 22% to 36% of total row
crop acreage
County
GAEPD
Permitted
Irrigated
Acreage
NESPAL
Irrigated
Acreage
Total Row Crop Acreage
2013 Farm
Gate Value
Report
GLUT 2008
Catoosa
495
169
456
3,802
Chattooga
410
-
3,343
8,025
-
-
734
4,759
Dawson
186
178
565
18
Fannin
459
202
987
-
3,518
1,704
7,589
11,187
116
124
2,434
7
Gordon
2,132
1,769
7,536
10,544
Habersham
1,317
273
3,001
-
933
107
189
32
Murray
1,760
247
1,370
5,171
Pickens
-
4
164
-
245
2
3,596
5,613
Towns
-
8
121
-
Union
359
78
751
4
Walker
160
8
3,607
10,017
White
142
39
1,150
-
1,620
9
759
4,927
13,852
4,919
38,350
64,108
Dade
Floyd
Gilmer
Lumpkin
Polk
Whitfield
Total
Estimated Crop Irrigation
Requirements
Estimated Crop Irrigation Requirements
• Over 40 Crop Studies/Papers Reviewed
– North Georgia crop water requirements
– North Carolina Irrigation Guide (NRCS)
• University of Georgia (CAES)
– Extension agents/researchers
– UGA Research Farms
– Agricultural Water Demand Report (NESPAL)
• Crop water usage models
• Cooperative extension service irrigation surveys
Estimated Crop Irrigation Requirements
• Groundwater Use Act (OCGA § 12-5-90)
– All new agricultural withdrawal permits or amended
permits issued after July 1, 2003 be metered
– Farmers must install meters themselves
– GSWCC collects water use data
• 6% of Withdrawals in NGWRP Metered
– Annual irrigation depth
– No information on irrigated acreage, crop type, or monthly
usage
Estimated Crop Irrigation Requirements
• Irrigation amounts extremely variable between
farmers
– Desired yields/personal preference
– Soil/topography
– Irrigation system efficiency rates
• On average, crops typically need 1 in/week
– Fruit, vegetables, and ornamentals need more
– 1.1 to 1.3 in/week due to irrigation efficiencies
– No irrigation during wet years
Average Monthly Precipitation
Avera ge Preci pi tation (i n.)
Ci ty
County
Ja n
Feb
Ma r
Apr
Ma y
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Annual
Bl a irsville
Uni on
5.3
4.8
5.1
4.4
4.3
4.8
4.6
4.6
4.5
3.7
5.0
4.9
56.0
Da l ton
Whi tfield
5.2
4.9
5.0
4.0
4.1
4.7
5.2
4.0
4.9
3.5
4.9
4.9
55.3
Hel en
Whi te
6.4
6.4
6.0
5.0
5.5
5.6
5.6
5.4
6.1
4.2
5.9
6.4
68.5
Rome
Fl oyd
4.8
4.8
5.4
4.3
4.1
4.8
5.0
4.5
3.6
3.8
4.6
4.6
54.3
Estimated Crop Irrigation Requirements
Minimum
Median Water
Application
Depth (in)
Maximum
Median Water
Application
Depth (in)
Percent
Crops
Irrigated (%)
Row Crops
0
8.6
50
Forage Crops
0
2.7
5
Fruit and Nuts
2.6
12.5
90
Vegetables, Dry
0
0
0
Vegetables, Irrigated
13.4
13.4
Ornamentals
16.1
121
100
100
Estimated Row Crop Water Use
Estimated Forage Crop Water Use
Estimated Fruit & Nut Water Usage
Estimated Vegetable Water Use
Estimated Ornamental Water Use
Estimated Poultry & Livestock
Water Usage
Estimated Poultry & Livestock Water Usage
• 19 withdrawal permits for poultry & livestock
• Total number of animals and water usage sources
–
–
–
–
2014 Farm Gate Value Report
GA Poultry Federation
University of Georgia (CAES)
Agricultural Water Demand Report (NESPAL)
• Water usage depends on animal type and season
– Animal size and lifespan
– Consumption and evaporative cooling
Estimated Poultry Water Usage
Annual
Number Birds
in Region
Broilers
Pullets
Breeders/Layers
Lifetime Water
Usage
(gallons)
404,391,400
3.6
3,418,00
4.6
3,084,000
25.5
Estimated Livestock Water Usage
Total Number
of Head
Beef Cattle
Daily Water
Use per Head
(gallons)
145,960
15
Dairy Cattle
1,246
111
Swine
8,380
48
Goats
11,840
Horses
12,925
Sheep
2,190
2.5
12
12.5
Estimated Poultry Water Usage
Estimated Beef Cattle Water Usage
Estimated Other Livestock Water Usage
Estimated Region-Wide Water
Usage
Estimated Region-Wide Water Usage
Estimated Region-Wide Water Usage
Estimated Gordon County Water Usage
Estimated Floyd County Water Usage
Estimated Habersham County Water Usage
Estimated Region-Wide Water Usage
• 7,402 MGY annually in NGWRP Region
• Gordon, Floyd, and Habersham County use 3,388
MGY annually
• Row crop irrigation has the estimated highest water
usage
• Poultry and ornamentals have the second and third
highest usage
Next Steps
• Confidence in estimated poultry and livestock
water use
• Reduce uncertainty in crop irrigation usage
– Actual irrigated acreage unknown
– Irrigation depths change annually
• Focus on Floyd and Gordon Counties
– GIS crop acreage confirmation and validation
– Expand metering program
– Targeted irrigation surveys
QUESTIONS?
Erin Lincoln, PH
Tetra Tech
erin.lincoln@tetratech.com
770.738.6040
Special Thanks To:
NGWRP
NGRC
GAEPD
GA Poultry Federation
UGA CAES
GSWCC