Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID WY_2025_66_Paige

Sibert Pivot Hydrologic Monitoring of Drought Adaptation Irrigation Management Strategies

Institute: Wyoming
Year Established: 2025 Start Date: 2026-01-01 End Date: 2026-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $11,853 Total Non-Federal Funds: $29,139

Principal Investigators: Ginger Paige

Project Summary: Wyoming's rivers, especially those feeding the Colorado River, are under pressure from declining snowpack and growing water demand in the West. To help meet downstream obligations while supporting local agriculture, we are testing ways to make irrigation more efficient. One promising option is switching sprinkler systems to run at night, when cooler temperatures and lower winds reduce evaporation and drift. Our three-year study in Bridger Valley will measure how this change affects water use and crop production on a 140-acre sainfoin, alfalfa, and grass field. Using tools such as soil-moisture probes, weather stations, and groundwater sensors, we will track the complete water balance of the field. We will also use computer models to test how the results apply under different weather and water-supply conditions. By combining field data and modeling, we aim to give farmers and water managers clear information on when and where night irrigation can save water.