×

System and method for conserving water and optimizing land and water use

  • US 10,474,975 B1
  • Filed: 07/26/2016
  • Issued: 11/12/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A system for estimating consumptive water use associated with growing crops on a land parcel of a farm, comprising:

  • at least one application server having software configured as a planner module and an optimizer module;

    a software tool providing a client interface, the software tool configured to communicate with the at least one application server;

    a remote server configured to communicate with the at least one application server;

    wherein the planner module is configured to receive input data from the client interface defining initial parcel configuration data comprising;

    dimensions of the parcel,crops grown on parcel,acceptable crops to be grown on the parcel,water currently used to irrigate the parcel,current irrigation schedules associated with the parcel, oruser-defined constraints, decision variables, and model parameters comprising available water consumptive use, minimum and maximum percent of full irrigation that can be applied to the parcel, crop type, amount of water available for the parcel, crop water production functions, parcel soil type, or parcel irrigation method;

    wherein the planner module is configured to communicate the input data to the optimizer module;

    wherein the optimizer module is configured to estimate future consumptive water use and an estimated water balance associated with the parcel and to communicate the future consumptive water use and the estimated water balance to the planner module;

    a monitoring system configured to monitor water entering and exiting the parcel so applied water use, consumptive water use, and return flow can be estimated having a data collection device, a data storage device, and a data communication device, the data communication device further comprising at least one wireless communication device configured to transmit data to the remote server;

    wherein the data collection device includes;

    first sensors that receive data associated with water delivered to the parcel by on-farm conveyances downstream from a headgate delivery point;

    second sensors that receive data associated with water leaving the parcel;

    third sensors that receive data associated with evapotranspiration associated with the parcel;

    wherein the application server using data from the first sensors, the second sensors, and third sensors estimates consumptive water use associated with the parcel, the estimated consumptive water use comprising the amount of water delivered to the parcel minus the sum of water leaving the parcel and evapotranspiration associated with the parcel;

    wherein the application server compares an allocated water budget to estimated consumptive water use; and

    wherein the planner module is configured to receive the estimated future consumptive water use and the estimated water balance to generate a farm utilization plan comprising at least one of an annual water budget to be used on the parcel, an improved irrigation schedule, and a crop optimization routine to optimize future consumptive water use.

View all claims
  • 2 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×