Calvin Graybeal and his son, Don Graybeal, of Castleford, Idaho, manage 168 acres of flood-irrigated land.

To make the land more efficient and more easily managed, the Graybeals realized that their system needed to be improved.

The two men heard about Idaho Power’s Irrigation Efficiency Rewards program and contacted their local Agricultural Representative Gerald Orthel.

Working together using their agricultural representative’s knowledge and expertise, the Graybeals installed a new irrigation system that reduces labor, is easily managed and increases the performance of their land.

Existing System

168 acres of flood irrigation supplied by an open-discharge deep well.

What Changes Were Made?

The new, energy-efficient gravity flood irrigation system qualified as a new system under the current Idaho Power Irrigation Efficiency Rewards program incentive structure. The new system was eligible for $0.25 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) saved or up to 10 percent of the total project cost. The new, energy-efficient system included:

• A 1,461-foot hydraulic pivot with elbows, drops, low-pressure regulators, and sprinkler heads.
• A 15-horsepower (hp) hydraulic pump to operate the pivot.
• A 40-hp pump to provide 915 gallons of water per minute (gpm) and supply 50 pounds of water pressure per square inch (psi).