By Xin Qiao and Gary Stone et.al.
Key Takeaways
Early-season water is the biggest constraint in 2026. Crops must rely on stored soil moisture and rainfall until late June, creating varying levels of pre-canal water deficit.
Crop choice and planting timing directly affect risk. Sugar beets face the largest early-season deficit, while dry beans align best with delayed canal water delivery.
Adjust inputs to match realistic yield expectations. Lower plant populations and nitrogen rates can help conserve water and reduce unnecessary costs under limited irrigation.
Water timing matters as much as total water. Capturing early precipitation and managing irrigation timing can significantly impact yield outcomes.
Irrigation system adjustments can stretch limited supply. Practices like managing cutoff ratio, skipping rows in furrow systems or applying deeper pivot passes can improve efficiency.
Fewer, better irrigation decisions outperform more frequent, inefficient ones. Strategic water use throughout the season will determine how far limited supplies can go.
With limited canal delivery expected in 2026, pre-plant planning and in-season irrigation management matter more than in a typical year. This article — Part 4 of a four-part CropWatch series recapping the April 8, 2026 Yonts Water Conference — translates the weather, historical yield and crop-response information from Parts 1–3 into specific decisions producers can act on this spring: a pre-canal water-budget worksheet, crop-by-crop agronomic adjustments, irrigation-system adjustments for furrow and center pivot, and Nebraska Extension tools available for the 2026 season.
How Much Water Do You Need Before Canal Water Delivery?
Based on the historical rainfall and crop responses to irrigation in best and worst cases, the practical question is how much water the crop need before the canal water delivery.
Because the final delivery date is not set until May, the following analysis uses June 25 as the delivery date, assuming water won’t be available to producers until then. For canal-water-only producers, this means the period from planting through late June is supported entirely by stored soil moisture plus any in-season rainfall.
Source : unl.edu