Every Drop Counts: How Smart Irrigation Is Changing Arizona Agriculture
In Arizona, water management has always been an important part of agriculture. Today, new irrigation technologies are helping producers look beneath the surface and make more informed decisions about when and how much water their crops need. Through research at the University of Arizona, soil moisture sensors and other precision irrigation tools are being tested in Arizona fields, demonstrating how data can help producers make every drop count.
Written by Holly Anderson, Agricultural Communications Intern
Arizona agriculture has a long history of adapting to the challenges of farming in an arid environment. From irrigation canals and reservoirs to modern drip systems, producers have continually developed and adopted new ways to deliver water to their crops.
Today, technology is adding another layer to that process.
Instead of relying solely on a predetermined irrigation schedule, producers can use soil moisture sensors, weather data and other tools to better understand conditions within the field. These technologies provide information that can help growers determine when irrigation is needed and how much water should be applied.
The University of Arizona is studying how these tools can be used in real agricultural settings, including research at the University of Arizona Maricopa Agricultural Center and the Yuma Agricultural Center. These efforts are helping researchers evaluate how real-time data can support more precise irrigation management in Arizona agriculture.
Looking Beneath the Surface
One of the challenges of irrigation is that much of what determines whether a crop needs water is happening beneath the soil.
A field may look dry on the surface while moisture remains available deeper in the root zone. Conversely, the surface may appear adequately moist while the soil around the roots is becoming too dry.
Soil moisture sensors can provide another perspective.
These sensors measure conditions within the soil and can provide information about how much water is available at different depths. Wireless systems can transmit that information, allowing growers and researchers to monitor soil conditions in near real time.
University of Arizona researchers are using this technology in lettuce research at the Yuma Agricultural Center. In a 2024–2025 study, researchers installed soil moisture sensors at eight depths, ranging from 5 to 85 centimeters, to monitor water movement through the root zone. Irrigation was then triggered when soil moisture reached a predetermined depletion level.
Rather than simply asking whether a field needs water, researchers can use this information to better understand where the water is in the soil and when the crop is likely to need more.
Putting Precision Irrigation to the Test
The technology becomes especially interesting when it moves from the research station into an actual growing season.
At the University of Arizona Yuma Agricultural Center, researchers compared sensor-based irrigation scheduling with traditional irrigation scheduling in organic and conventional iceberg lettuce during the 2024–2025 growing season.
The study found that sensor-based irrigation reduced total applied irrigation water by approximately 10% compared with traditional irrigation scheduling. Seasonal irrigation totals across the treatments ranged from 295 to 328 millimeters.
The results provide an example of how technology can help producers make more informed decisions about water application. Rather than applying water according to a fixed schedule alone, sensor-based systems can use information from the soil to help determine when irrigation should occur.
It is important to note that the 10% reduction came from this specific research trial. The results should not be interpreted as meaning every farm using soil moisture sensors will automatically reduce water use by 10%. Field conditions, crops, soils, irrigation systems and management practices can all influence results.
More Than Just Saving Water
Precision irrigation is not only about reducing the amount of water applied. Researchers are also examining how more precise irrigation management can influence other aspects of crop production.
At the Yuma Agricultural Center, University of Arizona researchers are studying whether sensor-guided irrigation and subsurface drip irrigation can influence weed pressure in organic lettuce production. The research uses wireless sensors to monitor soil moisture, salinity and temperature at multiple depths throughout the soil profile.
The idea is that more precise irrigation could potentially limit unnecessary moisture near the soil surface, where weeds can emerge. This research is ongoing, but preliminary findings have been favorable.
This illustrates an important part of precision agriculture: one piece of technology can provide information that helps address multiple aspects of farm management.
From Research to the Field
The University of Arizona's irrigation research is not limited to laboratory settings.
Researchers at the Maricopa Agricultural Center have been using real-time soil moisture data to inform irrigation decisions and have worked to bring these technologies into farmers' fields. The goal is to move research beyond the university and develop tools that can be practical for agricultural producers.
In February 2025, the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension also hosted a workshop at the Maricopa Agricultural Center focused specifically on soil moisture sensors and their potential role in sustainable and efficient irrigation practices. The workshop covered the functionality, durability, installation and cost-effectiveness of sensor technology.
The university has also hosted workshops focused on weather stations, soil moisture sensors, plant phenotyping and other tools for irrigation and crop management.
These efforts demonstrate the importance of collaboration between researchers and producers. Technology is most useful when it can move from research trials into tools that make sense for the people managing crops every day.
Technology Still Needs the Farmer
While sensors and data can provide valuable information, technology does not replace agricultural knowledge.
A soil moisture sensor can tell a producer what is happening at a particular location and depth, but the producer still has to consider the crop, soil type, weather, irrigation system, growth stage and other field conditions when deciding how to manage the crop.
That human decision-making is an important part of precision agriculture.
The goal is not to have technology make every decision. Instead, these tools can provide producers with additional information to support decisions they are already making.
Making Every Drop Count
For Arizona agriculture, efficient water management is not a new idea. What is changing is the technology available to help producers manage it.
From soil moisture sensors that monitor conditions beneath the surface to weather data and automated irrigation systems, precision agriculture is giving producers new ways to understand what is happening in their fields.
University of Arizona research in Maricopa and Yuma is helping test these technologies under Arizona growing conditions, providing valuable information about how they can be incorporated into agricultural operations.
As technology continues to advance, the future of irrigation may involve fewer decisions based simply on a calendar and more decisions supported by information gathered directly from the field.
For Arizona farmers, every drop matters. With the help of technology, producers are finding new ways to understand where that water goes, when crops need it and how to use it as efficiently as possible.
The future of irrigation is not simply about using less water. It is about using the right amount, in the right place, at the right time.
References:
Elshikha, D. E. (2025). Smart Irrigation Solutions for Today’s Farms (Publication No. AZ2109). University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.
Mohammed, A. T. (2025). Crop Evapotranspiration in Organic Lettuce Production as a Water-Saving Strategy under Sensor-Guided Irrigation in the Lower Colorado River Basin (Publication No. AZ2173). University of Arizona Cooperative Extension.
University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. (2025). Maximizing Irrigation Efficiency and Sustainability with Soil Moisture Sensors.
University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. (2023). Extension Irrigation Research at Forefront of Ag Technological Innovation.
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