Irrigation Technology Initiative

Free Irrigation System Evaluations

Find out where your irrigation system is losing water and energy. A professional irrigation engineer will evaluate your complete system (well, pump, power supply, and pivot) at no cost to you and give you a report with practical recommendations.

The ITI is open to any irrigator within Big Bend GMD5, which covers parts of Barton, Edwards, Kiowa, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno, Rice, and Stafford counties. Check the map portal if you’re unsure.

Each entity can receive up to two evaluations per calendar year. Funding is limited and offered first-come, first-served.

This program builds on the District’s earlier Conservation Innovation Grant work in the Rattlesnake Creek area (CIG Project). It is funded in part by the State of Kansas Water Plan Fund, in partnership with the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Conservation and all five Kansas groundwater management districts.

ITI Program Brochure

Ready to Get Started?

Step 1: Apply online using the button below. The application covers five short sections:

Contact Information
Water Right Information & Management Area (if applicable)
Well Location
Irrigation System
PDF Uploads

Before starting the online portal, please download and use the Offline Checklist to collect the information needed to complete the onboarding process. You’ll receive a $500 incentive payment for a completed onboarding application. This will include PDF printouts of the following:

WIMAS information sheet (one per water right, if there are several), from the Kansas Geological Survey WIMAS site
WWC5 well log (one per well, if there are several), from the KGS water well database
Sprinkler package design printout (WISH, V-Chart, Z-Chart, or similar), from your irrigation dealer
Annual energy report (electric, diesel, natural gas, or propane), from your utility or fuel records

If some of these are unavailable, contact the office for guidance.

Step 2: An irrigation engineer will contact you to schedule your evaluation.
Step 3: Review your report with the engineer and District staff.
Step 4 (optional): Apply for cost share to make the recommended upgrades.

If additional assistance is needed, please contact our office.

ITI Application Portal

ITI Cost Share

Financial Assistance is available!

After your evaluation, the report will identify improvements that could save a significant amount of water each year. Cost share can help pay for:

Water meter monitoring software: subscriptions that track your water use online
Telemetry and soil moisture probes: check field conditions remotely so you water only when needed
Sprinkler upgrades: system renovation, pressure regulators, or re-nozzling with drops, which put water closer to the crop
Pump improvements: pump components and an air line to measure the water level in your well
Other new technology: other systems approved by KDA-DOC with the District and the Kansas Water Office. Call us before buying.

What's next?

To provide financial assistance across the region, the cost share is limited to $6,000 per pivot (maximum two pivots) with a total maximum of $12,000 per applicant. To be eligible for the full $12,000, the applicant must have completed two separate ITI System Evaluations. A separate application is required for each pivot system.

ITI Cost Share Application