Oakes Irrigation Research
Site
Carrington Research Extension Center * North Dakota State University
P.O. Box 531, Oakes, ND 58474-0531, Voice: (701) 742-2189, FAX: (701)
742-2700, email: rgreenla@ndsuext.nodak.edu
RESEARCH PROGRAM
Data on irrigated crop production have been collected for the past 35 years at the Oakes Irrigation Research Site located on the Robert Titus farm. In 1993 the site was increased from 15.8 acres to approximately 20 acres. The site is located 4.5 miles south of Oakes adjacent to North Dakota State Highway 1. The objectives of these studies are encompassed in the following goals:
Determine alternate and specialty crops (especially vegetables) adapted for commercial production under irrigation
in North Dakota and define the agronomic practices needed to successfully produce them.
Develop and refine Best Management Practices for irrigation that are producer acceptable.
Provide irrigators with research data that aid in efficient crop production.
Promote irrigation development within the Garrison Diversion Project as well as private development.
A cooperative agreement between North Dakota State University and the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District makes this research effort possible. The University provides technical staff (Richard Greenland as research supervisor, Leonard Besemann as research assistant, Heidi Eslinger as research technician, and seasonal employees as needed), and the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District provides most of the financial resources. North Dakota State University faculty and staff from the departments of Soil Science, Plant Sciences, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, and Plant Pathology, and from the Agricultural Experiment Station participate in conducting experiments at the site.