DIETRICH, Idaho — Knowing the precise water needs of crops can significantly impact the growing season for Idaho farmers and, ultimately, the food available on tables across the country. A new weather station is coming online in Dietrich to assist farmers in maximizing yields while conserving water.
Chris Taber, a seasoned farmer from the area, intimately understands the precariousness of farming.
"You don't have to go to the casino to gamble," Taber said. "You can gamble right here every day."
With years of experience, Taber knows that unpredictable weather can disrupt an entire season's work in an instant.
"And it doesn't take anything to lose money, it really doesn't," he continued. "Mother Nature can really help you out with the loss if you're not too careful."
Each farming season presents unique challenges for Taber. Some years, reservoirs run dry as early as mid-July, coinciding with peak growing season. In other years, a late frost in June can damage crops such as corn.
In a dry section of his 600-acre farm, construction is underway for a new structure that resembles a moon lander.
This new installation is part of the AgriMet network operated by the Bureau of Reclamation, designed to provide farmers with crucial weather data.
Jama Hamel has been installing these weather stations since 2007— she's installed over 100 in that time. Their main function, she said, was to inform farmers with daily, even hourly information.
"How much water is being evaporated out of the soil and transpired to the leaves of the plant," Hamel said. "That allows farmers or irrigators to apply the right amount of water when they need to."
Across the Northwest, approximately 170 weather stations are in operation, stretching from Colorado to Washington. The Dietrich station is the fifth to be installed in the Magic Valley. These stations are intended to deliver near-real-time information on daily crop water needs, helping farmers make informed irrigation decisions.
Farmers like Taber believe that weather stations like these can be pivotal in determining the difference between a prosperous year and a disastrous one.
"We want to raise the best crop we can with as little water as possible," Taber said. "In this day and age, we need to use every tool we can put in our toolbox."
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