Center pivots: transforming irrigation in the great plains

摘要

Center pivot irrigation emerged on the Great Plains in the 1950s. Its advent has enabled the development of land previously considered infeasible to irrigate and has allowed conversion of flood irrigation to more efficient sprinkler irrigation. Center pivots currently irrigate over 5 million hectares in the Great Plains states. A multitude of developments over the last 50 years has refined the center pivot into the highly sophisticated irrigation equipment that it is today. Many new technologies areon the verge of further positioning the center pivot to meet tomorrow's needs.