Rice Cultivation in the Mid-South: Challenges and Solutions

The US is the fourth largest exporter of rice worldwide.  The Lower Mississippi River Valley accounts for approximately 70% of US rice and Arkansas accounts for 46% of US rice.  Production of rice uses a significant amount of water, which ranges from 8 cm to 16 cm and is related to management practices.  In Arkansas, approximately 80% of irrigation water comes from groundwater sources, predominantly from the alluvial aquifer.  Groundwater decline in the alluvial aquifer has long been documented, with water use exceeding recharge.  The need to reduce water use and increase efficiency has been documented.  Research presented here describes initial findings from water savings related to conservation practices in rice production typical of the Mid-South.  Initial findings are described from a study that compared common field grading practices in rice and how these practices influenced water use.  Three additional studies related to water management in rice production are also described and include (1) on-farm water storage and the resulting surface water use for irrigation, (2) water savings resulting from flood management, specifically the date when the flood was drained and (3) a detailed groundwater study related to rice production.