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Root Demand Irrigation

Subsurface systems without the high cost, waste, or extra work


Modern irrigation systems let us grow many more kinds of crops and can dramatically increase harvests. Unfortunately, these technological advances toward higher water efficiency often require ecological compromise. For example, using irrigation tape on farms saves huge amounts of water compared to flood, center-pivot, and spray systems. However, farmers normally can only use it for one or two years before it goes into a landfill (limited recycling can be possible but also difficult and expensive).

A Solution

Root demand subsurface irrigation resolves this dilemma, proving to be both highly water efficient and long lasting. This enables farmers to reuse the drip tape year after year, decreasing plastic waste and equipment costs. We know of an installation in Costa Rica that installed the tape below their plowing depth and reused it for more than 20 years.

GrowStream

Our GrowStream subsurface systems increase these benefits with a "root response" ability - they only use about half of the water when no roots grow close to it. Root exudates interact with the buried soaker line and pull more water out as the plants get bigger or the temperatures increase. This makes the dream of regenerative and sustainable agriculture real while, at the same time, preventing pollution and increasing carbon sequestration. It can also become a key to much more: stopping desertification, regenerating forests, firescaping, preventing and becoming better prepared for wildfires - we even use it for aerating reservoirs, ponds, and lakes.