Is irrigation important to you and your business?

Lyndon Kelley<kelleyl@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - February 23, 2026

Water policy challenges are in the future for Michigan and Indiana. The Irrigation Day webinar series will provide three sessions explaining the competition for water and how it may affect your practices.

Three people stand in a harvested field working on a large irrigation pipe connected to a pivot system, with water forcefully spraying from the open end while a vehicle is parked nearby under a clear blue sky. — Irrigation is only possible with an adequate water supply. Understanding the future competition for water and changes in state water policy are critical to the future of irrigation. Photo by Lyndon Kelley, MSU Extension.

If you watch or read the news, almost every week there is a new wrinkle in water-dependent business development. Economic expansion is high on most people’s minds, but protecting our local water quality and availability is essential for agriculture and rural living. Protecting water quality and the competition for large inexpensive quantities of water often puts irrigated agriculture in competition for water needed for cooling of data centers, chip manufacturers, and other manufacturing.

One of the highest-ranking issues for irrigators in a recent Michigan State University (MSU) Extension survey was the availability of water under current or future regulations. The Irrigation Day webinar series on March 5 will focus on water policy issues in both Indiana and Michigan. Please consider registering for the webinar series to learn more about water policy and other irrigation related issues.

Water policy sessions on March 5

10:00-10:50 a.m.

Why is irrigation important in our area? – Molly Sears, PhD, MSU Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, and Lyndon Kelley, Purdue Extension/MSU Extension.

An overview of the economic and agricultural efficiencies that irrigation offers and how they benefit financial and environmental protection in the community.

12:00-12:50 p.m.

Understanding the competition for water and how it may change water policy – Keith Cherkauer, PhD, Purdue Agricultural and Biological Engineering/Indiana Water Resource Center.

The push for data center chip manufacturers in areas with high water and energy availability alarms many communities. Understand how water is used in this industry and what measures are available to minimize the negative impacts to help communities make sound decisions.

Overview of riparian rights and the impact on regional water policy – Laura Campbell, Michigan Farm Bureau.

The riparian doctrine is the basis of water rights and regulations east of the Mississippi. This overview of riparian rights and how it's affecting the development of water policy in the region is fundamental for future decisions in our states.

2:00-2:50 p.m.

Michigan large volume water use: Site specific review and water users committee – Lena Pappas, Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and Todd Feenstra, Midwest Water Stewards.

A discussion of the current status of Michigan’s large volume water use policy and a proposal for change in the future.

Registration

Registration for the Irrigation Day webinar is free. Certified crop adviser credits will be offered. To see the full Irrigation Day schedule, visit the MI Ag Ideas webpage.

For more information or help with registration, contact Lyndon Kelley at kelleyl@msu.edu or 269-535-0343, or the St. Joseph County Extension Office at 269-467-5511.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).