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There's over 120-thousand acres of irrigated pastures in our county... and most of them use aluminum hand line systems, a concept that's been around for over a half­-century.

Cutting edge, K-Line Irrigation system, is helping farmers. 

When I interviewed a farmer in Moxee today...he wasn't sure if he should smile or look mad like a farmer who's short of water. 

Well, this new irrigation system seems to be making the most of this scarce resource.

Dusty's been a hobby farmer for years.. and has tried all different systems to water his pasture.

He's used the aluminum hand lines, the solid set underground system and the open ditch system...and decided to give the new K-Line system a whirl.

He was one of the brave few, in the valley, to try it out.

It's easy because it only takes 8 minutes to move.

The handline system takes an hour to move and is not a one man job.

And even though Dusty loves his new system... his pasture is not glittering green because he is using the Roza irrigation canal and gets 60-percent less of a water allotment this year.

But the cattle seem to be content because the K-Lines don't get in their way.

If you need to see it, to believe it....this new system is undergoing further tests at the end of the month, at 6810 North Wenas Road, in Selah.

Because the K-Line is a new product and imported from New Zealand... it is a little more expensive. Aluminum hand lines run around 600-dollars and acre and K-lines are about 700-dollars an acre. But farmers say it saves money in the long run.

By Tammy Mori, (Reprinted from an article by “kima” news Channel 29 in  Yakima, Washington)

July 12, 2005