The Stripling Irrigation Research Park (SIRP) is one of eight off-campus research and education centers at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).
SIRP consists of 130 acres in southwest Georgia in the lower Flint River basin. The Park is located in western Mitchell County and crops grown in research plots include cotton, corn, peanuts, soybeans, and occasionally sweet corn.
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SIRP is in USDA zone 8B with extreme lows from 10-15 degrees F and an annual precipitation of 50-60 inches. Growing Season for row crops typically lasts for 292 days, starting in late February to mid-October. The average first frost is mid-November and the average last frost is Mid-March.
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The predominant soil series is Lucy loamy sand with a small area of Orangeburg loamy sand. The very sandy soil has little water-holding capacity but is well drained and, with rainfall or irrigation, is very productive.
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Total acreage: 130
- 70 acres are cultivated (69 acres irrigated, 1 acre dryland)
Irrigation capabilities:- 4 wells for irrigation (each 500 gpm), 2 wells for domestic water supply
- 5 center pivots, two with VRI capabilities. Area covered is 36 acres.
- 4 linear move systems, all with VRI capabilities. Area covered is 26 acres.
Production systems:- Conventional/strip tillage
- 70 acres are cultivated (69 acres irrigated, 1 acre dryland)
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- Office - 7,812 sq.ft.
- Conference room - 1,008 sq,ft, (located in main office building)
- Equipment storage - 6,000 sq.ft.
- Maintenance shop - 2,976 sq.ft, (connected to equipment shed)
- Pesticide storage - 120 sq.ft. (connected to equipment shed)
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- Tractors: Two JD 6145R (145 HP), JD 6330 (105 HP), JD 6200 (84 HP)
- Planters: Monosem 4 row (36 inch), Monosem 2 row (36 inch), Great Plains no-till drill 7.5” rows x 6 ft wide
- Sprayers: JD 6700 18-row sprayer, LMC 6-row side-dress liquid applicator, two Generic 6-row lay-by sprayers, Generic 3pt- 12 row sprayer, Generic 3pt- 6 row sprayer
- Tillage: 4-row KMC strip-till implement, 2-row KMC roto-tiller, JD switch plow, Generic harrow, CaseIH field cultivator
- Harvest: JD 8860 grain combine (for border rows only) with 6 row corn and 25 ft grain platform, KMC 4 row peanut combine (border rows only), Colombo 2 row peanut combine (plots only), Lilliston 2 row peanut combine (border rows only), KMC 2 row peanut inverter, KMC 6 row peanut reshaker, JD 9965 4 row cotton picker (border rows only), JD 9930 2 row cotton picker (plots only). Also, have access to a shared Almaco 2-row plot combine with corn and grain heads.
- Other: rotary mowers (7 ft Brown, 13 ft Rhino, 15 ft Bush-Hog), JD backhoe, JCB telehandler, 2-row Generic stalk puller, 4-row rotary hoe, three gravity flow grain wagons, two peanut wagons, cotton module builder, and cotton boll buggy
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- Weather station - UGA Weather Network Campbell Scientific Station - "Camilla"
- Drone - DJI Mavic 2 Pro
- Trimble GPS autosteer systems on 6145R tractors, 6330 tractor, and 6700 sprayer
- West Texas Lee Spider sprayer 4-row (research boom)
- Weather station - UGA Weather Network Campbell Scientific Station - "Camilla"
Schedule a visit
To arrange a visit, send an email to sirp@uga.edu with potential dates and times. We will do our best to accommodate your request.
Can the SIRP host my group’s meeting?
SIRP has a conference room with projector capabilities as well as an outdoor shelter area that provides an additional covered area for seating. The conference room can comfortably accommodate small groups or groups of up to 60 individuals. SIRP can host most group meetings provided that they do not conflict with any pre-established event occurring at SIRP.
Note that Stripling Park does not offer food service but can assist you with arranging for catering of meals.
History
Groundbreaking began at UGA's Stripling Irrigation Research Park on November 3, 2000. A dedication of the Park was held May 2002. The 130 acres of land were originally donated to Mitchell County by Mr. C.M. Stripling and in turn, the county leased the land to UGA. Mr. Stripling was a pioneer in the start of modern irrigation farming in Georgia and a national Forester of the Year. His passion and desire to protect our land, water, and plant resources motivated Mr. Stripling to develop the most advanced irrigation feasible for the Dougherty Plain conditions in Georgia.
Farmers and the Economic Development Commission in Mitchell County, with their enthusiasm and support, enabled the rapid development of the facility. Today, farmers continue to review research and education at SIRP to help them make the most efficient use of every drop withdrawn from surface and groundwater resources. Farmers are interested in showing non-farm neighbors that they are making wise and effective use of this resource.
Scientists, engineers, and extension specialists collaborate with the staff and administration of the park to define crop water needs and improve food, feed, and fiber production using efficient irrigation methods. Industry partners can test equipment and water conservation strategies for Georgia under the objective eye of the College’s researchers. SIRP provides educational opportunities and demonstrations for farmers, irrigation companies, as well as students in local technical colleges and universities.
Agricultural water conservation is at the forefront of topics in southwest Georgia with the increasing frequency of drought periods and increasing water demands throughout the Apalachicola – Chattahoochee – Flint (ACF) River Basin. Thus, the mission of Stripling Park has included conservation ideals since its inception. With the ongoing “water wars” over water flow and demand in the ACF River Basin, maximizing efficiency and conservation efforts in this region has become a priority.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Stripling Park’s mission is to be a state-of-the-art irrigation research and education center to assist farmers in managing irrigation and the general public in understanding the role of water in the economy of the region. The variety of research projects conducted at SIRP either directly or indirectly address that mission. Stripling Park includes 130 acres in western Mitchell County (approximately 3 miles from the Flint River). The Park was located there to host research on soils and weather representative of the southwest corner of Georgia. It has an exceptional irrigation research infrastructure that includes five center pivot systems (two with VRI) and four linear-move systems (all with VRI). Five deep wells (4 Floridan aquifer, 1 Claiborne aquifer) provide high-quality water to the hundreds of crop research plots across the Park.
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Stripling Park core activities are funded with dollars allocated to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences by the state of Georgia. Much of the research conducted at the Park is funded through research grants obtained by the scientists involved. These grants come from a variety of sources, including USDA-ARS, USDA-NRCS, state commodity commissions, private industry, etc. Stripling Park also uses proceeds from crop sales to provide much-needed operating funds.
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Stripling Park covers approximately 130 acres with around 75 acres in actual research plots. Some research plots may be only 2 rows by 40 feet while others may cover nearly an acre. Five full-time employees (Superintendent, Sr. Ag Specialist, two Ag Specialists, and Administrative Associate) and one part-time employee (Utility Worker/custodian) work year-round at Striping Park. Scientists, their support staff, and graduate students from other locations (like UGA at Tifton, Athens, or Griffin) are often on-site to work in their respective plots.
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Using the Irrigation Park’s land and equipment as a focal point of their efforts, scientists, engineers, extension specialists, and staff collaborate to define crop water needs, improve food, feed, and fiber production under irrigation, investigate effectiveness of chemigation/fertigation, and find more efficient ways to apply irrigation water. Industry partners can test equipment and water conservation strategies for Georgia under the objective eye of the UGA’s researchers. Several key water conservation tools and techniques “researched” at Stripling Park include advanced irrigation scheduling, Variable-Rate Irrigation (VRI), subsurface drip irrigation, and low-pressure spray nozzle on drop hose retrofits.
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The number of scientists and their projects at SIRP varies from year to year. During an average growing season, there are about a dozen scientists involved in many unique research projects.
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Crops being studied at SIRP include cotton, corn, peanut, and soybean. Occasionally, other crops are studied, including sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, and onions. Though not studied directly at the Park, SIRP’s outreach efforts have included irrigated pecan production.
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SIRP uses advanced irrigation scheduling methods such as remote soil moisture monitoring, irrigation scheduling apps, and water balance methods (UGA Extension “checkbook”). These scheduling methods are often used in conjunction with scientists’ research protocols.
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The majority of scientists working at Stripling Park are University of Georgia research and/or extension faculty. However, we are always open to collaborating with our colleagues from neighboring universities and the USDA on appropriate irrigation research projects. In the past, SIRP has worked with faculty from University of West Georgia, the University of Florida, and Auburn University as well as scientists from USDA-ARS and USDA-NRCS.
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Since SIRP is a state-funded entity, we make a special effort to accommodate UGA scientists (along with other university plus USDA scientists) and their projects. Occasionally, we have plot land that is not allocated to these scientists and are able to work with industry researchers on a case-by-case basis.