Center pivots: Innovation that grew crops and acres in Nebraska

Gary Stone

Nebraska Extension water & cropping systems educator

The center pivot is the one invention that has changed the irrigated agricultural landscape worldwide. Center pivot irrigation has increased irrigation water use efficiency and reduced labor costs. It has also allowed agricultural development on marginal land with varying soil types and topography. Irrigated acres in Nebraska have increased from 3,998,000 acres (1960) to 9,378,462 acres (2022).

The general concept of a center pivot is a series of pipes connected by flexible couplers, supported by motorized structures (towers) that...