Idaho’s water crisis is forcing farmers to get creative. Could this soil ‘sponge’ help?
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EDITOR’S NOTE: “From the Field” is a weekly feature bringing you the latest agriculture news in eastern Idaho.
IDAHO FALLS – Farmers are heading into harvest season and the winter months after one of the worst water years on record.
With reservoirs at an all-time low and forecasters predicting a warmer-than-normal winter with a 50/50 chance of a wet or dry winter, uncertainty abounds in the agriculture community. Many farmers are anticipating additional cutbacks in their water allotments and are looking for ways to stretch Idaho’s already limited water supply even further.
RELATED | Idaho’s reservoirs hit historic low as winter outlook raises more water worries
Chad Godsey is a farmer and soil scientist in northeastern Colorado who knows firsthand what dealing with a water crisis is like. In August, CNN reported that two of its largest reservoirs — Lake Mead and Lake Powell — were at historic lows. Both are part of the Colorado River system, which provides water to around 40 million people. Its water levels have shrunk dramatically in the last two decades due to a megadrought, high temperatures and years of heavy demand.
Record-low water levels in 2026 now put the system at risk of crashing and farmers are locked in negotiations about how to share what water remains.
Godsey is among the water users in the Centennial State. As a corn grower primarily, he farms about 3,500 acres on a spread that’s been in his family for generations. He tells EastIdahoNews.com lack of water is an issue that’s prevalent throughout the Western United States.
“Increased efficiency for every acre-inch that we apply to the crop becomes more and more critical. We can’t waste even a half-inch of moisture during the growing season,” Godsey says. “It has a huge impact on crop yield at the end of the season.”
Soil science has been his passion for 25 years and he’s devoted his life to researching how to maximize its use. He’s the chief agronomist at Green Evolution Technologies, a 2022 startup which recently developed a product designed to retain more moisture and nutrients in the soil. It’s called InteliGel and he describes it as a “super-absorbent polymer” that can “retain up to 2,000 times its weight in water.”
RELATED | New app aims to help eastern Idaho farmers track water as drought tightens grip
He says it’s applied before planting similar to fertilizer. It can be banded, or placed, near a row, or spread evenly across the entire field. He explains how it works.
“It’s put into the soil (and it acts) like a sponge,” says Godsey. “When we have those rainfalls with excess moisture, it can help retain that moisture for later in the growing season when those crops need it the most.”
Although it is available now, he says a full commerical launch of the product is slated for Fall 2027 or Spring 2028.
What the research shows
After several years of large scale trials across the U.S., Godsey says they’ve seen consistent results everywhere it’s been tested. Third-party research from Precision Technology Institute in Illinois over the last three years had a 5-8% yield increase in corn and soybeans, according to Godsey. In that same study, Godsey says the yield increase resulted in a net return on investment between $45 and $69 an acre.
“We’re about two weeks away from harvest in some of our plots further west of Colorado, so it’s a little too early to tell (what the results will be there),” Godsey says.
Still, he says the positive results in all the research gives him confidence it’s a worthwhile investment for potato and wheat crops in eastern Idaho.
Soil types vary in different parts of the country, and Godsey says water absorption is a critical component of conservation in the West. Although the absorption rate of InteliGel is fixed, Godsey says it can be customized by the manufacturer for different soil types.
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While it’s not a cure-all solution for the issues farmers are dealing with, Godsey says it’s another tool at their disposal. Effective management of irrigation water and staying within allotments is still crucial, but Godsey says InteliGel is one method to help stretch the water supply as far as it will go.
“We really encourage people to think about water use efficiency, where you’re at and how to improve so you can start to set some baselines,” says Godsey. “Get a little extra out of that half inch of water that you may be able to retain.”
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Amid the water shortage, farmers are also dealing with high input costs, which impact profit margins. The idea of investing in a product makes many farmers skeptical. Godsey says InteliGel is produced for $4 a pound. A typical application rate is 10 pounds per acre, which amounts to $40 per acre.
RELATED | Idaho brothers turn soil science into a $10-per-acre farm solution
Godsey says they’re working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, water districts and other entities in hopes of providing cost-sharing options for customers. Over the next year, Godsey says his goal is to make it as affordable he can.
To buy it or learn more, click here.
WATCH OUR INTERVIEW WITH GODSEY IN THE VIDEO ABOVE.
AG AT-A-GLANCE
Tiny mites take on Idaho’s noxious weeds
The following is an excerpt of an article from the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission.
EMMETT – The Squaw Creek and Gem soil and water conservation districts near Emmett have been experimenting with biocontrol agents on rush skeletonweed, poison hemlock and purple loosestrife since 2022 to reduce the spread of noxious weeds on private lands.
Leanne Buck, administrator for both districts, showed the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission some “galls” forming on rush skeletonweed plants behind the District shop. The galls contain thousands of tiny mites working to retard the growth of the noxious weeds.
Buck is trying to create an “insectary” behind the district shop, where they could collect more mites to be used on other Rush skeletonweed plants elsewhere in the future.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
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