{
  "slug": "irrigation-pumping-cost",
  "title": "Irrigation Pumping Cost Calculator",
  "heading": "Irrigation Pumping Cost Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/irrigation-pumping-cost",
  "summary": "Fuel or electricity cost to pump water for a given acre-inch of irrigation.",
  "description": "Pumping cost is driven by three things farmers often underestimate together: total dynamic head (lift plus pressure plus friction losses), pump and power unit efficiency, and the fuel or electricity price. This calculator uses the standard water horsepower formula, divides by overall pumping plant efficiency to get input horsepower, then converts to fuel or electric consumption over the hours needed to apply a target acre-inches of water. Diesel units commonly run 12-18% pumping plant efficiency for older engines versus 20-25% for well-maintained modern units, and that swing alone can double or halve your energy bill for the same water delivered. Use it to compare pumping costs across wells with different lift, or to justify a pump repower.",
  "formula": "Water HP = (GPM × TDH) ÷ 3960; input HP = water HP ÷ plant efficiency; fuel/energy = input HP × hours × consumption rate.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=irrigation-pumping-cost",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "acres",
      "label": "Acres irrigated",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 130,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "acreInches",
      "label": "Water applied",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 6,
      "unit": "acre-in",
      "min": 0.5,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "gpm",
      "label": "Pump flow rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 900,
      "unit": "GPM",
      "min": 50,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "tdh",
      "label": "Total dynamic head",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 180,
      "unit": "ft",
      "min": 10,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "efficiency",
      "label": "Pumping plant efficiency",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 20,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 8,
      "max": 35
    },
    {
      "id": "powerSource",
      "label": "Power source",
      "kind": "select",
      "hint": null,
      "default": "diesel",
      "options": [
        {
          "value": "diesel",
          "label": "Diesel ($/gal, ~18 hp-hr/gal)"
        },
        {
          "value": "electric",
          "label": "Electric ($/kWh, 0.746 kWh/hp-hr)"
        },
        {
          "value": "natgas",
          "label": "Natural gas ($/therm, ~11 hp-hr/therm)"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "unitCost",
      "label": "Fuel/energy unit cost",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 3.6,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0.01,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "totalCost",
      "label": "Total pumping cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "costPerAcreInch",
      "label": "Cost per acre-inch",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "hours",
      "label": "Pumping hours needed",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "consumption",
      "label": "Fuel/energy consumed",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "inputHp",
      "label": "Input horsepower required",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Acres irrigated: 130",
      "Water applied: 6 acre-in",
      "Pump flow rate: 900 GPM",
      "Total dynamic head: 180 ft",
      "Pumping plant efficiency: 20 %",
      "Power source: Diesel ($/gal, ~18 hp-hr/gal)",
      "Fuel/energy unit cost: 3.6 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Total pumping cost: $16,046",
      "Cost per acre-inch: $20.57",
      "Pumping hours needed: 392.2",
      "Fuel/energy consumed: 4,457.1",
      "Input horsepower required: 204.5"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter acres irrigated.",
      "Enter water applied (acre-in).",
      "Enter pump flow rate (GPM).",
      "Enter total dynamic head (ft).",
      "Enter pumping plant efficiency (%).",
      "Enter power source.",
      "Enter fuel/energy unit cost ($).",
      "Read your total pumping cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "acres": 78,
        "acreInches": 3.5999999999999996,
        "gpm": 540,
        "tdh": 110,
        "efficiency": 12,
        "powerSource": "diesel",
        "unitCost": 2.16
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "acres": 130,
        "acreInches": 6,
        "gpm": 900,
        "tdh": 180,
        "efficiency": 20,
        "powerSource": "diesel",
        "unitCost": 3.6
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "acres": 208,
        "acreInches": 9.600000000000001,
        "gpm": 1440,
        "tdh": 290,
        "efficiency": 32,
        "powerSource": "diesel",
        "unitCost": 5.760000000000001
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "What counts toward total dynamic head?",
      "a": "Add static lift (well depth to water plus elevation gain to the field), operating pressure needed at the pivot or gun (converted at 2.31 ft per psi), and friction loss in the pipeline, typically 5-15 ft depending on pipe diameter and length."
    },
    {
      "q": "Why does pumping plant efficiency vary so much?",
      "a": "It bundles engine or motor efficiency, gearhead losses, and bowl/impeller efficiency together. A worn engine burning excess fuel, a slipping belt drive, and worn pump bowls each shave a few points off, and they compound. Nebraska Pumping Plant Performance Criteria tables are the standard reference for expected values by fuel type."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is electric or diesel cheaper to pump with?",
      "a": "It depends entirely on local rates, but electric motors are inherently more efficient (90%+ motor efficiency vs 30-35% for diesel engines), so even with modest per-unit cost differences electric often wins if power is available at the well."
    },
    {
      "q": "How much does raising the well pump help?",
      "a": "Every foot of head reduced cuts input horsepower proportionally. Dropping TDH from 200 ft to 150 ft (25% reduction) cuts pumping cost by roughly the same 25%, which is why declining water tables directly raise irrigation costs year over year."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/evapotranspiration-irrigation",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/irrigation-water-need",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/livestock-water-requirement"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Irrigation Pumping Cost Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/irrigation-pumping-cost)"
}