Scott Nedved, August 2005 Graduate, worked with Professor Ray Supalla on the Water Optimizer while on assistantship in the MBA Agribusiness Program. The Water Optimizer is a decision support tool for producers with limited water.

The Water Optimizer tool was developed in response to several years of drought across the state and to farmers facing water restrictions in the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District and Republican River Basin. The tool allows users to input information into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, including soil type and irrigation system options. Irrigation options include center pivot or gravity irrigation systems, well or canal delivery, and systems powered by electricity, diesel or natural gas. After entering this basic information, producers enter their production costs, irrigation costs, crop prices, crop type and available water. After these parameters have been set, the program calculates what crops will be most profitable with the given costs and available water.

For more information on the water optimizer please visit http://real.unl.edu/h20/