Spring Irrigation Startup Checklist for Texas Panhandle Farmers

# Spring Irrigation Startup Checklist for Texas Panhandle Farmers

March in the Texas Panhandle means one thing for irrigated agriculture: it is time to get your system ready for the growing season. Pro-Tech Irrigation has spent over 25 years helping farmers across West Texas, the Panhandle, and into Oklahoma and New Mexico bring their irrigation systems online after winter shutdown. We have seen every problem that shows up at startup, and most of them are preventable with a thorough pre-season inspection.

This checklist is built from real field experience working with center pivot systems — including T-L Irrigation continuous-move pivots — across some of the toughest agricultural ground in the country. Print it out, take it to the field, and work through it before you send water down the line.

!Center pivot irrigation system in a Texas Panhandle wheat field

Before You Start: Plan Your Irrigation Season

Before touching any equipment, take 30 minutes to review your crop plan and water budget for the season. This step saves water, money, and headaches later.

Review Your Crop Plan

Your irrigation needs are driven entirely by what you are planting and where. Cotton, corn, grain sorghum, and wheat all have different water demand curves, and your system needs to be configured accordingly.

If you changed your crop rotation from last year, your nozzle packages, application rates, and scheduling all need to adjust. Do not run last year's settings on this year's crop plan. We see this mistake every spring, and it costs yield and water every time.

Check Your Water Allocation

For farmers drawing from the Ogallala Aquifer — and that is most of you reading this — your allocation is not getting more generous. Many districts across the Panhandle have tightened limits over the past several years, and the saturated thickness numbers tell the story. Know your allocation before the season starts and build your irrigation schedule to stay within it.

If you are unsure about your current allocation or water rights status, contact your local groundwater conservation district. Pro-Tech can also help you review your water management plan to get the most out of every acre-foot.

Set Your Efficiency Goals

Before the first drop hits the ground, know what you are targeting. Bushels per acre-foot of water applied is the metric that matters. If you are not tracking that number, you are guessing. We work with farmers across the Panhandle to establish baseline efficiency metrics and find where improvements have the highest return.

The Pre-Season Pivot Inspection Checklist

Work through this systematically, span by span, before running the system. A couple of hours in March can prevent a breakdown in July when your cotton is at peak water demand and cannot wait three days for a part.

Structural Inspection

Walk the entire pivot from the center point to the last span. You are looking for winter damage, wear, and anything that could fail under operating stress.

Center point and pivot pad:

• • Check the pivot pad for settling, cracking, or erosion around the base
• • Inspect the swivel joint and collector ring for wear or corrosion
• • Verify the pivot point rotates freely without binding
• • Look for rodent damage to wiring at the center point — this is the number one electrical issue we find at startup

Spans and trusses:

• • Walk each span and visually inspect truss rods for bending, rust, or damage
• • Check pipe joints for signs of leaking or separation
• • Look for spans that sag or sit at uneven heights
• • Inspect wheel tracks for ruts deeper than six inches — that indicates drive alignment problems

Drive units and tires:

• • Check tire pressure on every tower. Low tires cause uneven application and tracking issues. This takes 20 minutes and prevents problems all season.
• • Inspect tires for sidewall cracks, dry rot, and punctures
• • Verify each gearbox has adequate oil — check the sight glass or drain plug
• • Listen for unusual sounds when the drive units engage

!Farmer inspecting a center pivot drive unit during spring startup

Pump and Well Inspection

Your pump is the heart of the system. A pump that underperforms at startup will underperform all season.

Well and pump check:

• • Pull and inspect the pump if it has not been serviced in the past two seasons
• • Check the static water level in your well and compare to previous years. If you are on the Ogallala, this number matters more every year.
• • Run a pump test to measure flow rate (GPM) and compare to the pump's rated capacity
• • Record the pumping water level under load and check for excessive drawdown

Pressure testing:

• • Pressurize the system and walk the entire length looking for leaks at joints, gaskets, and fittings
• • Check pressure at the pivot point and at the last nozzle to verify you are meeting design pressure
• • If pressure drop exceeds 10 to 15 percent from center to end, you have a leak, a partially closed valve, or pump degradation. Do not just bump up the pressure and move on — find the cause.

Motor and engine:

• • For electric motors, check wiring connections, starter contacts, and breaker condition
• • For diesel or natural gas engines, service filters, check belts, verify fuel delivery, and test the cooling system
• • Check the VFD (variable frequency drive) if equipped and verify it is programmed to current settings

Nozzle and Sprinkler Inspection

Nozzles are where water meets crop, and worn or mismatched nozzles destroy application uniformity. This is where a lot of yield gets left in the field.

What to check:

• • Remove and inspect every nozzle on the system. Yes, every one. A single bad nozzle creates a dry streak that costs you across the whole circle.
• • Look for wear patterns, enlarged orifices, and cracked housings
• • Replace any nozzle that shows visible wear or does not match the chart for that position
• • Verify the nozzle package matches your current crop plan and application rate requirements
• • Check pressure regulators at each drop and replace any that are not holding within spec

Drop hose and weight inspection:

• • Check drop hoses for cracks, UV damage, and kinks
• • Verify drop weights are present and secure
• • Inspect furrow arms or drag socks if used
• • Ensure drops are at the correct height for your crop canopy at maturity

!Close-up of center pivot nozzles being inspected and replaced

A nozzle package that was right for last year's cotton may not be right for this year's corn. If you changed crops, talk to your irrigation consultant about re-nozzling before the season starts. The cost of a nozzle swap is nothing compared to the water and yield you lose running the wrong package all season.

Electrical System Check

Electrical problems cause more mid-season downtime than almost any other issue. Find them now while it is March and not July.

Panel and controls:

• • Inspect the main electrical panel for moisture, rodent damage, or corrosion
• • Check all contactors and relays for pitting or wear
• • Verify safety switches and interlocks are functional
• • Test end gun and corner system controls if equipped

Span alignment and safety systems:

• • Verify the alignment system (mechanical or GPS) is functioning correctly
• • Check span alignment switches and cables
• • Test the safety shutdown sequence to confirm the system stops when it should
• • Inspect lightning protection and grounding — a Panhandle thunderstorm will find any grounding weakness you have

GPS and remote monitoring:

• • If your system has GPS guidance or remote monitoring, verify cellular or radio connectivity
• • Update software or firmware if the manufacturer has released updates
• • Calibrate GPS positioning if the system was moved or serviced over winter

T-L Irrigation System-Specific Tips

For farmers running T-L Irrigation continuous-move pivots, there are additional items specific to the hydraulic drive system.

Hydraulic system checks:

• • Check hydraulic oil level and condition in the power unit
• • Inspect hydraulic hoses across every span for chafing, cracking, or leaks
• • Verify hydraulic pressure at the power unit matches spec
• • Check the hydraulic filter and replace if it has been more than one season

The continuous-move design of T-L systems eliminates the start-stop cycling that wears on electric drive pivots, but the hydraulic components still need annual attention. A hydraulic leak that goes undetected at startup causes uneven application across the field and leads to mid-season repairs when you can least afford the downtime.

Continuous-move advantage at startup: T-L pivots do not experience the torque stress at startup that electric pivots do. The hydraulic system ramps smoothly, reducing wear on drive components and extending system life. If you are comparing pivot brands for a new installation or replacement, this is one of the practical advantages of the T-L design that we can walk you through.

!T-L Irrigation pivot hydraulic power unit being serviced

Common Startup Problems and How to Fix Them

These are the issues we see most often during spring startup across the Panhandle.

Low Flow Rate

If your pump test shows lower GPM than expected, the most common causes are:

• • Declining well capacity — the Ogallala is not refilling as fast as we are pumping
• • Worn pump impeller or bowl
• • Partially clogged intake screen
• • Air leak in the suction line

A 10 to 15 percent drop from the original pump rating is worth investigating. Beyond that, you need to evaluate your pump or well to match current aquifer conditions. Ignoring it and hoping for the best is how you end up with a catastrophic failure in August.

Uneven Water Application

If you see wet and dry streaks in the field, check:

• • Nozzle wear or mismatch — the most common cause by far
• • Pressure regulator failure at individual drops
• • Plugged nozzles
• • Incorrect drop spacing

A uniformity test early in the season identifies these problems before they cost you yield. We can run a full system uniformity evaluation as part of a pre-season service call.

Tracking and Rut Problems

Deep ruts from last season only get worse if not addressed. Options include:

• • Filling ruts with gravel or base material
• • Adjusting tire pressure
• • Installing aftermarket flotation tires
• • Regrading wheel tracks with a box blade

Ruts deeper than eight inches cause tower alignment stress and accelerate structural wear on trusses and spans. Fix them before you start the season, not after they have gotten worse.

Electrical Failures at Startup

The number one cause of electrical failure at spring startup is rodent damage. Mice and rats nest in electrical panels over winter and chew through wiring. Inspect every panel and junction box before energizing the system. We have seen a $15 mouse cause $3,000 in electrical repairs.

When to Call for Help vs. Handle It Yourself

Most items on this checklist are within the capability of an experienced operator. But certain situations warrant professional support.

Call Pro-Tech when:

• • Pump test shows significant flow loss compared to original specs
• • You are changing crops and need to re-nozzle the entire system
• • Water allocation has been reduced and you need to redesign your application strategy
• • The pivot has structural damage from wind or storm events
• • You want to add VRI (variable rate irrigation) or GPS guidance
• • You are planning a new well, replacement pivot, or system expansion

Handle it yourself when:

• • Tire pressure checks and routine span walking
• • Basic nozzle replacement with matching parts
• • Oil checks on gearboxes and hydraulic systems
• • Electrical panel visual inspection (with the power off)
• • Pressure testing the system for leaks

Pro-Tech Irrigation offers pre-season system evaluations across the Texas Panhandle, West Texas, South Texas, Central Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. We bring 25 years of hands-on agricultural experience to every farm visit. The goal is not to sell you equipment — it is to help you get the most profitable season out of the equipment and water you already have.

!Pro-Tech Irrigation consultant reviewing pivot performance data with a farmer

The Ogallala Reality

Every spring startup is a reminder that the water under the Panhandle is finite. The Ogallala continues to decline in many areas, and the rate of decline is accelerating in some districts. Every acre-foot you apply needs to count.

Spring startup is your first opportunity to set the tone for a water-efficient season. A system running at peak efficiency — uniform application, no leaks, correct nozzle packages — uses less water per bushel than a system limping along with worn nozzles and a tired pump.

You would not plant with a drill that was dropping seed unevenly. Do not irrigate with a system that is applying water unevenly.

Get Your System Evaluated Before Planting

If you want a professional evaluation before the 2026 growing season starts, Pro-Tech Irrigation is scheduling pre-season farm visits now. We cover the Texas Panhandle, West Texas, and surrounding states.

Call us at [PHONE] to schedule. We will walk your system, run diagnostics, and give you a straight assessment of what needs attention and what is good to go. No sales pitch — just farmer-to-farmer advice from a crew that has been doing this for over 25 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start spring irrigation startup in the Texas Panhandle? March is the right time for pre-season inspection. Most Panhandle farmers are running water by mid-April for pre-plant irrigation on cotton and corn. Getting your system checked in early March gives you time to order parts and make repairs before you need to irrigate.

How often should I replace center pivot nozzles? Inspect every season, replace when they show visible wear or when flow measurements show they are outside the manufacturer's tolerance — typically plus or minus 10 percent. Most nozzles last three to five seasons depending on water quality and operating hours.

What is the most common startup mistake? Running last year's nozzle package on a new crop rotation without recalculating application rates. Over-watering wastes Ogallala water you cannot get back. Under-watering leaves yield in the field. Take 30 minutes to match your irrigation plan to your crop plan.

Can Pro-Tech work on systems other than T-L? Yes. We specialize in T-L Irrigation and know those systems inside and out, but we service and evaluate all major pivot brands including Valley, Reinke, and Zimmatic. Our focus is on farm profitability, not brand loyalty.

How much does a pre-season evaluation cost? Contact us at [PHONE] for current pricing. The cost of an evaluation is a fraction of what a single mid-season breakdown costs in lost water, crop stress, and emergency repair bills.