
IIC is already enjoying significant success and is open to being joined by other, especially private, organizations. They are working with other groups (e.g., the Ag-Chemicals industry) to optimize the interaction of water usage with usage of other products and procedures. Funding is secured by a matching grant from the FFAR for $5 million, matched by the other participants.
IIC focuses on three areas: 1) development of more efficient and lower-cost hardware and software for management of water; 2) training of users in both the agricultural and landscaping community in more efficient usage of water; 3) certification of users in more efficient water practices. They are being encouraged by FFAR to embrace “white-space” research (research in the gaps between other established areas of interest).
In the area of development, some of their interests are in developing lower-cost moisture sensors (so they could be deployed more widely); emphasis on ease of data capture by embracing IOT (internet of things) technology; remote sensing (e.g., use of drones and infrared sensing); and development of standards for flow measurements.
Training includes technology transfer of not only hardware/software developments, but also procedural developments from, for example, a 50-acre research plot near Fort Collins.