Niel Allen

Division Head Irrigation

Associate Professor

Niel Allen

Contact Information

Office Location: ENGR 227
Phone: 435-797-3926
Email: n.allen@usu.edu
Additional Information:

Educational Background

PhD, Civil Engineering, University of Idaho, 1991
Economic and Statistical Based On-Farm Irrigation Scheduling
MS, Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering, Utah State University, 1980
Advance Rates in Furrow Irrigation of Cycled Flow
BS, Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering, Utah State University, 1979

Licensures & Certifications

New Mexico Professional Civil Engineer, New Mexico Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers & Professional Surveyors, 2002
Nevada Professional Civil Engineer, Nevada Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, 1995
California Professional Civil Engineer, California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists, 1994
Utah Professional Civil Engineer, Utah (Department of Commerce - Divsion of Occupation & Professional Licensing, 1987

Biography

I received my BS and MS from USU in Agriculture and Irrigation Engineering and a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Idaho. I worked in the irrigation business for 5 years, 8 years with Cooperative Extension, and 19 years with consulting engineering firms.

Teaching Interests

My teaching opportunities are in workshops to water users and water agency personnel, one-on-one teaching with farmers, landscapers, gardeners, and county agents, preparation of documents, and as invited to lecture in classes. My objective is to provide information to water users and managers to help solve water and irrigation problems and manage water resources in Utah. My career has provided me opportunities to work with water managers, attorneys, and water users in the resolution of complex water allocation and water rights conflicts. Irrigation as the largest water use in Utah is my primary focus.

Research Interests

My interest is to help facilitate the effective utilization of water resources in the State of Utah to benefit the citizens based on established water rights, current water uses, and future water use needs and opportunities. I am focused on 1) developing efficient irrigation management practices and technologies, 2) exploring opportunities for cooperation that mutually benefit agriculture, domestic, commercial, municipal, industrial, energy, and environmental water users, 3) integrating information from multiple disciplines that utilize or impact water and 4) implementing methods to disseminate information from researchers and industry to water users and managers. I am developing management practices that can be implemented by irrigation system operators, farmers, homeowners, landscapers, gardeners, and small acreage operators. My current research proposal concerns deficit irrigation of pasture to provide water for critical water uses for the growing population and during droughts or water shortages. I'm also interested in using remotely sensed information for estimating consumptive use for water administration and accounting.

Publications | Abstracts

  • Yost, M., Creech, J.E, Allen, L., (2020). Agricultural water optimization with advanced sprinkler packages for pivots. ASA, CSSA, SSSA annual meeting *
  • Yost, M., Allen, L., (2020). Effects of sprinkler maintenance and DATA-based water management decisions on alfalfa production. ASA, CSSA, SSSA annual meeting *
  • Yost, M., Allen, L., (2020). How a management stacking environment affects yield of silage corn. ASA, CSSA, SSSA annual meeting *
  • Yost, M., Allen, L., (2020). The effects of stacking water management factors on forage quality. ASA, CSSA, SSSA annual meeting *
  • Yost, M., Allen, L., (2019). New irrigation technologies are maintaining yield with less water.
  • Yost, M., Allen, L., (2019). Quantifying soil and tree canopy variation in tart cherries for precision irrigation applications.
  • Yost, M., Allen, L., (2019). Quantifying variation in tart cherry orchards for precision irrigation applications.
  • Yost, M., Allen, L., (2019). Advancing use of agriculture water optimization innovations on Utah farms.

An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

    Publications | Book Chapters

  • Yost, M., Allen, L., Gale, J.A, W.P, (2020). Soil and Water Conservation a Celebration of 75 Years: Water Optimization through Applied Irrigation Research. Soil and Water Conservation Society
  • Allen, L., MacAdam, J.W, (2020). 7th Edition of Forages, Volume II, The Science of Grassland Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Management: 7th Edition of Forages, Volume II, The Science of Grassland Agriculture, Chapter 27 - Irrigation and Water Management. John Wiley & Sons, Inc
  • Steinitz, T., Wagner, K.M, Drost, D.T, Alston, D.G, Hunter, B., Nischwitz, C., Ramirez, R., Allen, L., Barnhill, J.V, Frame, D., Pace, M., Durward, C., Reeve, J., Jewkes, M., Heflebower, R.F, (2014). A Guide to Common Organic Gardening Questions. USU Extension *

An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

Publications | Fact Sheets

An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

Publications | Journal Articles

Academic Journal

An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

Publications | MultiMedia

Video

  • Allen, L., (2019). How to do a preseason wheel line inspection. Utah State University Extension *
  • Allen, L., (2015). Onion Furrow Irrigation (YouTube). USU Extension *

An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

Publications | Technical Reports

Research Reports

  • Allen, L., Hipps, L.E, Torres-Rua, A., (2020). Depletion Accounting for Irrigation Water Rights in Utah. Utah Division of Water Resources *
  • Allen, L., Torres-Rua, A., (2018). Verification of Water Conservation from Deficit Irrigation Pilot Projects in the Upper Colorado River Basin. *

Other Reports

    An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

    Publications | Other

    Bulletins

    Magazine/Trade Publications

    Newsletter

    An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.

    Extension

    Agriculture (Irrigation) and Natural Resources (Water), 2009 - Ongoing

    Graduate Students Mentored

    Chad Withers, Civil & Environmental Engineering, January 2020
    Levi Manley, Civil & Environmental Engineering, November 2019
    Ihsan Bugra Bugdayci, Civil & Environmental Engineering, August 2018 - August 2020
    Hadia Akbar, Civil & Environmental Engineering, August 2017 - May 2018
    Arthur Pratt, Civil & Environmental Engineering, August 2014 - August 2016
    Manuel Diaz, Civil & Environmental Engineering, August 2015 - May 2016