Christopher Henry

Christopher Henry is a Professor and Water Management Engineer at the University of Arkansas, specializing in irrigation system design, soil moisture monitoring, and water conservation strategies for rice, corn, and soybean cultivation. He leads a research and extension program focused on optimizing irrigation practices to reduce water use by 24% while maintaining crop yields.

• Education:
  • Ph.D. in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2009)
  • M.S. and B.S. in Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State University (1998, 1996)
• Research Interests:
  • Development of irrigation scheduling tools for major crops
  • Surge irrigation and computerized hole selection for lay-flat pipe
  • Soil moisture monitoring and odor modeling
  • Efficiency measurement of water and other inputs in Arkansas rice production
• Article Trends:
  • Recent work emphasizes water-use efficiency in rice systems (2023-2021), including technical and econometric analyses
  • Earlier studies focus on irrigation timing, nutrient management, and extension methods like the “Most Crop per Drop” contest
• Scientific Awards:
  • Irrigation Researcher of the Year (2018)
  • Distinguished Rice Research and Education Team Award (2018)
  • Engineer of the Year, Nebraska ASABE (2011)
• Additional Contributions:
  • Developer of the Rice Irrigation mobile app for lay-flat pipe planning
  • Recipient of the Australian-American Fulbright Scholarship (2004-2005) for livestock odor regulation studies