The system moves continuously and delivers water just above ground level. LEPA was designed by Bill Lyle, an agricultural engineer stationed at The Texas Agricultural Experiment Station in Lubbock. New techniques in furrow irrigation also reduce labor requirements and save energy and water cost. Lined canals and pipes deliver water to crops with less water loss than unlined ditches and canals. Automatic, computerized systems now available to irrigators use the latest in technology to measure soil moisture and determine when and how much to irrigate.
Modern systems can also operate automatic gates and regulate flow.