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Spartans Make Every Drop Count
Increasing environmental sustainability on a Kansas farm
By Bethany Mauger | Jun 10, 2026 |
A research team is helping farmers in Kansas capture every raindrop in an increasingly dry climate with an unlikely ally — solar panels.
Led by Anthony Kendall, Michigan State University assistant professor of Earth and environmental sciences, the group created a prototype solar array. Their design reduces water evaporation by absorbing the sun’s energy and casting shadows while also routing water to underground reserves.
These arrays are placed on unproductive corners of irrigated fields. Their aim is to boost how much groundwater farmers have available for irrigation on nearby fields and help sustain farm income.
For the clearest view of the illustration, turn your device to landscape orientation.
The collection process
1. Solar Panels
Solar panels are known to reduce water evaporation by absorbing the sun's energy and casting shadows. These panels are tilted strategically to catch more rainfall.
2. Gutter
Water that drips from the solar panels is collected by a gutter.
3. Pipe
The gutter funnels water into a pipe that runs to a collection basin.
4. Infiltration Basin
An underground chamber collects water from all the solar panels. Over time, this water will leach into the surrounding soil and gradually increase the water table.