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Irrigation Savings: Tips for Water Conservation

Irrigation Savings: Tips for Water Conservation. Melissa Baum Haley Michael D. Dukes Agricultural & Biological Engineering University of Florida. Keys in Irrigation Savings. Efficiency Uniformity Design Scheduling Equipment Maintenance. What is Irrigation Efficiency?.

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Irrigation Savings: Tips for Water Conservation

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  1. Irrigation Savings:Tips for Water Conservation Melissa Baum Haley Michael D. Dukes Agricultural & Biological Engineering University of Florida

  2. Keys in Irrigation Savings • Efficiency • Uniformity • Design • Scheduling • Equipment • Maintenance

  3. What is Irrigation Efficiency? • Ws is the irrigated water stored in the root zone • Wd is the water delivered to the area being irrigated

  4. Uniformity of Water Distribution

  5. Uniformity vs. Efficiency Root Zone Soil Below Root Zone

  6. Uniform -- Efficient Non-uniformity (100% uniformity not practical) Adequate irrigation

  7. Non-uniform -- Inefficient Under irrigated

  8. Non-uniform -- Inefficient Over irrigation

  9. Uniform -- Inefficient

  10. Head-to-Head Coverage • Important for uniformity • Reduces weed invasion

  11. Head-to-Head Coverage • Due to water overlap, more uniform depth of distribution occurs

  12. How to Test Uniformity • Catch-can Method

  13. Other Design Issues • Pipe size • Pressure • Brand

  14. Zones • Landscape zones can be turned off or greatly reduced once established • Zone turf areas and bedding separately because of run time differences – precipitation rate • Rotor, Spray, and Microirrigation heads zoned separately because of pressure • Rotors – 60 psi • Spray – 30 psi • Micro – <30 psi

  15. Microirrigation • Works well in bedded areas • Irrigates 50% less area • Types: • Micro-Spray heads • Drip Tubing

  16. Microirrigation

  17. Flow Rate and Precipitation Rate • Spray heads • 0.1 – 1 gpm = 1.5 – 8 in/hr • Rotary heads • 1 – 8 gpm = 0.3 – 2 in/hr • Microirrigation (Drip) • 0.05 – 0.5 gpm = 0.3 – 1.6 in/hr* • * irrigates 50% less area

  18. Effects of Evapotranspiration • Irrigate in early morning • Irrigate when wind is low • Greatly reduce run times during winter • when grass is dormant

  19. Average Spring/Summer Run Times (2 times / wk) • Spray heads • 15-30 minutes • Rotary heads • 35-60 minutes • Microirrigation (Drip) • 35-60 minutes Some controllers allow for multiple programs

  20. Rain Sensor – Auto Shutoff • Often the controller is set to run automatically • No need to water during a rain storm • Must be adjusted: • how much rain will shut off the system • Check that it works

  21. Controller Battery Backup • Protects controller settings during power outages • Without, the controller resets itself • Many reset to water everyday for 10 minutes on every zone

  22. Backflow Prevention • Acts as a check valve to prevent water from re-entering system • Prevents contamination of the potable drinking water supply • Will cause some pressure loss to system

  23. Pressure Regulators • Regulates the amount of pressure entering system or zone • All homes do not have the same initial water pressure • Different zones require different pressures

  24. Maintenance • Examine the system: • Are the heads adjusted correctly? • Are the heads clogged? • Are any heads broken? • What is being watered? • Do the heads rise above grass height, ground cover, and shrubs?

  25. Broken Sprinkler Head

  26. What to Water

  27. Pop-up Height and Risers

  28. Irrigation Systems • Must be a system approach • All aspects are interrelated • Efficiency • Uniformity • Design • Scheduling • Equipment • Maintenance

  29. Questions?

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