Water Efficient Technologies
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Automatic Irrigation Timer
A simple-to-operate automatic timer or controller can be installed on an existing manual
irrigation system. The controller automatically
will operate the sprinklers on the proper day
of the week for the correct amount of run
time. This will meet the plant’s water needs
as well as apply the water in off-peak night or
early morning hours. More elaborate controllers
offer extra flexibility to manage larger sites
with many different hydrozones and site conditions. Any controller can use a rain or soil moisture sensor to prevent the sprinklers from operating when natural precipitation has met the plants’ water needs.
| Centralized Irrigation Controllers
To manage many irrigation controllers spread
out among many sites, a centralized control
system will save labor costs as well as increase
water efficiencies. A typical central irrigation
control system utilizes a computer to create,
adjust and save irrigation schedules for multiple
controllers at various locations. The computer
then communicates to the controllers
by radio, hardwire, telephone or a combination of two or more methods. A computercentral
system can also monitor and react to
different alarm situations like broken heads
or pipes, valve malfunctions or many other
water-saving sensors.
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“Smart” Controllers
A new class of “smart” controllers is now available
on the market. Unlike traditional controllers,
which are really just timers, “smart”
controllers work by monitoring and using information
about site conditions (such as soil
moisture, rain, wind, slope, soil, plant type and
more), and applying the right amount of water
based on those factors. These climate based “smart” controllers are avialable from many manufacturers and the irrigation industry has created an evaluation program to set standards
of performance for this class of product. | PC Software
Software programs have been developed tothe designer and water manager in the analysis
of the efficiency of an existing or newly-designed
irrigation system. Two of the primary programs were developed by the Center for Irrigation Technology at California State University, Fresno. The program used to generate graphic representations of sprinkler efficiencies
is called Hyper-SPACETM. The software that analyzes the costs versus the benefits of improving irrigation efficiencies is called SPACE Irrigation SurveyTM. Many certified water auditors and certified irrigation designers use these software programs extensively. |
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Sensors
Several types of sensors are available that take
the human factor out of irrigation system operation.
- Rain shut-offs
- Freeze sensors
- Wind sensors
- Flow sensors
- Soil moisture measurement
- Weather stations
| Flow Control Nozzles
Sprinklers with a uniform application rate that
use the lowest possible water pressure are the
goal. One method that helps achieve this goal
is the use of flow-control nozzles. Each sprinkler
nozzle is equipped with a flow-control
device that compensates for flow changes and
maintains a uniform pressure. This can be a
desirable feature on slopes. The flow control
also acts to reduce flow should a sprinkler
head be broken. |
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New Sprinkler Type
Install a multi-trajectory rotating stream sprinkler
with high application uniformity. This friction resistance head operates at lower pressures and fills the product range between spray heads and rotors. | |
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