Irrigation
Update
Ways Contractors Can Get
Involved:
- Hand out Smart Irrigation Month
bumper stickers, available for purchase at
irrigation.org.
- Promote water-efficient products that
qualify for rebates from your local water
authority.
- Add the Smart Irrigation Month logo to
your email signature.
- Take a #SmartSelfie and share it on so-
cial media – the one with the most likes
on the IA Facebook page by the end of
the month will get a free Irrigation Show
registration.
- Lobby your town to proclaim July
as Smart Irrigation Month – a sample
proclamation is available on irrigation.
org. In fact, on June 21, Governor Mark
Dayton proclaimed July as Smart Ir-
rigation Month throughout the state of
Minnesota.
- Watch for infographics posted on social
media and the "Tip of the Month," posted
throughout the year.
"Our member companies have embraced
this campaign, and they have extended
our reach tenfold. What started as a
couple of free advertising spots over 10
years ago is now reaching hundreds of
thousands of people through our mem-
ber efforts, state proclamations, maga-
zine ads, social media and more."
Deborah Hamlin, CAE, FASAE, CEO of the
Irrigation Association.
www.irrigation.org
www.smartirrigationmonth.com
First launched by the Irrigation Association
in July 2005, Smart Irrigation Month aims
to increase consumer awareness and
grow demand for water-saving products,
practices and services.
Waterwise Tools of the Trade
Making an older irrigation system smarter in a cost effective way is
the idea behind the Hybrid 3D from Tucor Inc., which facilitates the
addition of a flow sensor and master valve to an existing irrigation
controller using existing in ground wires.
http://tucor.com/hybrid-3d/
Another cost effective improvement is the Doubler2 by Transitional
Systems Mfg. It can operate up to four valves on a single hot and
common wire so new valves can be easily added – no trenching in
of new wire required – for a variety of water-efficient modifications
such as creating separate watering zones or adding drip lines.
http://transitionalsystems.com/Products/Doubler2
The battery operated 400A
single station controller
from DIG Corporation is
rain sensor compatible,
completely waterproof, and can oper-
ate for up to three years on two AA
alkaline batteries.
http://www.digcorp.com/irrigation-profession-
al/dripline
A wireless moisture sensor developed by UgMO
Technologies measures the soil's moisture, tem-
perature and salinity levels every ten minutes to
determine the amount of water needed per zone.
The manufacturer credits their product for sav-
ing 476,760 gallons of water in six weeks at Sky
Harbor International Airport in Phoenix; 800,000 gallons of water in the first three months of use
at Palm Beach Atlantic University; and a 64 percent water reduction in the first year for the parks
and recreation department in Roswell, Georgia.
Oso Technologies re-
cently released PlantLink
Lush, a wireless soil
moisture sensor that
sends messages to
mobile devices about
plants' watering needs,
and includes a valve
that attaches to a hose
for automatic real-time
watering.
Dripping with Efficiency
To install drip irrigation under turf, Bill Millward of Netafim USA recommends these best man-
agement practices:
1. Select a flow rate and emitter spacing appropriate to the soil's water holding characteristics
2. Excavate the soil and add up to 15 percent of organic matter
3. Install tubing 4 inches to 6 inches beneath the turf (test results show that 6-inch-depths are
better in hot, dry climates)
4. Place in-line tubing on grade, with particular attention to even uniformity of lateral row spac-
ing and tubing depth
5. Test the system for overall uniformity and performance before placing soil back onto the
system with a final grade that is smooth without rocks and other debris
6. Evenly compact soil with a vibratory plate
7. Test system again to ensure wetting patterns are even
http://www.netafimusa.com/data/media/2015/06/SDI-Turf-STMA-Millward.pdf