Smart Irrigation: A Sustainability Tool Irrigation.pdf · Smart Irrigation: A Sustainability Tool...
Transcript of Smart Irrigation: A Sustainability Tool Irrigation.pdf · Smart Irrigation: A Sustainability Tool...
Smart Irrigation: A Sustainability Tool
DATE AND TIME Wednesday, 24 February 2010 / 1PM-2PM and 215PM-315PM
SPEAKER(S) Schuyler Stutzman Branch Manager John Deere Landscapes 2020 Kelsey Court Fort Wayne, IN 46818 [email protected]
SESSION DESCRIPTION Conserve water and keep your parks green with smart irrigation. This basic of sustainable park and public land management is improving annually. Discover pools of information on how to be a good steward of our water resources and maintain your properties in a flood of flora. (1PM) Presenter Schuyler Stutzman gave a very informative session on environmental stewardship in the form of water conservation. He gave the statistics that only 3% of all the water on Earth is fresh water and of that 3%, 70% is frozen in the polar ice caps, and that of the water that is available 70% is used in agriculture. Mr. Stutzman talked about the merits of smart irrigation, such as elimination of waste and to minimize the cost of landscape repairs. He compared the payback rate of smart irrigation in terms of other well known products such as hybrid cars. He stated that a hybrid car may take 5 years before the initial investment is paid back in savings, but with smart irrigation you can nearly double your initial investment in just the first year. Next Mr. Stutzman spoke of different products that were on the market to help regulate the amount of water that is used and/or wasted in current irrigation situations. (215PM) Smart irrigation practices are designed to conserve water, which is environmentally and economically beneficial. The technology used in these irrigation practices is aimed at eliminating wasted water and excess water. Schuyler presented several of the devices used in smart irrigation, including check valves, which prevent water from leaking
out of the system, low volume drips, and pressure regulators. He also discussed rain sensors. A rain sensor is typically installed on an eave or a roof gutter, and connects to a sprinkler systems control board. It allows the control board to fluctuate the amount of water output from the system based on how much rain the area has received in the past few days. The pinnacle of these smart irrigation devices is the Smart Controller. It calculates the amount of moisture lost through evapotranspiration based on the specific soil type, plant type(s), climate, and temperature of the facility in which it is installed. Based on these calculations, it determines how much water needs to be pumped through the irrigation system in order to maintain the optimum moisture for the flora. SESSION LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Identify the need for water conservation as a basis for sustainability contribution to “greening” a community
Describe smart irrigation techniques and how they fit appropriately into a park’s operations.
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SMART IRRIGATION
SAVING WATER, SAVING
MONEY, AND GETTING
RESULTS!
WHY SMART IRRIGATION?
Stewardship of our environment.
-Water conservation
WHY SMART IRRIGATION?
3% of the water on the planet is fresh water.
70% of this fresh water is frozen in the ice
caps.
70% of the available fresh water is used for
agriculture.
98% of the water in the Great Lakes is a one-
time gift from the glaciers, the other 2% is run-
off.
WHY SMART IRRIGATION?
Money savings.
-Eliminate water waste
-Minimize cost of repairs to turf and
landscape
WHY SMART IRRIGATION?
WHAT’S MY PAYBACK???
Hybrid vehicles
-$8000 make your vehicle hybrid!
(payback period with tax credits is 5 years)
Energy Star Appliances (7 years)
Double pane windows (4 to 7 years)
Smart Irrigation! (double original investment in the first season)
WHY SMART IRRIGATION?
Efficient irrigation is the key to healthy
trees, turf, and shrubs.
Isn’t irrigation only for cosmetics?
-Plants cool the earth.
-Plants create oxygen.
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CHECK VALVES CHECK VALVES
Made for rotor and spray heads.
Prevents water from exiting the system
and draining out after the watering cycle
has stopped, retaining water within the
line and reducing water waste.
Check valves can come pre-installed or
separate for installation in the field.
CHECK VALVES
GALLONS PER 100’ (LENGTH)
1” 4.08
1 ½” 9.17
2” 16.31
2 ½” 25.49
3” 36.71
4” 65.26
CHECK VALVES
COMMERCIAL EXAMPLE
1000’ of 1” pipe
50% of water drains when system shuts off
Approx. 4 gallons per 100’
20 gallons drains per irrigation cycle
120 irrigation days per year
2400 gallons per year wasted!
PRESSURE REGULATION PRESSURE REGULATION
Remedies excessive pressure that causes misting in sprinkler heads.
-Allows sprinklers to operate at consistent pressure that is optimal to their performance.
-Fine mists are carried away by the slightest breeze.
Counteracts vandalism and major sprinkler defects (should one occur).
-Regulator acts as a flow control device, controlling flow loss and potential damage to surrounding structures.
Comes pre-installed in stem of the sprinkler head.
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PRESSURE REGULATION PRESSURE REGULATION
PRESSURE REGULATED SPRINKLERS
15’ HALF CIRCLE PATTERN
EXAMPLE
REGULATED TO 30 PSI
- 1.86 GPM
- 10 minute run time
- 18.6 gallons each
- 20 sprinklers
- 372 gallons per zone
- SAVE 82 gallons
- 22% water savings
NON REGULATED @ 50 PSI
- 2.27 GPM
- 10 minute run time
- 22.7 gallons each
- 20 sprinklers
- 454 gallons per zone
PRESSURE REGULATED SPRINKLERS
15’ HALF CIRCLE PATTERN
EXAMPLE (CONT.)
REGULATED TO 30 PSI
- 5 zones
- 5 X 82 = 410 gallons saved
per irrigation day
- 120 irrigation days
- 120 X 410 = 49,200
- 49,200 GALLONS SAVED
NON REGULATED @ 50 PSI
- 5 zones
- 5 X 82 = 410 gallons wasted
per irrigation day
- 120 irrigation days
- 120 X 410 = 49,200
PRESSURE REGULATION/CHECK VALVES
Check valve savings = 2400 gallons
Pressure regulation savings = 49,200
gallons
Total water savings = 51,600 gallons
Cost to add the features = $260
WHAT DOES IT MEAN???
AWWA – Average household uses
61,300 gallons per year for indoor use
The water saved by using pressure
regulated heads with check valves
instead of regular heads provides a very
large percentage of one household’s
entire annual indoor use!
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ROTARY NOZZLES ROTARY NOZZLES
Multiple streams work together to
promote uniform precipitation.
Multi-trajectory streams apply water more
slowly than conventional sprays.
Large water droplets are wind resistant.
Rotary nozzles use 30% less water and
greatly reduce runoff.
ROTARY NOZZLES
MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN OPERATING
AT 40PSI (USE A PRESSURE
REGULATED SPRAY HEAD)
FLOW SENSORS
Senses changes in
the flow of water,
indicating leaks in
the line.
Can be installed up
to 1000’ from the
controller.
RAIN SENSORS RAIN SENSORS
Typically mounts onto a gutter or any
other elevated object that is clear of
anything that would disrupt rainfall
reading.
Can be wired into controller up to 25’
away, or wireless version can be
mounted up to 1000’ away (line of sight).
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RAIN SENSORS
When sensor reads precipitation, it will
interrupt the common ground wire
between controller and valves, halting
further irrigation until the sensor dries
out.
All sensors are simple to install or retrofit
to existing systems.
SOIL MOISTURE SENSORS
SOIL MOISTURE SENSORS
Precisely monitors moisture levels, suspending or allowing watering cycles in order to maintain optimum soil moisture.
Monitors soil conditions every 10 minutes and provides a history on the last seven watering cycles.
Installs in-ground. No calibration or maintenance is necessary.
Typical water savings of 40% or more, paying for itself within one year in most cases.
Can be used in all soils and climates.
SOIL MOISTURE SENSORS
LOW VOLUME DRIP
Puts out low, concentrated doses of water in the areas you need it.
Can be used in turf, but most common application is in landscape beds.
Irrigate under mulch as opposed from above.
Less evaporation.
LOW VOLUME DRIP
Available in 12”, 18”,
and 24” spacing at
0.4, 0.6, and 0.9
GPH outputs.
Apply directly soil,
minimizing effects of
wind and
evaporation.
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LOW VOLUME DRIP
Emitters can be installed into a distribution tube
at any spacing. Especially useful for watering
hanging baskets, potted plants, or sparsely
planted shrubs in landscape bed.
SMART CONTROLLERS
WHAT THE HECK IS ET?
-EvapoTranspiration: The science of
estimating how much moisture the plants
and soil have lost due to weather
conditions, used to calculate irrigation
amounts.
SMART CONTROLLERS
Controller adjusts it’s watering schedule based on data received from soil moisture, rain, and other sensors/data.
-User sets zone specifics and watering windows.
-Controller takes all information and irrigates the precise amount of water the turf/shrubs need to stay healthy.
-Options available to program your controller and receive alerts via cell phone or computer.
SMART CONTROLLERS
Hunter Solar Sync
- Most inexpensive.
- Gathers on-site solar, precipitation, and temperature data used in calculation of evapotranspiration.
- Interface mounts next to or inside existing controller and sensor sits up to 40’ away.
SMART CONTROLLERS SMART CONTROLLERS
Hunter ET System
- Calculates ET via rain gauge, wind
speed indicator, and thermometer.
- Another easy upgrade to a Hunter
controller.
- ET sensor can be mounted up to 100’
away from ET module.
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SMART CONTROLLERS SMART CONTROLLERS
ET real life example:
Indianapolis Business Journal.
Mike’s Express Carwash uses a lot of water. There’s just no getting around it. So when automated systems engineer Ryan Binkley looked for ways to conserve resources, he focused on the company’s irrigation systems.
Fishers-based Mike’s has installed so-called “smart” irrigation systems at 36 of its locations, employing technology designed to reduce water use by monitoring weather conditions, precipitation and evaporation. The move has saved the company more than $67,000 a year.
Mike’s Carwash installed the Hunter brand Evapotranspiration system at its Lawrence store in May 2007. Binkley studied the water usage over the course of the year and noticed the store went from using more than 3,000 gallons of water for irrigation to less than 1,000. Irrigation costs plummeted from $11 a day to just $3.
So Mike’s installed the systems at additional locations starting in May 2008. Stores spend about $1,200 on the technology, but are able to save at least that much in water costs in the first three months.
“If you have the money, it’s worth the cost,” Binkley said. “We don’t see any loss in quality and when you look at the savings, the system speaks for itself.”
SMART CONTROLLERS
Rainbird Smart Controller
- Easy upgrade to Rainbird controllers, just install new panel.
- Extra simple to operate and program. Just set zone specifics and watering windows.
- Also has 10 year zip code weather history stored to help with accurate watering.
- Controller does all the work.
- Reasonably priced.
SMART CONTROLLERS
SMART CONTROLLERS
City of Troy Mich. example. Water Usage for 1 Rotor Zone
Rotors usually have an Application of .40” an hour
We usually figure 1” a week for Turf.
1 Rotor Zone for a commercial Job = 35 GPM (10 Rotors x 3.5)
35 GPM x 150 Minutes (2 TO 2.5 hours a week) =
5,250 Gallons Per Week
5,250 Gallons per week x 4.33 weeks per month =
22,733 Gallons Per Month
Cost of Water (Troy Michigan 2009) $4.33 Per Unit
1 Unit = 100 Cubic Feet of Water or 748 gallons
22,733 Gallons (divided by) 748 Gallons = 30.40 Units Used
30.40 Units x $4.33 = $131.63
For an average Job in Troy Michigan, it will cost $131 a month PER ROTOR ZONE!!!!!
A 10% savings with a weather station
That could be $13 A MONTH, PER ZONE!
24 zone controller x $13= $312 Month Savings per controller
$312 x 5 month season = $1560 in water savings a summer.
RAINWATER HARVESTING
Components…
- Fiberglass holding tank.
- Bury to any depth
- Non lockable lids
- Manhole cover
- Optional hinged lid
- Valve box w/bolt
- Submersible pump & controls
- Anti-floating “Deadman” anchors
- $20K and up
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RAINWATER HARVESTING RAINWATER HARVESTING
RAINWATER HARVESTING RAINWATER HARVESTING
RAIN GARDENS
What is a rain garden?
- A man-made depression in the ground that is used as a landscape tool to improve water quality.
- Forms a “bioretention” area by collecting water runoff and storing it, allowing it to be filtered and slowly absorbed by the soil.
- Nutrient filtering takes place as water comes in contact with soil, roots, and vegetation.
- First flush of rainwater is ponded in retention area and contains highest concentration of materials washed off impervious surfaces such as roofs, roads, and parking lots.
RAIN GARDENS
- Suitable for any land use
situation…residential, commercial, and
industrial.
- Should be strategically placed so
impervious surfaces will drain into rain
garden.
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RAIN GARDEN COMPONENTS
Ponding area
- Depression area that stores the water.
- Should have a depth of 6”.
- Provides adequate water storage, but should
not pond in excess of four days.
Grass buffer strip
- Slows water as it enters the rain garden.
- Filters particulates from runoff.
RAIN GARDEN COMPONENTS
Mulch/Organic Layer
- Provides for decomposition of organic material.
- Shredded hardwood mulch resists flotation and washout.
Planting soil
- Provides source of nutrients for the plants to sustain growth.
- Absorbs heavy metals and other pollutants
RAIN GARDEN COMPONENTS
Plant selection
- Species should tolerate extremes, both temperature and water levels.
- Should mimic forest habitat.
- Flowers, berries, groundcovers, perennials, and trees should be incorporated into planting design.
RAIN GARDENS ARE BEING INCREASINGLY SPEC’D ON PROJECTS OF ALL SIZES!
RAIN GARDENS
RAIN GARDENS RAIN GARDENS
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SMART IRRIGATION
What’s on the horizon?
- Rain sensors required by law in most parts of the country.
- Penalties being incurred for not complying with “smart irrigation”.
- Rebates being offered for those who take advantage of “smart irrigation”.
- Mostly in the west and south, but steadily moving this way.
REFERENCES
www.rainbird.com
www.rainbird.com/calculators/index.htm
www.hunterindustries.com www.hunterindustries.com/resources/library/product_technical.html
Irrigation Association
- www.irrigation.org
www.irrigationtutorials.com
www.chisagoswcd.org