Irrigation Systems

Summary

The purpose of installing an irrigation system is to provide your landscaping with the water needed to stay healthy. This makes irrigation a very important component of successful landscaping. There are many different irrigation systems to choose from in many different environments. Your irrigation system will be more effective and beneficial to your landscape needs if you understand the different types of methods. Here, you will find all the information you need regarding irrigation systems.

Types of Irrigation Systems

Surface irrigation: A surface irrigation system applies water to the surface of the field using gravity flow. The water is pumped into small channels (furrows) or strips of land (borders) or flooded into the entire field (basin irrigation).

Sprinkler irrigation: It’s like natural rainfall when you use a sprinkler irrigation system. Pipes pump water to rotating sprinkler heads, which spray it onto the crops.

Drip irrigation: With drip irrigation, water is conveyed through a pipe network to the field, where drippers or emitters are placed near the plants, dripping water slowly onto the soil. Each plant only receives water at its immediate root zone. Therefore, this method is effective. This technique is also known as trickle irrigation.

Cost

It can cost as little as $500 or as much as $5,000, depending on the level of service you are seeking.

Maintenance

• Regular maintenance includes monitoring the pump system, ensuring that the central controller is properly programmed, and checking for wet and dry areas.
• As part of weekly maintenance, sprinklers might be observed to ensure they are rotating correctly and that there are no leaks or clogged nozzles.
• Semiannual pump system maintenance and adjusting sprinklers are less frequent, but equally important tasks. As much as six percent of water can be saved by simply adjusting sprinkler heads or raising and leveling sprinklers, according to research carried out at the Center for Irrigation Technology.

Type of Materials

• Cast iron pipe: Larger water meters and valves are usually made of cast iron pipe.
• Brass: Parts machined from brass include shafts and spindles.
• Cast bronze: In addition to larger valve bodies designed for high pressures, cast bronze is used as parts of valve and meter mechanisms.
• Special copper alloys: These alloys are designed to withstand extreme corrosive conditions and to withstand applications with high velocities.
• Elastomer material: seals and gaskets made from Elastomers must be able to withstand both high temperatures and high stress.

There are many other materials that can be used in irrigation systems depending on what type of treatment you seek. 

Citations