Basic Irrigation Design Principles

SouthwestTurfgrass Association
RecreationalLandscapeConferenceandExpo
Albuquerque,NM
October2729,2014

DanielSmeal(CID,CLIA)
NewMexicoStateUniversitys
AgriculturalScienceCenteratFarmington
 Overview
Steps to Developing an Efficient Turfgrass Irrigation Design:
An Introduction

Measuring and drawing and collecting preliminary information

Determining available flow rate and pressure
Sectioning area for sprinkler placement
Selecting appropriate sprinklers
Head to head spacing
Matched precipitation

Zoning

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

 Measuring and Drawing
Use a tape measure to get accurate measurements of the
area to be irrigated with particular focus on distances
between buildings or other non-irrigated surfaces and
the edges of irrigated areas.
Draw the plan on graph paper using an appropriate
scale (e.g. 1 inch = 10 feet, etc.)

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Example:MeasuringandDrawing

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Preliminaryinformation:
Obstructions (above and below ground)
e.g. utilities (one call 811)

Slope
Building codes (e.g. special permits, backflow prevention
requirements, watering restrictions, etc.)
Macro and microclimate including maximum plant water
requirements (ET) in summer
Soil type (water holding capacity and intake rate)

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Preliminaryinformation,cont..

Water source and quality

location of meter and service line

Available flow rate

Water Pressure

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Determineavailableflowrate(gpm)

Water meter size

Service line size
Direct Measurement

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Typicalflowmetersizesand
maximumcontinuousflowrates
5/8 inch 15 gpm (gallons per minute)
inch 20 gpm
1 inch 34 gpm
1 inch 60 gpm
2 inch 100 gpm
The sprinkler system should be designed so that
the flow rate of any single zone of the design
does not exceed 70% of the maximum flow rate.

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Examples:
5/8 inch water meter
Maximum continuous flow rate = 15 gpm
Sprinkler zone flow rate should be less than 10 gpm (15 x 0.70 = 10.5)

inch water meter

Maximum continuous flow rate = 20 gpm
Sprinkler zone flow rate < 15 gpm (20 x 0.70)

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Flowratebasedonserviceline
insidediameter:

The service line is usually one size larger than the water meter.
Examples:
5/8 inch meter; inch service line
inch meter; 1 inch service line

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Determiningservicelinesize(diameter)
usingcircumferencemeasurement
(PEandPVCpipe)
Circumference Pipe Diameter
(inches) (inch)

3.0 3.3 inch

3.8 4.2 1 inch
4.9 5.5 1
5.7 6.3 2 inch

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

MaximumFlowRatethroughPipe
(Based on Friction Loss Tables and v < 5 fps)

Nominal Size Maximum Flow Rate (gpm) to Keep V < 5 fps

D (inch) Schedule 40 and PE Class 200 PVC
1/2 4 (0.62 for PE) 5 (Cl 315)
3/4 7 10
1 12 16
1 22 26
1 30 34
2 50 55
Water velocity (v) kept below 5 feet per second (fps) to prevent water hammer!
(Irrigation Association best management practices for irrigation design)

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Directmeasurementofgrossflowrate
Insure that all valves on the water
circuit are closed (e.g. sinks,
showers, dishwashers, etc.).
Time how long it takes to fill a
container having a known volume.

Example: It took 7.18 seconds to

fill this 2 gallon bucket.
Gross Flow rate = (2 gallons/7.18
seconds) x 60 = 0.279 x 60 = 16.7
gpm
Maximum safe flow rate = 70% of
gross = 16.7 x 0.70 = 11.7 gpm

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Determiningavailablepressure(psi)
The water purveyor can usually provide an estimate of the static pressure
at your location but this will probably be the pressure at the main line
before the water enters your water meter.
Better to measure the pressure with a
gauge at a water faucet or tap closest to
the irrigation system point of
connection (POC).
Turn all other water off so you are
measuring static pressure
The working pressure for the sprinkler
system will be less than (generally
around 70 to 75% of) the static
pressure due to friction losses at valves,
fittings, and pipe when water is flowing
(dynamic)

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington14

IA BestManagementPractices
The pressure differential between sprinklers on a zone
should not vary by more than 10%.

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

IA BestManagementPractices
The pressure differential between sprinklers on a zone
should not vary by more than 10%.

50 (0.10 x 50 =
50 5 = 45 psi

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Tomaximizeflowandminimize
pressurelossduetofriction
Point of connection (POC) should be:
In the service line before any pipe size reduction
As close to center of irrigated area as practical to minimize
lengths of pipe and friction losses

Maintain pipe size to minimize flow velocity and friction

losses (e.g. do not use pipe diameters < inch)
Keep sprinkler lateral lengths as short as possible
Design to run pipes across slopes or slightly downslope
Minimize fittings as much as practical

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Sectioningthearea
Divide the irrigated area into rectangular sections
and then each section into equal-sized squares
(as best as possible) considering the average throw
distance (radius) of sprinklers:
Large impacts: 40 to 70 feet
Rotors: 20 to 50 feet
Sprays: 5 to 15 feet
Rotating stream (rotators): 8 to 35 feet

Ideally, the squares should be as large as possible to limit

the amount of pipe, other components and costs.

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Sprinkler selection and placement

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Efficiencyofirrigationsystemisdefinedby
thewaterdistributionuniformity.
Ideally, every spot in the irrigated area should receive the
exact same depth of water with each irrigation.
If it did, the irrigation system would be defined as 100%
efficient (DU = 1.0)

Realistically, 100% efficiency does not occur.

A DU of > 0.7 (70% efficiency) is generally considered
acceptable

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

WateringSquareswithCirclePatternSprinklers
Problem 1: Problem 2:
Lack of coverage Decreasing water application
with distance from sprinkler

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Headtoheadspacing
The only way to provide near uniform irrigation to a
square is to place the sprinklers in the corners of the square
at a head to head spacing. That is, a spacing equal to the
throw distance (or application radius) of the sprinkler.

Uniform water application within

the square

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Example: Note location of sprinklers

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Waterdistribution:sprinklerstoofarapart

Sprinklers too far apart (i.e. > head to head) Compensation for dry spot results in
overwatering near sprinklers

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Sprinklerswithadjustablearc
Rotors Sprays

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Sprinklerirrigationwithinsquare

Fullcircle overspray

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Sprinklerplacement,arcadjustment,andnozzle
selectionforarectangularturfarea

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Matchedprecipitationrate
What would be the effect on our
water distribution if all sprinklers
in this zone had the same flow
rate (i.e. same nozzle sizes)?

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Since the half circle
sprinklers are only watering
the area as full circle
sprinklers, they would apply
twice as much water as the
full circle sprinklers. And,
the circle sprinklers
would apply 4x more water
than the full circle
sprinklers since they are
watering only the area.

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Matched precipitation rate
To provide a uniform water
application rate (precipitation
rate, inches per hour), nozzles
that allow only the flow rate of
the full circle sprinklers should
be installed in the corner
sprinklers and nozzles with the
flow rate of the full circle
sprinklers should be installed in
the half circle (or edge)
sprinklers.

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

Sprinklerselection(preliminary)
Examine sprinkler manufacturers specification sheets for
a sprinkler model that will satisfy the requirements of the
design.
30 foot water application radius (throw)
Adjustable arc
Replaceable nozzles
Assume static pressure = 55 psi
(~ 40 psi working)

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

 Example(sprinklerselection)

Corner sprinklers (90)

FR = 0.86 gpm

Edge sprinklers (180)

FR = 1.82 gpm

Full circle sprinklers (360)

FR = 3.64 gpm

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist

NMSUs ASC Farmington
Sprinklerspecificationsheets
Example:

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

 Determine the actual (or design) flow
rate by adding up flow rates of all
0.86 gpm sprinklers.
4 @ 0.86 gpm = 3.44
6 at 1.82 gpm = 10.92
2 @ 3.64 gpm = 7.28
Total = 21.64

1.82 gpm Assume a 3/4 inch meter

(14 gpm max) and 1 inch
Schedule 40 PVC service
line (12 gpm max).

2 zones (valves) will be

3.64 gpm
required (21.6 12 = 1.8)

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist

NMSUs ASC Farmington
 Flow rate per zone
0.86 gpm

2 @ 0.86 gpm = 1.7

3 at 1.82 gpm = 5.5
1 @ 3.64 gpm = 3.6
Total = 10.8 gpm

1.82 gpm 1 inch Schedule 40 PVC

service line (12 gpm
max).

3.64 gpm

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist

NMSUs ASC Farmington
Determiningfrictionlossandminimumpipesize
Example:

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

 50 (0.10 x 50 =
50 5 = 45 psi

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

 References
Irrigation tutorials:
http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/
Toro Design Manual
https://media.toro.com/Documents/Irrigation/sprinkler-pig.pdf
Hunter Design Manual
http://www.hunterindustries.com/sites/default/files/DG_ResidentialSprink
lerSystemDesignHandbook_dom.pdf
Rainbird
http://www.rainbird.com/documents/turf/IrrigationDesignManual.pdf
Hunter Handbook of Technical Information
http://www.hunterindustries.com/sites/default/files/tech_handbook_of_tec
hnical_irrigation_information.pdf

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington

NMSUs Farmington ASC
Websites
http://farmingtonsc.nmsu.edu
http://irrigationmanagement.nmsu.edu/

Daniel Smeal, College Professor/Irrigation Specialist NMSUs ASC Farmington