Irrigation Water Conservation

Irrigation Water Conservation / Intro

Water conservation should not be considered an option any longer. Current circumstances require our full attention if we hope to thrive as a civilization. If these statements sound dramatic, it is because much of the world is currently suffering due to a lack of clean water.

Statistics around the reveal that our fresh water supply is practically nonexistent. That is why it is so important to seek out, find and start using all the innovative water conservation solutions and methods that are available today.

Whether you live in Australia or China or the US, it is time to wake up and take responsiblity. It is easy to practice water conservation in the home, but there is more to be done. Our world needs help on a commercial level as well so that our waste can be controlled in such areas as agriculture and irrigation.

Water Conservation ideas are cropping up in exciting legislation. That's why our participation in the voting process is so important. Let's act now, so our kids will have a brighter, greener future.

Irrigation Water Conservation / Surprising Stats

The majority of water we humans use is outside the home. In fact agriculture and irrigation use up to 70 per cent of the water used in the world.

Do these statistics surprise you? You are not alone. The good news is you are now aware of how use water properly in these sectors is of the utmost importance. Below are 8 ways we can make a difference.

Irrigation Water Conservation / 8 Ways to Make a Difference

1. Repair leaks in the irrigation system.
If you have a water meter installed, the irrigation system can be checked for leaks by switching off the system and monitoring the meter to see if it is still running.

2. Select a more effective irrigation system if possible.
Use a drip system instead of a sprinkler system can save up to 20% of total water use.

3. Improve sprinkler irrigation efficiency.
To achieve peak performance, the irrigation system must be properly designed in the first place. Replace old nozzles (checked by using drillbits) and run the system at the designed operating pressure.

Irrigation Water Conservation / Timing is Everything

4. Find your maximum irrigation set time and only apply as much water as your soil can hold.
Soils can only hold a limited amount of water before the water drains below the root zone or will runoff the saturated soil surface.

5. Know your crop’s water demands.
It is possible to determine how much water your crop is using by monitoring the evapotranspiration (ET) and applying a crop coefficient (Kc).

Knowing how much water the crop has used can determine the amount of water removed from the soil. The next irrigation should then only be long enough to replace that amount of moisture.

Irrigation Water Conservation / Water, Water Everywhere...

6. Use a soil moisture monitoring device or climate information to determine when to irrigate.
Often when the surface of the soil is dry there are still water reserves lower in the root zone that the crop can draw upon. By monitoring soil moisture within the root zone it may be possible to postpone irrigation by a few days

7. Adjust operating parameters under windy conditions.
When operating gun systems under windy conditions, lower the trajectory level and/or narrow the spacing to achieve the best uniformity possible.

Irrigation Water Conservation / Peak Performance

8. Refrain from irrigating during hot windy periods of the day if possible.
During the peak of the irrigation season, it may not be possible to wait to irrigate due to the logistics of getting around the entire farm.

However, during the early and late part of the irrigation season there may be more flexibility in planning irrigation times. Studies shown that water savings can be realized during the early and late part of the irrigation season, May and June, and also in September.

Sources

http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/nps/MMGI/Chapter2/ch2-2f.html
http://www.epa.gov/nps/chap3.html
http://www.irrigationtutorials.com/faq/save-water.htm