Irrigation Design of A Big Size Project
By Nibal Ata on Thursday, 25 June 2020
Posted in Irrigation
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Dear Experts and irrigation designers,

Need some of your advice from your experience when working on huge irrigation projects..

I have a project of peak irrigation demand 562230 l/day.. 
which strategy do you follow in general in big projects?

what are the considerations you are taking in mind while designing the irrigation plan?

I need to know how everyone of you can deal with a big project, specifically when the plants are so dense, and located randomly.

which irrigation system do you think is the best to use in such situation and can work effectively?

If you have climbers in the project, what do you usually use to water them?

Appreciate every single advice and input..

 

Thank you in advance,

Nibal 

 

 

Hi Nidal,

 

Here are a few things to keep in mind and to do when working on big systems:

 

  • Know your source!  Work within the available volume and pressure.
  • Start with the areas farthest from the source.  These will have the greatest demand.  Make use of the schematic irrigation tool, rough in some main line, and test.
  • Have a clear picture of your hydrozones; plan ahead before piping.
  • I generally place all my sprinklers or drip zones before dividing them into control zones.
  • Size zones as you complete them, then size the main line to check your hydraulics.  If demand leaves less than 5% of the available pressure, I adjust the zone sizes.
  • Irrigation method depends on many things:  plant types, turf areas, exposure, local regulations regarding water use, type of project (high traffic public park, or private estate?), etc.  While drip line irrigation is used often here in the Pacific Northwest US, we mostly use pop-up sprinklers (though this more because of customer and contractor demand).  In dense planting areas, I try to keep the sprinkler radii to no more than 15 feet (4.5m) to limit blocked spray.
  • Climbers:  If they're planted in a larger shrub zone, I'll irrigate them along with everything else.  If in their own isolated planter, then I'll use drip or bubblers, as appropriate.
  • Tree irrigation:  With trees in lawn areas, I put deep watering bubblers on the trees to encourage deep root growth.  Depending on the project, I will irrigate trees separately in shrub/ground cover areas.  I prefer bubblers irrigating from the surface.  Deep watering is still possible, and future tree growth won't crush those deep deep watering systems, reducing maintenance headaches.
  • Be very clear on drip line installation specifications and details so that it is installed properly, thus reducing future maintenance issues.
  • Think about the installing contractor:  route pipe in a way that results in efficient trenching.  Group control valves together, if possible.  Use call-out notes where needed.  Make sure your design intent is clear.
  • Keep the final system owners in mind.  Provide an efficient, durable system that will perform well and minimize maintenance.

Just a few items--let us know how the project goes!

 

Tom

Tom Lang
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3 years ago
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And sorry, I spelled your name wrong! Nibal!

Tom Lang
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3 years ago
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Tom,

Thank you so much for taking the time and writing this valuable informative reply,

I appreciate it..

I think I have a challenge in this project as I was informed that the water source is an open natural pond.. and it's the very first time to deal with such water source.

I am thinking of tapping the mainline to the water source using a submersible pump..

 

Tom,

Irrigation experts,

Any one of you please do come up with such water source during your whole experience?

any important considerations for an open water source?

  

The client wants a traditional irrigation system to his private project, and am thinking of using dripline areas in the shrubs, ground covers and the lawn areas.

For the trees existed in the shrubs, ground covers and lawn area, am thinking of supporting them with a root watering system.

For the trees out of these areas and not in the sand, am thinking of using bubbler for surface watering + RWS for root watering.

Thinking of the trees in sand pools, am planning to use bubbler but not sure if also I can use RWS due to future maintenance worries..

Am wondering if the bubblers and the deep watering can be considered as traditional method of irrigation?

 

Nibal

 

 

Nibal Ata
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3 years ago
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Hi Nibal,

I have only a little experience with using a water source like a pond, but the biggest issue with that is proper filtration.  You're probably better off with a land-based centrifugal pump station, and an intake line equipped with a foot valve and a self-cleaning intake screen.  Then, you'll need a robust, self-flushing/cleaning filtration system.  Look to agricultural equipment manufacturers.  Amiad and Rain Bird have some serious filtration available.

As for the system you're planning, you might be better off with overhead irrigation in the lawn areas, unless you've used drip line in them with success before (we're doubtful of it here in this part of the USA, most likely due to a near-complete lack of experience with it).  Your tree bubble plan sounds fine. Some designers will put a RWS and pop-up bubbler on each tree.  I think bubblers from the surface, and properly managed with cycle and soak scheduling, will provide all the deep watering needed.

Ask you client what they mean by a "traditional" system.  They might be expecting overhead irrigation everywhere.

 

Keep us posted!

 

Tom Lang
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3 years ago
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Hi Tom,
Thank you so much for the valuable information regarding the pump, I'll consider the type you've already mentioned alongside with the other option I have in my mind which is the submersible pump and I'll need to study both options then decide which one I'll go with.

Regarding the lawn, I had used the sub-surface dripline in one of my project recently in a lawn area, and the contractor supported it with one time manually watering weekly, and till the moment the lawn is doing good.
I needed to use the dripline in the lawn areas in that project because the lawn came into small batches of irregular shapes, however I still I have concern regarding the maintenance issue in the future, as am intending to have a long time effective irrigation system with minimum maintenance.

In this project, the lawn in general is coming in several batches too, irregular shapes, and some batches have shrubs areas inside them.
Am more into using pop-up sprinklers, but there will be a little bit difficulty in setting the final sprinkler layout as the shape of the lawn areas are challenging, that's why I chose to use the sub-surface dripline instead..

Regarding the trees, I just installed ROOT WATERING SYSTEM + BUBBLER for each tree in the project
EXCEPT the ones existed in the lawn or shrubs areas, I installed ONLY ROOT WATERING SYSTEM to each tree to support the root zone,
and in the case that the trees are very close to each other I make the trees SHARE the RWS.

because I needed not to use too many equipments due to density of the plants and being placed very close to each other in many places, CONSIDERING that the SURFACE of the trees in the lawn, shrubs areas can be watered at the same time that the lawn and the shrubs watered by their own dripline system..

But here, I need to ask you Tom, from your experience, can this be enough or better that I add the bubbler to RWS for the trees in the lawns and shrubs areas..
OR is there anything you can suggest me to do or consider to insure effective watering coverage to meet all the different plants needs.

One more important question how do you care about the orchard of differents fruits trees in your project, is there any special recommendations about it, what irrigation system is the best to use to water the orchard?


Nibal







Nibal Ata
3 years ago

Hi Nibal,

 

You're on the right track, as far as tree irrigation.  I agree, trees in lawn areas get surface irrigation from the lawn irrigation, so it's important to provide some deeper irrigation to penetrate deep root growth.  

 

As for orchards, I have no experience with them.  If all the different tree varieties are planted discretely (that is, zoned together), you could design a separate zone for each area, assuming their water needs are different.

 

Keep us posted!

 

Tom

Tom Lang
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3 years ago
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