Advanced technologies can be used to enhance the efficiency of irrigation and also increase yields. There are many methods to save water, ranging from sensors for soil moisture to harvesting rainwater.
Separate plants into hydro-zones to find out which zones require greater or lesser water than others. Connect a rain barrel or other container to collect rainwater to your irrigation system using an irrigation water hose.
Drip Irrigation Systems
The right amount of water gets directly on the root, saving water. This helps prevent overwatering which can lead to root rot and other diseases. It also reduces evaporation and deep drainage, which is beneficial in dry areas.
The drip system removes weeds from the water they need to grow, which can decrease or eliminate weeds in the fields and gardens. This method of irrigation assists in keeping the soil at a high moisture level, which reduces the requirement for fertilizers.
To maximize the efficiency of a drip irrigation system it is crucial to track the performance and record daily readings. A flow meter for water can be used to determine deviations from the normal flow bec tuoi cay of water, which can signal leaks or obstructions to emitters. Plants that share similar water requirements at the same valve can aid in avoiding overwatering turf or underwatering shrubs and groundcover. It is important to flush the tubing regularly with chlorine so that it does not get blocked.
Smart Sprinkler Controllers
Utilizing smart irrigation controllers can help to prevent water loss. Overwatering plants can cause them to die or promote shallow roots. It can also result in diseases or fungus or soil runoff, which can pollute the waterways. A standard clock-timer controller can be replaced with a WaterSense-labeled soil humidity or a weather-based irrigation control. This can help homeowners save 7,600 gallons of water per year.
Smart controllers can alter the duration and frequency of your sprinklers based on the requirements of your landscape. These controllers can be used together with other sensors to fine tune your irrigation.
One method to conserve water with a smart sprinkler control is to pair it with a sensor for freezing and rain. It will stop your sprinkler system from being irrigated right away after and before freeze or rain events.
Another alternative is a weather-based intelligent controller that utilizes an on-site soil moisture sensor determine your landscape’s actual evapotranspiration (ET) every week and adjusts the irrigation schedule to reflect this. The controllers can be purchased for installation by Oregon landscapers or homeowners.
Soil Moisture Sensors
Soil moisture sensors allow farmers and agritech companies to monitor the level of water near the roots of crops to reduce the use of water that is inefficient. This improves soil health, cuts down on energy and fertilizer costs, protects the local water resources from being depleted and results in higher yields for farmers.
The majority of sensors employ capacitance or resistance in order to determine soil moisture levels. Capacitive sensors assess moisture content by measuring the difference in capacitance between two prongs on the sensor. Resistive sensors use variations in electrical conductivity in order to determine the amount of moisture.
Soil moisture sensors should be calibrated to the particular soil type for which they are being employed. By placing a sample of soil in a calibration container, fill it to a point that is representative of the maximum soil water potential for that soil type (usually about 50% depleted). Add an aliquot of distillate water and mix thoroughly. Reposition the sensor and place it inside the container, making sure that it is fully submerged and that there are no gaps between the sensor and soil. Record the voltage, and then assign it a calibration value.
Rainwater harvesting for irrigation
Rainwater harvesting has been employed for a long time to supplement or replace traditional irrigation methods in areas that have less water resources. By capturing and storing rainwater farmers are able to reduce their dependency on controlled water sources. This helps maintain the balance of the hydro-geological system in rivers and lakes, and also help to save money on irrigation.
The simplest RWH systems are comprised of the ability to collect rainwater (like a downspout or gutter) and a method to direct the collected rainwater to a storage area (such as barrels) and an delivery and pumping system that will deliver the collected water to the crop. The monitoring and filtering equipment is included in more complex systems. How much filtration and storage space is needed will depend on the kind of use for which it is intended.
RWH is a great option to supplement existing rainwater or reduce the amount of conventional irrigation. RWH can also be a great source of clean, fresh water for regions with contaminated groundwater or in areas where desalination, and the cost to pipe water from far-off sources, are not feasible.
Effective Irrigation Design
The process of irrigation design is extremely specialized and relies on the layouts, water resources, dimensions of the project, etc., for each project. A good irrigation designer will take these aspects into account when creating a system, especially for high-end or municipal projects where the costs of a flawed design could easily run into thousands in additional materials. They can also call backs to correct problems once they’re installed.
In areas with a shortage of water, enhancing the efficiency of irrigation can be a good option to save water for agricultural use (Perry and Steduto, 2017). This requires an understanding of how efficiency improvements impact the structure and revenue of the costs, which is dependent on the allocation system in place. Most allocation systems are based on the common pool, or prior appropriation which restricts farmers’ ability to exchange water.
Additionally, to increase irrigation efficiency, such as sprinkler and drip systems bigger pipes, infrastructure, and pumps are required. This consumes energy especially in areas that have subsidies for electricity or where diesel or solar are the only power source. They are therefore a costly investment, especially for low-value crops. It is crucial to think about all of these aspects prior to investing in new technology.
