Irrigation For 2000 & Beyond

Saying that the pressure is on irrigation contractors only restates the obvious. But as the earth’s population continues to climb, placing greater demands on the planet’s natural resources, it becomes the responsibility of the professionals working with those resources to use them more efficiently. And, of course, because irrigation contractors work with water in a professional capacity, it is in their best interest to combine that efficiency with continued profitability.

To satisfy those pressures, irrigation contractors are turning toward irrigation product manufacturers in search of improved products and technology that will aid them in their work.

TAKING CONTROL. Efficient irrigation begins with the system controller. While this may hardly seem like a revolutionary idea, irrigation industry professionals emphasized that lawn and landscape contractors look first at how they’re using controllers when looking to irrigate more efficiently.

"Controller programming is the most important way contractors can make sure they’re using water properly," noted Jeff Carowitz, marketing manager, Hunter Industries, San Marcos, Calif., who said today’s controllers offer contractors a great deal more in terms of flexibility than the controllers of just a few years ago.

"Controllers are getting much more sophisticated," Carowitz continued. "This has been going on for 15 years, but lately we’ve seen a lot of innovations responding to increased watering restrictions like odd/even calendar capabilities for areas that can only water certain areas on odd or even numbered days in a month."

A sophisticated controller doesn’t have to be a complicated controller, however. "We are seeing simpler systems as technology gets better," observed Jeanne Cantu, senior national sales manager, Toro Irrigation, Riverside, Calif. "The technology enables us to offer contractors all of the bells and whistles, but manufacturers have learned that these features are only valuable if the end user understands how to take advantage of them, especially with residential controllers."

Carowitz said Hunter sees making controllers easier to use as one of its primary charges from contractors. "Manufacturers overall are doing a good job of keeping controllers user friendly," he observed, pointing to new pocket-sized remote control controllers as one example.

Cantu said even more simplification is necessary for irrigating large turf areas. "People with good irrigation skills are in demand and difficult to attract and keep," she recognized. "Our product development utilizes a modular approach so a system can start out simple and add more features over time. This will better enable contractors to match the system setup to the property’s requirements by matching the cost/value relationship to the irrigation needs."

What has made controller development particularly contractor-friendly of late, though, has been the effects of technology and competition among manufacturers on pricing. "Everybody is coming out with less expensive clocks that offer more features than their predecessors, especially for smaller commercial projects," commented Brian Vinchesi, president, Irrigation Consulting & Engineering Inc., Boston, Mass. "Contractors continue to look for clocks which can do more for less, and today they can purchase a 24-station clock that was $1,200 to $1,400 not too long ago for $500 to $600."

SPRAY THE WAY. Clearly, one area manufacturers across the board are looking to improve is the distribution efficiency of pop-up spray heads.

"We’re seeing a lot of attention from the major manufacturers focused on spray heads," noted David Zoldoske, director, Center for Irrigation Technology, Fresno, Calif. "We expect to see distribution uniformity to increase as manufacturers improve the nozzle design."

Zoldoske warned, however, that contractors and municipalities alike cannot have unrealistic expectations for perfectly uniform distribution. "Historically, spray heads have provided as uniform distribution as rotors, he said. But achieving the desired uniformity in spray heads where manufacturers are working with such small spaces to move the water through is very difficult."

Cantu agreed improving uniformity is a challenge for manufacturers, and pointed to spray head production as one key. "Obviously, this all starts with engineering a good spray head," she said. "But quality engineering needs to be matched with precision molding to build the best product."

Vinchesi recognized this same focus among manufacturers. "There’s a lot of time and money being spent on nozzle development for spray heads," he said. "I think we’ll start to see more developments with pressure regulation where this occurs in the sprinkler head itself instead of on a per zone basis. Some heads are already made this way, but I think it will become more widespread in the next couple of years.

"While there is plenty of room for improvement in nozzles and distribution," Vinchesi continued, "contractors will still be successful right now if they use the right sprinkler for the right application."

GO WITH THE (LOW) FLOW. Few areas of irrigation technology seem to divide industry veterans as much as the potential of low-volume irrigation. Some people see drip and subsurface irrigation technology as the future because of the water savings they provide. Others charge that while these technologies deliver water more efficiently at times, the low-volume systems developed thus far are too labor intensive and expensive to maintain for widespread use.

"There are two products on the market for drip which have been successful thus far," noted Zoldoske, pointing to systems from Netafim, Fresno, Calif., and Toro Irrigation, Riverside, Calif.

Zoldoske attributed part of the systems’ success to their durability against obstructive plant or grass root growth. "The Toro system is impregnated with an herbicide and Netafim includes the same herbicide in a filter stack. When the water runs through the stack, it picks up particles of the herbicide which then attaches to the immediately surrounding soil," he said. "Any successful subsurface system has to have some type of pesticide barrier against root growth."

Much of the dialogue involving low-volume systems has centered around their viability for broad expanses of turf, and opinions still vary depending on whom you ask. "In our tests, we’ve found these drip systems to be successful alternatives to pop-up sprayheads in some applications, such as geometrically challenging spots or areas where there just can’t be any water on the concrete," Zoldoske recognized. "But I don’t think this is going to be a fundamental change in the way contractors irrigate. Sprayheads are clearly dominant in the market, and will continue to be so."

Some manufacturers will admit to the advantages of drip irrigation systems, but they maintain the systems’ effective applications are limited to ornamental beds with fewer plants where the systems can directly target the root zone.

"Drip technology came into the landscape business through the agricultural industry. These products didn’t necessarily meet all of the landscape application needs," noted Cantu. "We offer it as part of a full line so we can recommend the best product for each application."

Nibco Inc., Fresno, Calif., is marketing another low volume system it believes is better suited for larger turf areas while also having ornamental applications. The wick bubbler system essentially creates a micro-flood in an area by distributing water to the thatch layer and using the thatch to carry the water across the lawn.

"The system applies water at more than 1 inch per hour from points spread about 5 feet apart," explained Fred Smiley, vice president. The water bubbles up wicks about 3 inches above the top of the turf, but the rest of the system is standard with PVC pipe and a riser coming up to the wick."

Smiley said the key to this system is its ability to irrigate so closely to the evapotranspiration rate of the turf area.

Zoldoske said the wick bubbler is currently being tested by CIT, and although it’s too soon to offer a clear verdict, he’s seen positive results thus far. "As the water floods out, it connects like a checkerboard," he said. "In our research, it has provided very high uniformity."

Because of a low operating pressure, scheduling accommodations have to be made for the system. "Fifteen to 20 pounds should be enough pressure, but that means there’s a minimum irrigation time with the wick bubbler of probably 40 minutes instead of 10 to 15 minutes with spray heads," Zoldoske noted, adding that it’s also too early to tell how well the system works on slopes and whether or not the system’s start up flush action is enough to prevent clogging problems.

TECHNOLOGY TOO. A range of technological advancements combined with growing pressure to eliminate wasted water use continues to add tools to the lawn and landscape contractor’s toolbox.

"One of the biggest trends in irrigation right now is interactive rain moisture sensor systems," Vinchesi observed. "There’s getting to be quite a few of these on the market now."

Vinchesi explained that newer moisture sensors today are more "intelligent" than their predecessors and that they operate by sensing the impact of precipitation as opposed to the presence of water. "Most of the sensors which are in use right now shut the irrigation system down until that sensor dries out completely," he said. "With the new interactive sensors, the system will shut off if it’s raining, but if the rain stops and the soil still needs more moisture, the sensor will allow the system to turn on even though the sensor is still wet."

These interactive sensors are priced higher than earlier models, at approximately $200 to $300 compared to about $30, according to Vinchesi. But as he noted, "These units can pay for themselves and ultimately save the end user money in the long run."

"It’s getting to the point that every area of the country with any substantial rainfall is requiring rain sensor shutoffs be included on any new systems which are installed," Carowitz agreed.

And manufacturers continue work on freeze sensors that will operate in conjunction with rain sensors to shut down systems when the temperature drops too low to irrigate.

Technology has also enabled niche manufacturers to enter the industry, particularly in the development of controllers, according to Cantu. "The industry continues to have niche players enter and develop product and value in these smaller categories," she noted. "This pressure has meant the full line manufacturers will always have new competition."

"Ultimately, it means the Hunters, Rain Birds and Toros all have become more efficient," she concluded. "And that is good for the industry."