SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/82015
Irrigation&Drainage | ByLynda Wightman Safe sports fields irrigation products for a particular field, the Turf Manager has to focus on a few key points including player safety, aesthetics, and cost. A Finding the right combination of com- ponents can only be accomplished by thor- oughly understanding efficient irrigation practices. One of the most important fac- tors the manager must consider is how the field is used and how often. The manager must also need to have a firm grasp on basic irrigation hydraulics, plant/soil/water rela- tionships, and irrigation terminology. Not only does the manager need to be person- ally educated, they need to keep their entire staff educated as well. The basic steps that need to be considered for either a new or renovated field are the same for any field across the country, and are imperative to field success. DESIGN "roadmap" for the contractor who is in- stalling the system. There are professional irrigation designers who specialize in this process and understand the hydraulics re- quired for an efficient system. It is generally best to contract one of these seasoned pro- fessionals, especially for a new build. They can identify many of the technical specifics involved with planning such as the point of connection, water supply, elevation changes, available water pressure, and so on. These items must be reviewed before a de- sign can take place. The project also needs to meet local codes for backflow devices, meters, and electrical configurations. Most importantly, a professional designer can match the right irrigation and maintenance equipment needed for a specific site. The design of an irrigation system is the AUTOMATIC VALVES The "heart" of an irrigation system con- sists of the electric or battery operated 30 SportsTurf | September 2012 built through understanding irrigation's best practices safe, pristine sports field can only be developed by implementing an irrigation system that consists of high quality components that are designed with sports fields in mind. In order to determine the right valves, which can be arranged into various configurations depending on water pressure and zone sizes. Valve size is important, espe- cially for larger zones of sprinklers. Gener- ally 1.5 or 2-inch valves are used. The valve needs to have slow closure to ensure no "water hammering" takes place. Pressure regulation devices are often installed on the valve to optimize the sprinkler's dynamic, working pressure. Captive parts are impera- tive when someone might need to work on the valve after installation. Quick coupler valves offer easy access to pressurized water in isolated areas. The more quick couplers that are included in the design, the better. They are usually installed on the mainline, which makes it easy to hit hot spots quickly and effectively. AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER The irrigation controller is the "brain" of the system, as its scheduled run times are what activate and deactivate field watering. Versatile scheduling capabilities within the controller allow the manager to implement a customized set of run-times that provide the ideal amount of water to each zone of the system. To ensure irrigation doesn't occur in conjunction with natural precipita- tion, most professional-grade controllers are equipped with rain sensors that temporarily cancel irrigation. There are also "solar sen- sors" that track daily weather patterns and automatically adjust runtimes to the opti- mal irrigation level. These sensors not only save the health of the field, they save water and money as well. Flow sensors are another add-on device designed to save water and protect landscape health. In the event of a pipe or component breakage, a flow sensor will not allow the zone to receive irrigation. With many system designs, more than one zone will often need to operate at the same time, so it is important to select a controller that features multiple programs and run- times. ROTORS There are a few key features that should be considered when selecting the rotors that will be irrigating the field. The rotors must have a small exposed diameter on top and an attached rubber cover to ensure player safety. A strong spring within the sprinkler will provide positive retraction and ensure that sprinkler caps do not stick up above the grade level of the field. Manufacturers spend a tremendous amount of time creat- ing nozzles that provide an even distribu- tion of water over the turf area. Without these features and specialized nozzles in the rotors, brown "doughnuts" can occur, which looks bad and can become a player safety issue. An increasingly large number of managers are also responsible for syn- thetic turf surfaces these days, which need Networking There are many knowledgeable people in the irrigation industry that can assist with the education and consulting of an irrigation system. The following links offer different educational opportunities and networking for someone who might not be aware of basic irrigation needs: www.stma.org (STMA) http://wwwdpla.water.ca.gov/urban/ conservation/landscape/wucols/index .html (WUCOLS) www.irrigation.org (Irrigation Association) http://www.atinet.org/cati/cit/ (Center for Irrigation Technology, Fresno) http://www.asic.org (American Society of Irrigation Consultants) http://www.landcarenetwork.org/ (PLANET – Professional Landcare Network) www.sportsturfonline.com