critical. Think of this process as the easiest way to diagnose your ir- rigation system. In its simplest form, the irrigation audit involves placing catch cans in a zone on your field and measuring the consis- tency of the application of the sprinklers. The measurements are then calculated and can give a uniformity rating, in a percentage. These numbers can help you justify why you might need more funds for updating and/ or retrofitting your system. If you’d like to learn more about irrigation auditing, visit the Irrigation Associa- tion’s Website (http://www.irrigation.org) and review the Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor program. Classes are being taught throughout the year, around the country.
WHAT TYPES OF WATER-CONSERVING PRODUCTS SHOULD YOU BE USING? The Irrigation Association formed a group to create testing pro- tocols for various irrigation system components. SWAT (Smart Water Application Technology), has been testing Weather Based- Climatic Adjustment Controllers for more than 4 years and is now working with the EPA’s WaterSense Program, which will provide a WaterSense label on controllers that are 20% more efficient than their counterparts in the near future. Controllers, with ET or soil moisture sensor adjustment, Water
Budgeting, and Central Control software included, can allow the sports turf manager to have constant control over the fields and
landscaping. Many controllers have special features to allow for more efficient scheduling of the runtimes for the zones. Cycle and soak help save water and prevent runoff, especially if there is a clay soil and/ or slope that are being irrigated. Flow management, which allows a zone to shutoff immediately
when there is a break in a line and/ or sprinkler; thus saving valu- able water and money! Real-time flow monitoring lets the field manager understand how much water is being used by each zone, with calculations created by the controller.
www.stma.org
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