DISTRIBUTION UNIFORMITY
Another common upgrade is irrigation system automation to remove human error and ensure the right amount of water is applied. In one case, soil moisture sensor data revealed that irrigation instructions weren’t being followed.
In another case, the irrigator ran the system for 12 to 15 hours, or eight hours, instead of 10 as instructed. What happened? The irrigation system ran for only eight hours due to one of two reasons: either the irrigator had to visit another ranch and forgot to adjust it, or the pump was down. With automation, telemetry communicates whether the pump is on, flow and pressures are right, and block valves activated properly. If anything is wrong, alerts are sent to let the farmer know the pump isn’t on, the flow or pressure is wrong, or the valve isn’t activated. With this knowledge a solution can be executed through technology and control.
GET CONNECTED
This routine has now been formalized into the Irrigation System DU and ROI Estimator program that is available for free via a website link that downloads onto the user’s Windows-based computer. It provides all the methodology, instructions, forms, data entry screens, reports, background calculations and interpretive information necessary for a field technician with nominal training to
• conduct a drip/micro irrigation system distribution uniformity analysis by gathering flow and pressure data from specifically located emission devices in a representative block of the irrigation system.
• identify specific irrigation system deficiencies by interviewing farm personnel regarding the operation of the system and physically observing the status of irrigation system equipment components.
• translate the evaluation findings into the economic value of improving the existing DU performance and equipment component deficiencies discovered, including the cost of pumping unnecessary applications of water, the value of forgone yield potential and the cost of less-than-optimal pumping plant efficiency.
• provide an ROI analysis, in $/acre and $/field, based on the grower’s preferred ROI timeframe, in years, to encourage funding of corrective actions.
Funding for the Irrigation System DU and ROI Estimator program has been provided by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s 2022 Water Efficiency Technical Assistance Program; grant administration has been provided by the Coalition for Urban and Rural Environmental Stewardship; program development and documentation has been provided by California contractors AGH2O and Surf N’ Earth Enterprises.
18 Irrigation TODAY | Winter 2024
“Typically, there is about a 25% labor cost savings when automation is employed,” says Gray. “The State of California’s State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program has funded much of the automation to date, which has been helpful, but more is needed.”
Following a standard system retrofit, the water and energy use efficiency alone can usually result in an ROI of less than 18 months.
“One customer was constantly fighting for adequate water on three well water systems covering 580 acres of grapes,” Gray says. “Our analysis discovered that the filtration systems were defunct and consuming excessive pressure. After retrofitting the system, well production was increased by 100% and the grapes began receiving enough water. Another customer was struggling to properly trigger veraison
(transitioning from grape growth to grape ripening), which is highly influenced by irrigation. After the system was upgraded and automated, veraison was much more easily manipulated.”
It takes time and money to make changes and improvements, and sometimes there is a lack of a capital budget vs. an operational budget. There are also challenges in communicating the value of improvements between irrigation staff and the owners that write the checks.
“Thousands of acres have been fallowed due to lack of water, and more and more acres of 20-year-old almonds and pistachios and grapes are being pushed out due to ‘poor production,’” he says. “I truly believe that if growers use the DU and ROI Estimator methodology to trigger investment in upgrades, the loss of significant acreage will be avoided.”
Gray hopes for more cooperation between organizations like the Irrigation Association, crop consultants, commodity groups and agencies.
“The industry is fragmented and needs to come together to ensure that a sustainable, nutritious food supply continues to be grown on American soil,” he says. “It’s a matter of national security to improve our irrigation practices, which will in turn improve agriculture’s profitability and sustainability. Optimized irrigation is a win- win for the consumer, the producer and the country.”
, is managing member of Surf ‘N Earth Enterprises in experience in California irrigated agriculture. She is a sales and marketing consultant president of the Irrigation Association.
*See article from Irrigation Today, January 2019, “Why drip system uniformity matters.”
**See Irrigation System DU and ROI Estimator User Manual dated Oct. 27, 2023.
irrigationtoday.org
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