Determine if your system is delivering water and nutrients uniformly — and correct it if it isn’t.


By Inge Bisconer, CID, CLIA Out of 458


drip systems evaluated,


48% had a DU of


75% or less.


Source: Management of Agricultural Energy and Water Use with Access to Improved Data, CIT and AG H20 Report


In addition, Western Growers evaluated the performance of four of its member companies that were considered to be leaders in irrigation efficiency and found that average DU was just over 81 percent, more than nine points below the DU expected of a new system. In the study summary, Western Grower Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning, Science and Technology Hank Giclas noted that the water, energy and fertilizer needed to produce a crop increases dramatically with the degradation of uniformity.


Improving a poor performing system


Systems with poor performance may often be improved with nominal time, money and effort. Remedies for poorly performing systems usually fall into two categories: equipment and behavior.


Common steps to troubleshoot equipment include checking and adjusting pressures. A good practice is to regularly inspect equipment and replace aged tapes, driplines, microsprinklers and sprinklers. Installing drip tape fittings can reduce leaking. Trimming the impellers of pumps and increasing the size of submains can also improve performance, along with the addition of pressure regulating and/or sustaining valves.


Creating a maintenance routine is another best practice. Your routine should include checking pressures and flows, flushing at adequate velocities of at least 1 foot per second, lowering the water pH to dissolve precipitated chemicals, and applying chlorine to check organic growth. A number of commercially available line cleaners are also available.


Systems with poor performance may oſten be improved with nominal time, money and effort.


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