How many times have you been walking down the sidewalk in a neighborhood or business and you have to dodge the sprinklers. There are several reasons that could be happening. If it is the beginning of the season, they may just need to be adjusted. A lawn mower or person could have also kicked it off course. But, many times it is due to a poor irrigation design.Â
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Design tips to keep in mind, or “why do we do that?”
- Consider the density and nature height of plants
- Max pop-up height of most sprinklers is 12” and fixed risers are easily broken. Spray under leggy plants or use drip.
- Remember that established lawn and plants generally have far different water requirements.
- Turf needs water three times per week on average while established plants only need water once per week.
- Follow the “head-to-head” sprinkler rule
It’s the only way to get even water distribution across an area.- Don’t spray over walkways or other paved surfaces.
- Know that small areas require more heads than large areas…because of the “head-to-head” principle
It wastes water, can stain concrete, and is a liability risk.
IRRIGATION COSTS
Because every site has different planting shapes/types/density, topography, soil, paving, obstructions, water supplies, etc. it’s nearly impossible to estimate irrigation costs by the SF.
- A 1-acre football field will cost around $12,000 installed ($0.27/SF) because it’s flat, wide open, rectangular, and usually requires prevailing wage labor rates.
- A similar commercial site with small, isolated lawn panels and planting beds separated by sidewalks and parking lots costs on average $0.40/SF without prevailing wage rates.
THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE DESIGN
Tight Specification will include:
- Designed by a Certified Irrigation Designer – C.I.D.
- Clean identifiable CAD driven design and detail.
- Hydraulically correct pipe and valve sizes.
- Booster pump identified for adequate pressure
- Legend for 19 identified component locations
- Smart controller with pedestal and sensors
Ineffective Specification will include:
- Designed by the contractor who won the bid.
- Pencil drawn on 8.5 x 11 stationary
- Head placement NOT 100% coverage.
- Too many heads on a single zone.
- Hydraulic design exceeds available water supply
- No smart controller or flow sensor called out
When you choose your designer you are choosing the quality you want to go into your project. Choose wisely, cutting corners now will result in more problems and expenses later.
For more information about proper efficient irrigation design please contact Wolf Creek Company. Good luck!
