1. 2018 SHADE Conference
“Fundamentals (Keys) of Basic Irrigation Design”

2. Fundamentals of Basic Irrigation Design
1. Keys to a Successful Project
2. Key Terms Review
3. Key Concepts
4. Keys to Efficient Design
5. Spare Keys

3. Keys to a Successful Project
Design
Installation
Maintenance

4. Key Irrigation Terms Flow - Gallons Per Minute (GPM)
Flow - Gallons Per Hour (GPH)
Pressure – Pounds Per Square Inch (PSI)
Velocity – Feet Per Second (FPS)
Friction Loss - Pressure loss as water moves through irrigation system components

5. Key Irrigation Terms Precipitation Rate – Inches Per Hour (PR)
Matched Precipitation Rate (MPR)
Head-to-Head Coverage
Evapotranspiration (ET)
Distribution Uniformity (DU)
Static & Dynamic Water Pressure

6. Key Concepts
A sprinkler system has to have enough water and pressure to make it work properly.
Where do the water and pressure come from?

7. Key Concepts

8. Key Concepts
Gravity – for each foot of elevation change, psi of pressure is gained (or lost).
At the base of a 100’ water tower, how much water pressure would you have?
Pressure is lost as water moves through the components of an irrigation system.

9. Key Concepts

10. Keys For Safe Flow
The maximum allowable loss through the meter should be less than 10 percent of the inlet pressure at the meter.
The maximum flow (gallons per minute) through the meter should be 75% of the maximum safe flow through the meter.
The velocity of the water flow (ft/s) through the service line supplying the meter should not exceed approximately 7 feet per second for metal pipe and 5 feet per second for plastic pipes.
“Foundations of Landscape Irrigation Design” - IA

11. Key Concepts

12. Key Concepts

13. Key Concepts

14. Key Concepts Schedule 40 Mainlines Class 200 Laterals
Class 200 Pipe Sizing
0-5 GPM /2”
6-10 GPM /4”
11-16 GPM ”

15. Key Concepts

16. Key Concepts

17. Key Concepts

18. Key Concepts

19. Keys to Efficient Design
Rain Bird Maxi Paw 08 nozzle .45 in/hr at 45psi
Matched Precipitation Rate

20. Keys to Efficient Design

21. Keys to Efficient Design
Matched Precipitation Rate Rotor Nozzles

22. Keys to Efficient Design

23. Keys to Efficient Design
Rain Bird Maxi Paw 08 nozzle .45 in/hr at 45psi
Rain Bird Mini Paw 07 nozzle .38 in/hr at 45psi
Rain Bird 10H nozzle 1.52 in/hr at 30psi
Toro 8H nozzle 1.80 in/hr at 30psi
Toro 15H nozzle 1.77 in/hr at 30psi
Toro 12H nozzle 1.72 in/hr
Hunter PGP 06 nozzle .36 in/hr at 40psi
Hunter 10A nozzle 1.88 in/hr at 40psi
Hunter 17A nozzle 1.47 in/hr at 40psi

24. Keys to Efficient Design
Distribution Uniformity (DU)
The DU is a measurement of uniformity, expressed as a percentage, comparing the driest 25% of the area to the average distribution in the area (DU low quarter).
A perfectly uniform application would be represented by a DU of 100%. A less uniform application is represented by a lower percentage.

25. Keys to Efficient Design

26. Keys to Efficient Design

27. Keys to Efficient Design
PRS ensures optimal performance at 30 PSI
Eliminates misting & fogging
Reduces costly accidents and property damage
Restricts water loss by 70% with damaged
nozzle

28. Keys to Efficient Design
Rain Bird 5000 Series Rotor with PRS:
In-stem pressure regulation reduces inlet pressure to 45 psi
Eliminates head-to-head pressure variation
Eliminates misting
Improves distribution uniformity

29. Keys to Efficient Design
Hunter PRB Rotors
(PGP & I20 models available)

30. Keys to Efficient Design
Pressure-compensating emitters

31. Most irrigation manufacturers now sell “Smart Controllers”
Keys to Efficient Design
Most irrigation manufacturers now sell “Smart Controllers”
1. Most manufacturers now offer one or more types of “smart” controller.

32. Spare Keys 1. Sprinklers have to have enough
water and pressure to work
2. Don’t mix and match different
kinds of sprinklers on a zone
3. Smart Controller on idiot sprinkler system equals idiot sprinkler system
Don’t exceed a velocity of 5’ per
second in lateral piping
Use head-to-head spacing

33. Spare Keys 6. Use goof plugs 7. Use water tight wire connectors
8. Don’t run ½” poly more than 300’
9. Don’t run spaghetti more than 5-10’
10. Use pressure compensating emitters
Also not head-to-head spacing!
11. Use MPR nozzles
12. Use high efficiency nozzle