Water Conservation Potential of Smart Irrigation Controllers
Michael D. Dukes, Ph.D., P.E. Agricultural & Biological Engineering Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS)
Tampa Bay Regional Water Shortage Management Workshop Tampa, FL, May 5, 2009 Irrigation is a Standard “Appliance” Improper Design & Installation: Improper Coverage SMART WATER APPLICATION TECHNOLOGY (SWAT) What is Smart Water Application Technology (SWAT)? • SWAT Irrigation technologies designed to conserve water • SWAT concept created approx. 2001 by Irrigation Association (IA) & water purveyors • Technologies • Soil moisture sensor (SMS) controllers • Evapotranspiration (ET) controllers • Rain sensors (RS) Smart Water Application Technologies (SWAT)
Soil moisture sensor (SMS) controllers
Evapotranspiration (ET) based controllers
Irrigation controllers that respond to conditions in the irrigated system to automatically adjust to plant needs Rain sensors (RS) SMS CONTROLLER TESTING ON PLOTS Research (2004 - 2008)
12' × 12' SMS/ET Controllers 2006-08, Drought Conditions St. Augustinegrass testing ongoing since March 2006
72 plots 18 treatments & 4 replicates A: Rain Sensors B: Soil Moisture Sensor & ET Controllers Photo May 2006, M.L. Shedd Irrigation Savings Compared to a Time Schedule No Rain Sensor
80 72 70 59 60 54 50 39 40 Gainesville Citra 30
Irrigation Savings Irrigation (%) 20
10
0 Normal rainfall Dry conditions SMS TESTING ON COOPERATING HOMES, PINELLAS CO. Treatments
• SMS, Current irrigation system without rain sensor and with a soil moisture sensor controller
• EDU+RS, Current irrigation system with rain sensor & seasonal run time guidelines
• RS, Current irrigation system with rain sensor
• WOS, Current irrigation system without a sensor Pinellas County Homes, Irrigation Nov 06 – Dec 08
70 0
62a 2 60 54a 4
50 6
8 40 34b 10 30 12 22c
20 14 IrrigationApplication(inches)
16 (inches) Precipitation Effective Monthly 10 18
0 20 Nov-06 Feb-07 May-07 Sep-07 Dec-07 Mar-08 Jul-08 Oct-08 Jan-09
Effective Rainfall SMS EDU+RS RS WOS Pinellas County Homes, Irrigation Nov 06 – Dec 08
70 0
62a 2 60 54a 14%4
50 6
8 40 45% 34b 10 30 12 22c
20 65%14 IrrigationApplication(inches)
16 (inches) Precipitation Effective Monthly 10 18
0 20 Nov-06 Feb-07 May-07 Sep-07 Dec-07 Mar-08 Jul-08 Oct-08 Jan-09
Effective Rainfall SMS EDU+RS RS WOS ET CONTROLLER TESTING, HILLSBOROUGH CO. ET Controller Study GCREC Hillsborough County • Three ET controllers: Weathermatic, Smartline SL800 Toro, Intellisense TIS-612OD ETwater, Smart Controller 100 • Timeclock with RS • Reduced timeclock schedule with RS But will ET controllers work in the real world?!
Residential study in Hillsborough County… • 38 residential cooperators in Hillsborough Co.
o 21 homes have an ET controller
o 17 homes are a comparison group • All volunteers are moderate to high water users Irrigation Savings Potential
80 Rainy 70 Dry 60
50
40
30
20 Irrigation Savings Irrigation (%)
10
No data No data No No data No 0 Time Clock Rain Sensor Soil Soil ET ET Adjustment Moisture Moisture Controller, Controller, Sensor, Sensor, plots homes plots homes Next Steps….
• Applying the technology Targeting users with potential savings Building public awareness Education of contractors for proper installation Verification of savings over time
• Apply to reclaim irrigation to stretch increasingly limited supplies Thank you!
Southwest Florida Water Management District, Pinellas Co. Utilities, Hillsborough Co. Water Dept., Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Assoc., Florida Turfgrass Assoc., Florida Sod Growers Co-op.
[email protected] http://irrigation.ifas.ufl.edu