IRRIGATION AND WATER MANAGEMENT

By John C . Fech

Auditing . Whether it is a bank audit , a tax audit or a sprinkler system audit , the premise is the same : something is not exactly the way it should be . As such , it ’ s understood that nobody expects perfection in any of these systems , but it ’ s still important to strive for it . In the world of sports fields , the assumption is that your sprinkler system is broken ; the question is just how badly ?

The “ just how badly ” question is best answered by asking other questions :

How many components are not functioning well … or at all ?

Are there dark green sections of turf next to brown ones ? Is it 60 %, 70 % or 80 % efficient ? How uniform is the distribution of water ?

These questions make some sports field managers grimace and others to shrug their shoulders as if to say , “ I don ’ t know , I ’ ve never checked into it .”

PERCENTAGES VS . GALLONS Percentages of efficiency are one thing , but gallons saved are HUGE ! If a significant percentage increase in overall efficiency is achieved as a result of an audit and subsequent repairs , and that improvement is touted to a field stakeholder or decision maker , the response is likely to be “ that ’ s nice ” or “ good for you .” However , if the percentage increase is followed by a corresponding reduction in water usage , as well as a cost savings for less applied water , then the response is likely to be more along the lines of “ Holy Cow ! That ’ s amazing ! Keep up the good work !”

In order to achieve the second response , start by finding out how

Collection cylinders and tuna cans work equally as well in the auditing process All photos by John C . Fech many gallons it takes to water the field , then how much can be saved over a year ’ s time by auditing , repairing and rechecking water usage . Considering the total square footage , the calculation could be in the millions of gallons .

BEYOND COST SAVINGS Sure , money talks ; but it ’ s not only about money . There are several other considerations that are compromised with an inefficient system , including increased disease potential , pest control failures and even sink holes .

IRRIGATING FOR THE BROWN SPOTS Once you do the deep dive that this article is calling for , you ’ ll find out just how out of whack the system is . Certainly , older systems with worn parts and old technology can be improved , but even new parts “ right out of the box ” can be significantly flawed . This begs the question , “ How did the efficiency get to be so bad to begin with ?” The answer is that we tend to irrigate for the brown spots . It is a basic human tendency to run a system until all the turf areas respond by turning from brown to green .

Under this routine , the brown spots will eventually turn green . However , in so doing , the areas that are currently receiving the correct amount of water or excessive water will end up receiving two to three times as much water as they need , resulting in a waste of water , root rot and unnecessary expense .

PEST CONTROL INTERACTIONS Not only is an inefficient system problematic because it ’ s not keep-

20 SportsField Management | September 2021 sportsfieldmanagementonline . com