Reporting Back from Water Institute Symposium 2018: An Interview with Bernard Cardenas

By Michael Gutierrez

For those of us working in water-use, UF Water Institute's 2018 Symposium (WIS) in early February marked a highlight of this year thus far. Experts, researchers, practicioners and students gathered in Gainesville for two days of presentations and panels covering the spectrum of water research. As someone who focuses on water-use efficiency outdoors, I was especially heartened by consistent references to landscape irrigation as a great, untapped area for water savings. IrriGator caught up with Symposium presenter and attendee Bernard Cardenas to further explore this idea and WIS 2018.

Both the opening and closing symposium plenaries alluded to how much potential there still is for outdoor water savings. What are your thoughts on this? How do you feel your presentation addressed this idea?

BC: Yes. There is high potential for water conservation still. There are new approaches not only with smart irrigation technologies but also Florida-Friendly Landscapes. That program is doing good things. In addition, Orange County Utilities for example is doing sprinkler nozzle replacements and rain sensor cost-share programs for better efficiency and preventing unnecessary watering.

Learning about smart irrigation technology research w/ @UF_ABE's Bernard Cardenas #ufwater18 (image @h_ghoveisi) pic.twitter.com/OAl5ao8WFg

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) February 7, 2018

What I presented was about testing smart irrigation controllers in the real world with the OCU Project. After five years we still have fantastic results with this technology - 32% water savings with weather-based timers and 43% savings with soil moisture sensors. One interesting fact I found from the plenaries is that more than 90% of new construction, single-family homes, come equipped with automated irrigation - something that was not so common 30 or 40 years ago. This puts a lot of pressure on utilities to provide water, so there is real potential for savings there.

There were dozens of presentations during the symposium. Can you talk about one or two you attended that really surprised you with either ambition or new insight?

BC: I was really impressed with Nicholas Taylor, state specialized extension agent, and his H2OSAV data hub. He is mapping data by home and neighborhood showing green space, water use, etc. So there is macro data and micro data. You’re able to see water use by neighborhood and filter for high irrigators. Really impressive.

Nicholas Taylor, State Specialized Extension Agent from @UF, asks #UFWater18 attendees how we address additional growth and water demand in central florida #ShapingOurWaterFuture pic.twitter.com/gqskrGRd59

— UF Water Institute (@ufwater) February 7, 2018

Dr. Migliaccio’s talk was also interesting, more indication that wireless technology and wireless capability is the future. Your phone or mobile device is becoming not just your computer but your remote control for everything including irrigation in both landscape and agriculture.

  

The WI Symposium happens every two years. Do you feel it’s useful to have cross disciplinary water experts get together this way?

BC: Absolutely. For me it’s the only conference I’ve been to where the main players working in water, not just conservation but also water quality and coastal issues, get together to present/discuss about water in a holistic approach. I think it’s fabulous. There’s discussion among experts and academics and even feedback from the public. For anyone who attended the closing plenary, you saw members of Our Santa Fe River show up during the question and answer time and raise real, end-user concerns to the panel.

Can you talk about any research you’re working on this year that may tie into the theme of “Shaping Our Water Future?”

BC: Yes. Two things. We’re working on analyzing data supplied by Orange County Utilities generated from their rain sensor cost-share program and nozzle replacement initiative. So we’re looking at pre-/post-implementation there. And we’re also comparing those participating homes to their neighbors and also to the net irrigation requirement to analyze whether irrigation is below, matches or exceeds what is necessary to keep a healthy landscape. This kind of analysis is helpful so that utilities can determine whether or not their investment in conservation programs really yields results.

We are also going to begin doing additional work testing pressure regulating sprinkler spray bodies, as well as bodies with check valves and also the "x-flow" device that some sprinklers have that plug water flow when the nozzle goes missing - all efficiency enhancing features that help save water outdoors.