Smarten Up for 2017: A SWAT Training in Southwest Florida

Last week the Dukes research group conducted its third smart irrigation technology training of 2016. This collaboration with Tampa Bay Water and Florida Irrigation Society packed the Brooker Creek Preserve’s auditorium with area contractors, municipal reps, Extension faculty and local water management district staff eager to learn about water-saving technology.  

Best Practices

Following proper design and regular system maintenance, irrigation best practices also include using smart water application technology to avoid unnecessary irrigation. 

Next week: FL Irrigation Society & @TampaBayWater collab to train on smart water tech: https://t.co/O3JJFGrhDa pic.twitter.com/Q37ztuvtQq

— UF/IFAS IrriGator (@IrriGatorUF) November 2, 2016

During the training, presenters covered types of smart technology and proper installation and programming. They also drew lessons from recent field experiences to underscore the importance of correct wiring to maximize device effectiveness.

Hands-on station with water-use expert Bernard Cardenas (courtesy: Dave Bracciano)

Frank Galdo explains it all

Guest presenter Frank Galdo of Pasco County Utilities (pictured above) stepped in during the latter section to discuss how two types of sensors (rain and soil moisture) can be used on one irrigation timer – a scenario his team encountered and diagnosed this summer.

In the Clouds

Seven vendors were also in attendance last week. Despite the growing popularity of the cloud-based irrigation timer sector, trainers kept the focus on soil moisture sensor and weather-based irrigation controller basics.

Fresh from Denver: team Rachio talks cloud-based tech

Vendors, however, had plenty to present on their unique interpretations of cloud-based irrigation technology – which allows for WiFi-enabled weather-based programming as well as remote access to your timer from any mobile device.

...without whom none of this would be possible

Looking Ahead

For anyone attending this year’s Irrigation Show and Education Conference (next month in Las Vegas), you know that smart water technology is continually improving. And the Dukes research team will continue to train irrigation professionals throughout Florida on these proven water-saving devices. See you in the new year!

Yes, but do they work? Putting soil moisture sensors to the test

First in a smart water application technology series.

In Florida, irrigation water-use accounts for around 50% of total household water consumption. Most of the single-family homes recently built in Florida (as well as in the U.S.) include an automatic irrigation system, which results in an increase in demand from already limited water resources. 

Save water, Florida! Courtesy: EPA WaterSense

The development of best management practices for irrigation of landscapes has become an undeniable strategic, economic, and environmental issue for the state. New soil moisture sensor systems (SMSs) for landscape irrigation control may improve irrigation efficiency, promote water conservation, and reduce environmental impacts of over-irrigation.

Sensing savings

A research project was funded by the Southwest Florida Water Management District to evaluate SMS-based irrigation systems. The main goal: to determine if SMSs could reduce the water applied, compared to common time-based irrigation schedules implemented by homeowners. At the same time, we wanted to know if these hypothetical water savings could be achieved without compromising an acceptable turf quality.

On the corner of research & technology: the plots

The experimental area (at UF research facilities in Gainesville) consisted of common bermudagrass plots (10 x 10 ft). The sensors of four commercially available SMS systems (brands Acclima, Rain Bird, Irrometer, and Water Watcher) were buried at the 7 to 10 cm depth. For comparison purposes, time-based treatments with and without a rain sensor, and a non-irrigated treatment were also implemented. 

Proper soil moisture sensor installation with Bernard Cardenas

Non-irrigated, but green
During the 2-year experiment, normal/wet weather conditions prevailed in the research area, which favored turf growth and development. As a result, no significant differences in turfgrass quality among treatments were detected, even when compared to the non-irrigated plots. This means that, for sustained normal/wet weather conditions in Gainesville, a bermudagrass turf probably would not need supplemental irrigation.

Regarding the SMS treatments, most of them recorded significant irrigation water savings compared to the time-based irrigation schedules. Savings ranged from 69% to 92% for three of the four SMS brands tested. The treatment with-rain-sensor, on the other hand, resulted in 34% less water applied than the without-rain-sensor treatment. All these water savings were achieved without decreasing turfgrass quality below acceptable levels.

Time to validate
Therefore, SMSs represent a promising technology for water conservation, even better than the rain sensors mandated by FL law. Given these results, we then sought to test SMSs under sustained dry weather conditions and in residential irrigation systems.

This research was conducted by Mr. Bernardo Cardenas, Dr. Michael D. Dukes and Dr. Grady Miller. 

Bernardo Cardenas has a M. Sc. in Agricultural and Biological Engineering, from UF. He specializes in smart water application technology research, but refuses to irrigate his own lawn.