IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY Dr. Dotty Woodson Extension Program Specialist- Water Resources Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Urban Solutions Center Dallas, TX LI#0017381

IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY • All Future landscapes p must Conserve Water to be Sustainable • Resource Efficient Plants • Irrigation efficiency is the planned management of water • Prevents • Waste • Over use • Contamination of our most valuable resource - water

• Effecti Effectivee irrigation efficienc efficiency plans to "do more with ith less less,"" without itho t sacrificing a beautiful green landscape • Least expensive p method to conserve water

CURRENT WATER ISSUES • The cost of water & ppower to move water rises annuallyy • Population growth can create a drought even when there is no drought • Many cities have out grown infrastructure for water delivery and treatment • Landscape irrigation is usually restricted during drought and other water shortage conditions because landscape water usage increases 30 to 60% during the summer months

THE COST OF WASTED WATER • Over wateringg the landscape p creates additional pproblems beyond the cost of the wasted water: • Leaches nutrients from the root zone requiring the application of additional fertilizer • Causes fungus and attracts pests • Major cause of plant death • Adds additional time and labor to maintain site • Water runoff can damage hardscapes • Poor public relations

BREAKING DOWN THE PROBLEM • Landscape irrigation accounts for 60-75% urban potable water consumption • Excessive scheduling • System integrity – poor design and maintenance • Operation in rain/ wet conditions

• Landscapes blamed despite proven studies • indicating vital importance of landscapes to human health and well-being • crime reduction • heat island reduction • filtering pollutants from stormwater runoff • increased property value

TEXAS DROUGHT MONITOR

30 MILLION ACRES • 85 million U.S. households have a lawn g size landscape p • Average one-fifth of an acre • 30 million acres of grass, according to EPA and NASA

850 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER • The typical landscape soaks up more than 10,000 gallons of water a year, not including rainwater and snowmelt, snowmelt the EPA says. • 10,000 x 85 million = 850 billion gallons of water annually

IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY • 89% of single family households practice irrigation g • 95% is spray irrigation • 92% of the 95% do not understand how an irrigation system runs

IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY • The Average Homeowner Over W t Waters • Not because they want to waste water and receive a high water bill • They just do not know • How Long • How Often • Plant Water Requirements • Precipitation Rate • How to set irrigation g controller

PROACTIVE SCENARIO Comprehensive Irrigation Management: • •

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Restoration of antiquated irrigation systems Implementation of new control and sensor technologies g Enhance system operating efficiencies Direct changes in landscape management cultural practices Source non-potable water sources

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Preserve beneficial landscapes

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Saving energy, Saving water, Sustaining our environment.

GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND WATER

Population

Water Supply pp y

WATER RESOURCES

DEVELOPMENT CHANGES LOCAL HYDROLOGY

•

How we manage water resources and water use defines the available water sources

RUNOFF • Number One Non-Point Source of Contamination • Preventable • Saves Money • By using less • Expense to Clean up water contamination

• Fertilizer • Pesticides • Erosion

PROJECTED DEMAND BY USE

PROJECTED WATER USE

3500

Conservation

3000

T h o u s a n d s o f a c re -fe e t

Conservation - irrigation 2500

Reuse Groundwater

2000 Surface water 1500

Surface water - major reservoirs Conjunctive use

1000

Desalination

500

0 2010

2020

2030

2040

2050

Future Water Resources

2060

CONSERVATION GOAL – 30% • • • • • • • • • • •

New State Irrigation Rules City Irrigation Rules Water Planning Region G Groundwater d t C Conservation ti Di District ti t Water District Conservation Plans Cityy Water Conservation Plan City Landscape Ordinances Home Owners Associations Texas A&M Horticulture Earth Kind Program Texas Nursery and Landscape Association Irrigator Association

REUSE

Groundwater

Groundwater

WHAT IS THE RULE OF CAPTURE • Tort T t liability li bilit rule l rather th th than a property t right i ht • The rule stands only for the proposition that landowners pumping groundwater beneath their own land owe no duty of care to prevent neighboring i hb i llandowner’s d ’ wells ll ffrom going i ddry • Groundwater does not constitute private property until it is pumped by a landowner

LIMITATIONS TO THE RULE OF CAPTURE • Judicial Limitations • Statutory Restrictions • Groundwater G d t C Conservation ti Di Districts ti t • Groundwater Export

GROUNDWATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS • State’s S ’ preferred f d method h d ffor G Groundwater d M Management • Locally elected Board of Directors • Local decisions on how to manage groundwater • Difficult to actually decrease or limit groundwater use

NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS GROUND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICTS • 12 Counties • Collin, Cook, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Hood, Johnson, Montague, Parker, Tarrant Wise Tarrant, • Districts formed: Hood, Parker Wise Montague Parker, • Tarrant • Collin, Collin Cook Cook, Denton

TRINITY RIVER

TRINITY RIVER

AREA LAKES TARRANT REGIONAL WATER DISTRICT

DESALINATION

Groundwater Requiring Desalination

DESALINATION COST

TRWD AND CITY OF FORT WORTH WATER PLANS •

Conservation and water reuse - Savings in water use due to water conservation and reuse are assumed in the projected demands

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Eagle Mountain Connection - This pipeline allows delivery of water from TRWD’s large east Texas reservoirs to Eagle Mountain Lake. Cost $170 million.

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Third Pipeline to Richland Chambers and Cedar Creek – This pipeline will supplement l t ddelivery li off water t ffrom TRWD’ TRWD’s existing i ti eastt T Texas reservoirs i andd additional water supply from water reuse projects. It will be operational in 2018. Cost $626.3 million.

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Marvin Nichols Reservoir and Pipeline – This proposed lake is in the Sulphur River basin 115 miles north east of the Metroplex. Operational in 2030 TRWD share of Cost $1.5 million.

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Pipeline to the Toledo Bend Reservoir – This is an existing lake on the Sabine River that borders Texas and Louisiana. This supply would need to be pumped more than 200 miles to the Metroplex. Operational in 2050 TRWD share of Cost $1 billion.

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Importation of water from Oklahoma – At the present time time, the Oklahoma Legislature has enacted a moratorium on out of state water transfers. Operational in 2060 Cost $300 million.

FUTURE WATER PROJECTED TOTAL COST Total capital costs : $30.7 billion Today’ss Dollars Today $130 Billion $130 Future Dollars

IRRIGATION REGULATION • Irrigation g in Texas is regulated g byy the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TECQ) • TCEQ P.O. Box 13087 Austin, TX 78711-3087 • TCEQ website www.tecq.state.tx.us • TCEQ Irrigation staff can be reached at (512)239-6956, (512)239 1451 or [email protected] (512)239-1451 i ll @t t t t or [email protected]

IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY • Surface/Subsurface drip – 90% • Surface micro drip irrigation – 85% • Large L rotors t – 70% • Small rotors – 65% • Spray heads - 50%

During the summer, it is estimated that 25 to t 60 % off water t used d by b residential id ti l customers is applied to the landscape

EVAPOTRANSPIRATION

(ET)

WATER LOSS TO THE ATMOSPHERE DUE TO EVAPORATION OF WATER FROM THE SOIL + TRANSPIRATION OF WATER FROM THE PLANTS

ET Factors: Soil Reservoir

• So Solar a radiation ad a o • Relative humidity • Wind run • Temperature • Rain

On-site ET Factors: • Plant type • Slope • Sun/shade • Sprinkler type • Plant Pl t density d it

EVAPOTRANSPIRATION Since evapotranspiration p p exceeds rainfall in almost all areas of Texas during the growing season, irrigation g is required q to sustain growth, form and function desired in many landscape

Example of City Water Conservation Program WaterWise Landscape Rebate Program Austin, Texas

PROGRAM GOALS • To Replace water-thirsty turf with trees and shrubs • To save time by installing low maintenance shrubs and mulch • To choose the right plant for the right place • To reduce future demand on the water utility and create beautiful, drought tolerant landscapes.

IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY PRACTICES • Encourage g native,, drought tolerant and adapted resource efficient plants • Irrigation Audit • Seasonal Adjustment • Adapt new irrigation t h l i technologies

NEW IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES • Smart Controllers • ET • Soil Moisture Sensor

NEW IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES • Multi Multi-stream stream Nozzles • Distributes water in large droplets • MP Rotator (Hunter) • Precision (Toro) • Rotary Nozzle (RN Rainbird)

EFFICIENT IRRIGATION TIPS • Use ultra-low-volume ultra low volume distribution devices • Irrigate according plant water req irements requirements • Water requirements vary by • Plant selection • Season • Maturity of landscape

• Use rain and freeze sensors • Use harvested rainwater off home or office buildingg roofs for irrigation

DRIP IRRIGATION • Dripp irrigation g is 90% • Good for entire landscape including lawn • Micro-irrigation works to water individual landscape plants, containers • Less water loss to evaporation or runoff • Drip tubing is easy to hide under mulch

TRENDS IN LOW VOLUME DRIP IRRIGATION • Dripline p Irrigation g has ggrown consistently over the past ten years • Low Volume Landscape Irrigation using Point-Source emitters and inline dripline will continue to increase in the future • For ‘Sustainable Designs’ drip is required

NARROW LANDSCAPE PLANT BEDS

VERY EFFECTIVE IN SEASONAL BEDS

HIGHWAY APPLICATIONS

ELIMINATE OVERSPRAY ONTO HARDSCAPE AREAS

ELIMINATE BROKEN SPRINKLERS OR ROTORS WITH MISSING NOZZLES

DRIP IRRIGATION SET UP FOR TURF AREA

HAND WATERING • Garden hose or hose hose-end end sprinkler • Avoid under or over watering • Control the flow • Pressure regulator • Faucet F t timer ti

• Avoid runoff

KNOW HOW MUCH • How much water your plants need? • Evapotranspiration

• How much water each station apply? • Catch can test

• Match your system output to your plants’ need

HOW MUCH WATER DOES YOUR SYSTEM APPLY? • Drip Emitter – ½ to 2 gallons per hour. • Bubblers – ½ to 2 gallons per minute. • Pop-up P – ½ tto 3 gallons ll per minute. i t minute • Rotors – 1 to 14 gallons per minute.

MULCH •

Maintain 2 to 4 inches of mulch

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Allows water to enter soil efficiently

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R t i soilil moisture Retains i t

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Slows evaporation

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Moderates temperature

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Mulch breaks down into plant nutrients

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Helps control soil surface tension

IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY PRACTICES • Encourage g native,, drought tolerant and adapted resource efficient plants • Irrigation Audit • Seasonal Adjustment • Adapt new irrigation t h l i technologies

NEW IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES • Smart Controllers • ET • Soil Moisture Sensor

NEW IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES • Multi Multi-stream stream Nozzles • Distributes water in large droplets • MP Rotator (Hunter) • Precision (Toro) • Rotary Nozzle (RN Rainbird)

EFFICIENT IRRIGATION TIPS • Use ultra-low-volume ultra low volume distribution devices • Irrigate according plant water req irements requirements • Water requirements vary by • Plant selection • Season • Maturity of landscape

• Use rain and freeze sensors • Use harvested rainwater off home or office buildingg roofs for irrigation

DRIP IRRIGATION • Dripp irrigation g is 90% • Good for entire landscape including lawn • Micro-irrigation works to water individual landscape plants, containers • Less water loss to evaporation or runoff • Drip tubing is easy to hide under mulch

TRENDS IN LOW VOLUME DRIP IRRIGATION • Dripline p Irrigation g has ggrown consistently over the past ten years • Low Volume Landscape Irrigation using Point-Source emitters and inline dripline will continue to increase in the future • For ‘Sustainable Designs’ drip is required

• Sprinkler S i kl systems t are 50 tto 70 percentt efficient ffi i t • only as efficient as the design, schedule and maintenance • Drip irrigation 90 percent efficiency • many water utilities exempt landscapes irrigated with d i from drip f restrictions t i ti during d i ddrought. ht

DRIP IRRIGATION QUICK FACTS... • People p interested in water conservation will like dripp irrigation g • Odd-shaped and narrow areas are easily irrigated with drip systems • Drip irrigation stretches water supplies • May be exempt from water restrictions imposed during drought.. • Drip irrigation equipment is readily available and easily installed by do-ityourselfers o rselfers • Drip, or micro-irrigation, technology uses a network of plastic pipes to carry a low flow of water under low pressure to plants. • Water is applied more slowly and efficiently than with sprinkler irrigation

DRIP IRRIGATION •

Fl Flower bbeds d

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Foundations

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Lawns

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Use less water

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Less likely to be banned or restricted during droughts

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Conforms to any landscape

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Increases plant growth

COMMON IRRIGATION PROBLEMS

SAMPLE OF A LEAKY VALVE

AFTER VALVE WAS FIXED

EFFICIENCY IRRIGATION • Healthier pplant material • Less disease and plant loss • Shorter irrigation run times • Less water waste (wet areas are eliminated) • Lower irrigation water bills • Sites are easier to maintain • Use less fertilizer & pesticides • Makes you a better steward of the environment

WATER FOOTPRINT

Reduce Your Water Footprint and Save Landscapes…

RESOURCES • Aggie-Horticulture Aggie Horticulture • Texas SmartScape • Texas T Super S Stars St • Extension Office • Master Gardeners • Plant Societies • Local Nurseries

RESOURCES • • • • • • • • • • •

http://txsmartscape.com htt //t t http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ http://urbanlandscapeguide.tamu.edu/ http://www.trwd.com/prod/index.asp http://texaset.tamu.edu/ http://turf.tamu.edu/ http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/ http://irrigation.tamu.edu/ http://earthkindroses.tamu.edu/ http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/index.html http://dallas.tamu.edu/

For More Information Dotty Woodson Extension Program Specialist- Water Resources Texas AgriLife Extension 17360 Coit Road Dallas, Texas 75252 972 952 9688 972-952-9688 [email protected]