A save water/save energy project case study

1. A save water/save energy project case study Presented by: Mike Omeg, Agsys Northwest Jac le Roux, Irrinet

2. Design Concept • Replace aging flow meters with new meters that report flow to TDID office and the growers. • Add soil moisture sensing stations to improve irrigation scheduling and water management. • Send flow and soil moisture data via radio to an online web server. • Utilize data online for control of TDID water distribution and grower irrigation water management. • Save water and energy through better irrigation water management.

3. Measuring flow in ancient Egypt: High flow = High taxes

6. Let you know how your system is performing. Let you check on your irrigation crews. Allow you to report water use to NRCS for EQIP programs Help the District operate the supply system efficiently Flow meters

7. Lower cost Per unit Installation Universal to all pipe sizes: 2 to 10 inch. Reduces parts inventory and overhead. Few moving parts that are easily & cheaply replaced Remote display available Insertion Flow Meter

10. Flow Meter Display • Real time flow • Total flow • Alarms for flow

11. Radio Telemetry

12. Ground based radio system:

13. 2009: 126 stations 2010: 121 stations

15. Soil Moisture Probes • Monitor changes in soil moisture levels. • Allow growers to see effects of irrigation sets. • Let growers double check irrigation scheduling programs. • Not all are created equal. Some are much better than others! • Whatever you use you need to understand what the numbers mean. • Proper installation and placement is critical. Photo by M. Stewart

16. No soil moisture probe or flow meter can replace your own observations and experience

17. Scientific Irrigation scheduling

18. Implement technology toSave Water and Save Energy • On line irrigation scheduling • Neutron probe readings • Continuous logging TDR soil moisture sensors with telemetry • Calibration of TDR with neutron probe. • Flow meters with telemetry

20. Monitoring sites are carefully selected and soil profile inspected in detail

21. Assess moisture and texture

23. Block setup sheet

24. Water balance Modeling

25. Irrigation scheduling method • Water balance modeling using Et and CC • Et from weather station (automatic) • Site specific Crop coefficient are developed • Cross check actual water content with soil moisture probe and adjust model • Continuous logging probes show irrigation events very accurately

30. Cost of irrigation water: TDID • $ 80 per ac-ft for first 2 ft • $128 per ac-ft for next 6 inches (+6o%) • $144 per ac-ft for next 6 inches (+80%) • More than 3 ac-ft by special arrangement

31. Savings on the water bill • Take a 100 acre farm • 2 acre ft of water @ $80 = $160 x 100 ac = $16,000 • The next 0.5 ac-ft @ $128 = $ 64 x 100 ac = $ 6,400 • The next 0.5 ac-ft @ $144 = $ 72 x 100 ac = $ 7,200 • Reducing from 3ft to 2ft, saves $13,600 • SIS by Irrinet for this farm for the year $ 3,700

32. Is it worth it on a small farm ? • Now a 20 acre farm • 2 acre foot of water @ $80 = $160 x 20 ac = $ 3,200 • The next 0.5 ac-ft @ $128 = $ 64 x 20 ac = $ 1,280 • The next 0.5 ac-ft @ $144 = $ 72 x 20 ac = $ 1,440 • Reducing from 3ft to 2ft saves $ 2,720 • SIS by Irrinet for the year $ 1,760

33. How do we achieve the savings? • Not starting to irrigate too early • Optimizing volumes and intervals • Letting the profile dry down at the end of the season • Other savings include: • Reduced water bill • Reduced mowing • Reduced pruning • Reduced labor cost

34. www.probeschedule.com

35. User name and Password

36. Step 1/3 Input irrigation data

38. Step 2/3 Irrigation schedule

42. Irrigation schedule • View • Print • E-mail • Text message • Blackberry • Android • Alerts via e-mail or text

44. Step 3/3 View graphs

45. TDR Individual Sensors

47. NP Probe readings per depth trend

48. Dynamic maps

49. Dynamic map

50. District Manager’s Map