Good irrigation design,
regular maintenance and
proper scheduling can save
at least 50% of our water
used for turfgrass
irrigation.
Efficient Water
Management
 Good irrigation design
 Proper installation
 Regular maintenance
 Proper scheduling
Turfgrass use not only determines water requirements, but frequently determines irrigation
schedules. On baseball fields and golf courses the use of the site interferes with irrigation
scheduling. For example, the use of this baseball facility during spring and summer
prevents proper irrigation scheduling. During peak use, the irrigation manager can not
apply more than 0.2 inch of water per application. If more water is applied the field would
be too wet to play on. Consequently, light, frequent applications of water are required
during peak use of the field. Such scheduling results in very shallow rooted turfgrasses.
Reducing water losses during periods of
water restrictions requires close monitoring
of soil roots zones and irrigation systems.
Irrigation should be scheduled during
periods of peak water availability and when
evaporation and drift are at a minimum. In
urban areas this usually requires irrigation
between midnight and 6:00 a.m. However,
on large turf areas such as golf courses and
commercial landscapes, as much as 10-12
hours are required to complete the irrigation
cycle.
Reducing Water Losses
 Schedule irrigation to meet grass
needs
 Reduce runoff
 Reduce leaching
 Reduce evaporation and drift
On sloping sites water runoff following irrigation and rainfall accounts for over
50% of the water applied. Frequent aerification on the sloping sites can
dramatically reduce water runoff. Also, watering intermittently for short periods
over an 8-10 hour period will reduce runoff.
Aerification equipment such as this Aeravator very effectively
increases the infiltration rate of the site and reduces water runoff.
Nighttime irrigation when evaporation
and drift are at a minimum can save
significant amounts of water. This
partially explains the requirement for
nighttime watering during periods of
restricted water availability. Repairing
irrigation leaks also save significant
amounts of water. In urban areas,
irrigation leaks result in as much as 50%
loss of water.
Other Irrigation Losses
(15 to 50%)
 Evaporation
 Wind drift offsite
 Irrigation leaks
Today, irrigation controllers can be set to water intermittently and can be
connected to weather stations through the internet to apply water based on ET
losses. Controllers can also be automatically shut off by significant rainfall.
Moisture sensors can also be used to control the application of water. Where such
devices are used, irrigation rates are reduced as much as 50%.
Bermudagrass Fairways - Houston
Inches of water
120
100
Rainfall and Irrigation
80
60
40
Irrigation
20
1986
1987
1988
1989
A case study involving these water saving practices on a Houston area golf course resulted
in reducing irrigation rates from 60 inches of water per year to 30 inches and improved
the quality and playability of the golf course.