Author: David McKechnie

IrriGATION UPDATES

January 2014
David McKechnie Irrigation Agronomist 0411502045 Rex Sullings Irrigation Designer 0412434294

WATER ON TARGET ON TIME ™

Irrigation Talk
My Sprinklers Are Not Working !!!!
I will just check the filter......When Was the last time you checked it?
With the recent dryer conditions in Eastern NSW, more water is being pumped and were filters are located people have either forgotten to check them or clean them.
From the Domestic customer on water tanks (when it does rain), commercial building sites, sports fields (particularly those upgraded systems) and golf courses the
Even if they “automatic” all filters need maintenance and over time (approximately 5 years) 8mm tubes, pressure devices and valves either need replacing or cleaning.
Increasing the effective operation of your filter also includes the knowledge of your suction line placement and the variable water constitutes that the filter should remove and release into the water lines.

Email now for your free
TECHINCAL NOTE
SOIL TEXTURE and WATER HOLDING CAPACTITY
david@davidmckechnie.com

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Design Talk
What does an Irrigation Designer do?
An irrigation designer provides advice and support to sports turf managers in relation to irrigation. This may include the provision of a design for a complete irrigation system or may be simple advice on the selection of a sprinkler for a particular application.
A Certified Irrigation Designer (through the IAL) has the following proven competencies:
Site information
Water supply/source
Plans and specifications.
Controller selection
Hydraulics
Sprinkler selection
Pump sizing and selection
Sprinkler spacing/zoning
Soil/water/plant relationships
Scheduling
Precipitation/application rates
Electrical/wiring
Backflow prevention
Pipe/valve selection
Material take-off/plot plan
Topography
An experienced professional designer will have many other skills and knowledge which will help the sports turf manager be more effective and efficient.

Rex Sullings 0412434294

Rexsullings@bigpond.com david@davidmckechnie.com

CONTACT US TO FIX YOUR IRRIGATION WATER ISSUES

Filtration Basics

Filters are installed to remove particulate from the water that can interfere or prevent operation of other irrigation components.
Two terms I come across are often confused by practitioner are TSS (Totals Soluble Solids—TSoS) and TSS (Total Suspended Solids—TSuS).
Soluble Solids are those elements / nutrients DISOVLED or reacting within the water column. These are easily measured with a Electrical Conductivity Meter in dS/m and converted to ppm (parts per million) by a fudge factor (usually dS/m X 640 = ppm. But can range from 540 to 720).
Suspended solids are those particulates dispersed throughout the water column. They are measured by poring water though different densities of cotton wool type material, drying and weighing.
It is the suspended solids that screen, disc and media filters remove. Dissolved elements / molecules are screened by Reverse Osmosis systems with the Sodium ion being the hardest to remove.
A general recommendation for filtration sizing is 1/3 of the smallest orifice within the irrigation system.

Some Events in 2014
2—4 June IAL Conference QLD http://irrigationaustralia.com.au/
17th—24th August 2014 29th International Horticultural Congress—Including the 3rd International Symposium on turf management .http://www.ihc2014.org/symposium_29.html
TECHINCAL NOTES
McKechnie & Sullings—TECH NOTE—Soil Texture and Water Holding Capacity
(Email us for your FREE copies) Rexsullings@bigpond.com or david@davidmckechnie.com

Disclaimer All Information is provided is provided as is. It is up to the responsibility of the manager to interpret data appropriately