Interactive Irrigation Tool for Simulating Smart Irrigation Technologies in Lawn Turf
This article has a reply.
VIEW THE REPLYThis article has a reply.
VIEW THE REPLYPublication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 9
Abstract
A simple model was developed to explore the effect of water saving technologies by simulating the soil water balance in a lawn turfgrass system based on site-specific soil characteristics, irrigation schedule, real-time weather data, and irrigation technology (i.e., time-based irrigation, time-based irrigation with rain sensor, time-based irrigation with soil water sensor, and evapotranspiration controller). The model has been integrated into an interactive tool for homeowners and landscape professionals to evaluate and improve irrigation scheduling. Model coding was tested by using two software programs and verified by using a field data set. Average absolute differences between measured and simulated irrigation and deep percolation by event were different among irrigation technologies, ranging from 0 to 0.46 and 0.19 to 2.03 cm, respectively. The model is available as an online tool through the Florida Automated Weather Network using Google technology. The free tool requires minimum user input, offers default values, and generates an updated e-mail by using the input data and real-time weather on a weekly basis.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
We thank the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF IFAS) Tropical Research and Education Center, Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association, Hunter Industries, Carlos Victoria, ValleyCrest, Tina Dispenza, Michael Guiterrez, Jie Fan, Rick Lusher, FAWN, Miami Dade County Water and Sewer.
References
Allen, R. G., Pereira, L. S., Raes, D., and Smith, M. (1998). “Crop evapotranspiration: Guidelines for computing crop requirements.”, FAO, Rome.
Beven, K., and Germann, P. (1982). “Macropores and water flow in soils.” Water Resour. Res., 18(5), 1311–1325.
Booltink, H. W. G., and Bouma, J. (1991). “Physical and morphological characterization of bypass flow in a well-saturated clay soil.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 55(5), 1249–1254.
Cardenas-Lailhacar, B., Dukes, M. D., and Miller, G. L. (2008). “Sensor-based automation of irrigation on bermuda grass during wet weather conditions.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng., 134(2), 120–128.
Cardenas-Lailhacar, B., Dukes, M. D., and Miller, G. L. (2010). “Sensor-based automation of irrigation on bermuda grass during dry weather conditions.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng., 136(3), 161–223.
Chow, V. T., Maidment, D. R., and Mays, L. W. (1988). Applied hydrology, McGraw Hill Higher Education, New York.
Davis, S. L., and Dukes, M. D. (2010). “Irrigation scheduling performance by evapotranspiration-based controllers.” Agric. Water Manage., 98(1), 19–28.
Davis, S. L., Dukes, M. D., Vyapari, S., and Miller, G. L. (2007). “Evaluation and demonstration of evapotranspiration-based irrigation controllers.” Proc., ASCE EWRI World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA.
Dobbs, N. A. (2012). “Irrigation application and nitrogen leaching from warm-season turfgrass using smart irrigation controllers and development of an interactive irrigation tool.” Master’s Thesis, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Doss, B. D., Ashley, D. A., and Bennett, O. L. (1960). “Effect of soil moisture regime on root distribution of warm season forage species.” Agron. J., 52(10), 569–572.
Dukes, M. D. (2012). “Water conservation potential of landscape irrigation smart controllers.” Trans. ASABE, 55(2), 563–569.
Dukes, M. D., Cardenas-Lailhacar, B., and Miller, G. L. (2008). “Evaluation of soil moisture-based on-demand irrigation controllers, phase I.” Final Project Rep. for Southwest Florida Water Management District, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Dept., Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 〈http://abe.ufl.edu/mdukes/pdf/publications/SMS/SMS-Phase-I-Final-Report8-5-08.pdf〉 (Jul. 12, 2011).
Dukes, M. D., and Haley, M. B. (2009). “Evaluation of soil moisture-based on-demand irrigation controllers, phase II.” Final Project Rep. for Southwest Florida Water Management District, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 〈http://abe.ufl.edu/mdukes/pdf/publications/SMS/SMS%20Phase%20II%20Final%20Report%2012-17-09.pdf〉 (Jun. 10, 2011).
Dukes, M. D., and Haman, D. (2002). “Residential irrigation system rainfall shutoff devices.”, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 〈http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae221〉 (Mar. 19, 2012).
Haley, M. B., and Dukes, M. D. (2007). “Evaluation of sensor based residential irrigation water application.”, ASABE, St. Joseph, MI.
Irrigation Association (IA). (2010). “Turf and landscape best management practices.” Irrigation Association, Falls Church, VA 〈http://www.irrigation.org/uploadedFiles/Resources/BMP_Revised_12-2010.pdf〉 (May 27, 2006).
Irrigation Association (IA). (2007). “Definition of a smart controller.” Irrigation Association, Falls Church, VA, 〈http://www.irrigation.org/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=405&libID=427〉 (Feb. 17, 2009).
Irrigation Association (IA). (2008). Smart water application technologies (SWAT), climatologically based controllers, eighth testing protocol, SWAT Committee, Falls Church, VA.
Irrigation Association (IA). (2011). “Smart water application technologies brings residential irrigation into the 21st century.” Irrigation Association, Falls Church, VA, 〈http://www.irrigation.org/SWAT/Background.aspx〉 (Mar. 2, 2011).
Jia, X., Dukes, M. D., and Jacobs, J. M. (2009). “Bahia grass crop coefficients from eddy correlation measurements in Central Florida.” Irrig. Sci., 28(1), 5–15.
Knisel, W. G., ed. (1980). “CREAMS: A field scale model for chemicals, runoff, and erosion from agricultural management systems.”, US Dept. of Agriculture, Washington, DC, 〈http://www.tifton.uga.edu/sewrl/Gleams/creams2.pdf〉 (Jun. 30, 2011).
Mayer, P. W., et al. (1999). Residential end uses of water, AWWA Research Foundation and American Water Works Association, Denver.
McCready, M. S., and Dukes, M. D. (2011). “Landscape irrigation scheduling efficiency and adequacy by various control technologies.” Agric. Water Manage., 98(4), 697–704.
McCready, M. S., Dukes, M. D., and Miller, G. L. (2009). “Water conservation potential of smart irrigation controllers on St. Augustine grass.” Agric. Water Manage., 96(11), 1623–1632.
Miami-Dade County. (2012). “Water restrictions.” 〈http://www.miamidade.gov/conservation/water_restrictions.asp〉 (Mar. 5, 2012).
Milesi, C., Running, S., Elvidge, C., Dietz, J., Tuttle, B., and Nemani, R. (2005). “Mapping and modeling the biogeochemical cycling of turf grasses in the United States.” Environ. Manage., 36(3), 426–438.
Nimmo, J. R. (2012). “Preferential flow occurs in unsaturated conditions.” Hydrol. Process., 26(5), 786–789.
Omoti, U., and Wild, A. (1979). “Use of fluorescent dyes to mark the pathways of solute movement through soils under leaching conditions, 2. Field experiments.” Soil Sci., 128(2), 93–104.
Peacock, C. H., and Dudeck, A. E. (1985). “Effect of irrigation interval on St. Augustine grass rooting.” Agron. J., 77(5), 813–815.
Quisenberry, V. L., and Phillips, R. E. (1976). “Percolation of surface-applied water in the field.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 40(4), 484–489.
Romero, C., and Dukes, M. D. (2011). “Net irrigation requirements for Florida turfgrass lawns: Part 3—Theoretical irrigation requirements.”, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 〈http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae482〉 (Sept. 20, 2011).
Shedd, M., Dukes, M. D., and Miller, G. L. (2007). “Evaluation of evapotranspiration and soil moisture-based irrigation control on turfgrass.” Proc., ASCE-EWRI World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, ASCE, Reston, VA.
Starr, J. L., DeRoo, H. C., Frink, C. R., and Parlange, J.-Y. (1978). “Leaching characteristics of a layered field soil.” Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 42(3), 386–391.
Stewart, E. H., and Mills, W. C. (1967). “Effect of depth to water table and plant density and water-table depth.” Trans. ASAE, 12(5), 646–647.
Trenholm, L. E., and Unruh, J. B. (2005). Florida lawn handbook, 3rd Ed., University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
USEPA. (2010). “Conserving water.” United States EPA, Washington, DC, 〈http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes/ConserveWater.htm〉 (Apr. 3, 2012).
White, R. E. (1985). “The influence of macropores on the transport of dissolved and suspended matter through soil.” Adv. Soil Sci., 3, 95–120.
Zotarelli, L., Dukes, M. D., and Morgan, K. T. (2010). “Interpretation of soil moisture content to determine soil field capacity and avoid over-irrigating sandy soils using soil moisture sensors.”, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Dept., Florida Cooperative Extension Service, IFAS, UF, 〈http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae460〉 (Jun. 17, 2011).
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 9 • September 2013
Pages: 747 - 754
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 19, 2012
Accepted: Mar 4, 2013
Published online: Mar 6, 2013
Discussion open until: Aug 6, 2013
Published in print: Sep 1, 2013
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.