We all know how difficult it is to justify a renovated irrigation system, much less a new one! With different types of equipment, being manufactured today, any AD can achieve healthy, safe, aesthetically pleasing turf while saving water and MONEY!

This is the perfect time to attend an educational turfgrass and irrigation-related conference, which typically take place from October to March in every state. The Irrigation Association (www.irrigation.org) has an excellent educational program/ conference offered in November. Not only will various irrigation courses be taught, but the expo is a showplace for all new and innovative types of equipment.

Listed below are a few updated and efficient water-saving products and special features to look for:
• Pressure regulating valves and sprinklers. Reduce high pressures and eliminate misting from the sprinklers. Pressure is the number one biggest variable in an irrigation system.
• Adjustable arc sprinklers. Eliminate overspray on hardscapes and areas where irrigation is not needed.
• Drain check valves in sprinklers. Stops low-head drainage after sprinkler system has shut off. This is due to elevation change in the sprinkler pipes.
• Rubber covers and higher pop-ups on sprinklers. Safety first! Small exposed covers that are made out of durable rubber offer maximum protection during play on a field. With more and more water restrictions taking place, turf grasses are being mowed at a taller height. It is very important to make sure the sprinkler pops up high enough to shoot over the grass blades and there is no deflection.
• Battery operated controllers. When there is no electricity available, but water is near, irrigation systems can now be used with a simple, easy to operate battery-operated controller.
• Rain and other weather shut-off devices. When it is raining, the irrigation system should not be operating and these devices automatically shutoff the controller when the weather dictates it to.
• Remote controls for your automatic timer. Check irrigation heads and complete system with the ease of a remote control. This makes a job easy for one person instead of two!

Other system considerations could be:
• What type of pipe is currently installed? If it is old, possibly galvanized, the interior of the pipe has probably corroded and needs to be replaced.
• What is the main water source? Are there alternatives such as recycled, gray, new city tap and/ or a well with a pump?
• Is there enough pressure to run larger turf sprinklers? If not, check with a local irrigation distributor and they can help determine what size pump you might need.
• Is there a current as-built design of the existing field? If not, think about hiring a professional contractor or designer to help create a plan that shows where everything is located. If you are looking at a new system, make sure this is one requirement that is not overlooked by the contractor.
• With new systems, determine what areas on your fields are priorities for irrigation. Make sure the sprinklers are designed and installed within these specific areas, separately from the other locations. Then, if there are any water shortages, the critical areas can still be watered (middle of football field, etc).
• If you are unsure if your existing system is operating efficiently, check with local distributors for professional references of contractors who can conduct a water audit and show you hard data regarding uniformity and efficiency.

As we all know, water is our most valuable resource, and needs to be managed properly in order to enhance risk minimization and aesthetics. Take advantage of this season to become more educated on basic hydraulics, system components, installation techniques and overall irrigation maintenance techniques.