 |
 |
Parks & Rec Business
| Water By Sheryl Billman Getting water where you want it when you need it is a challenge nearly everyone faces at some point. Time, energy, budget, weather, scale, and landscape materials are the foremost details to be considered when putting in a system of irrigation, or replacing/updating an existing one. The experience at Aggie’s Rest, the 83 acre farm that my husband Kevin and I are converting to an experiment in permaculture presents challenges in which there are some differences. These are being met in similar scales and in similar methods used in parks and playground settings, the main point of commonality is though, getting water where it is most needed. We all have the same challenges in having the proper vegetation in the right settings to reduce the amount of water that has to be used and the amount of equipment we use has to be the most efficient in keeping with all our constraints. We also have the problem of water being where we don’t want it! Aggie’s Rest is blessed with two existing poured in place underground cisterns (connected to the gutters on the roof of the house through downspouts) with the total holding capacity of four thousand gallons. This water is carried to a two thousand gallon elevated water tank by means of a submersible pump and several long hoses. This tank services our lower gardens using gravity fed pressure and from that tank, water is pumped into another two thousand gallon tank near the field, again, gravity fed to the main ‘market garden’. Currently, lengths of soaker hose which have to be rotated are watering the crops when rain isn’t giving enough coverage to the plants. The blessings of the cisterns—which would have been thousands in expenditures—plus the gifts of the water tanks (from our friends Virg and Nancy Williams) are huge savings and have really put us ahead of the game. The future could possibly include a timed (solar-powered) more regulated system (with less dragging of muddy hoses!) and more state of the art equipment requiring less intensive labor. The variety of crops (which will include trees, raspberries and other perennial crops in their more or less permanent locations, with pastures and animals being rotated to restore topsoil) that this land is most naturally suited to growing will determine our ultimate choice in future irrigation purchases. We have wetland areas, riparian zones, a creek, a pond, forest, grass, and meadows here. Studying how they all work together is also a factor in determining how best to manage this lovely place and how to get water from point A source of water, to point B, plant material. Another consideration that we have at Aggie’s Rest is top soil loss. Planting to retain water is also a consideration in the irrigation process. Here, we are planting trees and hand carrying water to them this first year they are in the ground. Their distance is too far for hose use. This intensive first few years establishing plant materials makes irrigation crucial to the landscape down the road and what choices will be made after this “crunch” is over and the plants are well established. We are planting clover extensively to help bring back soil quality and are adding much green manure/manure and other organic matter (straw, dry grass clippings) to put back what has washed away from conventional farming and many rain storms over the decades—for the more than a century that this place has been under cultivation. The quality of soils is very important in the irrigation process. Good drainage, and ground water health is encouraged with proper planting for soil type and micro climate for healthy plant growth. The healthier the plant, the more disease and drought resistant/ tolerant it is--grass, ornamental, or food! These are just some of the aspects that come into play when determining what gets planted, removed, replaced when beginning the irrigation plan and needs assessment. Another consideration that is becoming an important concern is the ‘green’ factor. More and more people are savvy about such things as sustainability and the idea that products should be environmentally friendly and non-toxic in their production process and that they are easily recycled or reused at the end of their intended purpose. That is of utmost importance here at the farm. We’re doing much research on all the things that we are looking at doing or buying with the focus that our monies should support what we are working to do here and with our lives. We listen, we learn, we apply. The Desert Blooms Having the most water-needing plants closest to the source of water is key and a point taught in Xeriscape® that was introduced (to me) through the Texas Agricultural Extension Agency’s Master Gardener’s program in El Paso. In the process of planning and planting, the most drought tolerant plants (native plants-cacti and desert vegetation) are placed furthest from the source of water, the plants with the highest water consumption are closest, and moderate consumption plants are, naturally, in between. This is a huge consideration in the desert with the low water tables, low levels in existing aquifers that are not being replenished as quickly as they are being used, and low annual rain fall. Native plant use was widely supported after only a few years of vocalizing the need for the conservation. They appeared in local nurseries and stores within 3 years of our (Master Gardeners’ and the Texas Extension Agency/AM Research Center) spreading the word in various talks and events around the community. Flooding was a problem during monsoon months (July and into August). Flooding is also the major way to irrigate in the desert. The Rio Grande was dammed at Elephant Butte and is basically a concrete canal by the time it reaches the farming valleys surrounding El Paso. This canal has irrigation ditches which divert water from the river controlled by gates which are raised and lowered to water farmland (usually laser-leveled to use every drop efficiently) and the lawns of the fortunate few who live near the river. Everyone else has to use some form of an irrigation system! Custom Fit Irrigation Providers The myriad of things to think about when irrigation comes up are being addressed by many different companies devoted to making quality products, for that is what sells, and keeps integrity across the board as well as satisfied customers! And, there are quite a few companies out there with amazing products. Some overlap in their products offered, but they each have specialties and a variety of uses. Tournesol, Rain Master, and Rain Bird directed information on their respective products specifically for Parks & Recreation applications. The wide range of sprinklers with pop up heads, heads that have variable adjusting range of motion for custom watering, root system delivery, and volume adjustment are just a few considerations. There are also drip and soaker systems for individual planting in containers or landscape areas where mulch is being used around individual plantings, for trees and shrubs that need help getting started, and permanent in place drips for established plots/areas. The companies focused on are, Rain Master, Tournesol, Rain Bird, Hunter, and Toro. Each offers many irrigations products with variances in the degrees of motion range of rotors, varying pressure allowances and applications of use. The determining factor in deciding upon which company to use would be contingent upon the products offered and the needs of the park or recreation center. The wide variety of products include: line emitters, drip line, drip tape, foggers, jets, sprinklers, impact sprinklers, injectors, valves, controllers, moisture monitoring, and filtration. There are controllers for the different systems by each company. Some are centrally located, some are manual, and some are battery powered. There are controllers that adjust for changes in the weather with the use of the internet and computers. Rain Master At Rain Master, a Smart Controller program with a website can conserve water in different conditions by monitoring the weather in a specific location. Rain Master also has a solar weather system for locations that are remote from the grid. Steve Springer with Rain Master did bring up a consideration which should be looked at regarding a local weather station: vandalism. Solar panels can be targets in remote areas. In these state of the art systems, the controllers calculate the plants’ ET (evaporation-transpiration) value and irrigate accordingly, individualizing and more efficiently micromanaging plant growth for ultimate conservation of water and resources. One such system is called “TWICE”: two wire communication exchange which is a two wire alternative to conventional wiring. This decoder provides both power and bi-directional communication between the controller, decoders and valves. The simplicity of the two wire field installation coupled with the enhanced cabality of RM’s E series controllers sets a new precedent for “Two Wire” control within the irrigation industry. Two-way communication decoders insure system integrity between the Twice module and irrigation valves. It is an integral part of the SentarII, Eagle or Eagle i controller. RM’s systems provide timed irrigation in turf grass using effluent water during off times usually 11pm through 5am so that the water is soaked in and dry before anyone makes contact with it. He also noted, “We put our systems together so that every microclimate has a micro manager. We focus on what is easily priced. We use common technology to manage and address all microclimates. Tournesol Chris Lyon at Tournesol relayed information about a container irrigation system that is unique in that the hanging baskets have a reservoir in the existing planter which decreases the time/cost of watering and a valve that helps monitor the level of water so that less maintenance is required. Tournesol’s line of irrigation products includes green roofs. This system provides many benefits to the environment including run off control, water savings, air quality, and insulation for the building with such a roof. Rain Bird Rain Bird Xeriation offers low volume drip irrigation products. These products are among the most efficient ways to water non-turf areas such as flowerbeds, ground cover, vegetable gardens, hanging baskets, and street medians. Rain Bird also features do-it-yourself, contractor-installed residential, agricultural, landscape and golf course irrigation products and services. Toro The TR 70XT Rotor allows for adjusting the degree of the trajectory of spray angles to compensate for windy days and dry areas. The X Flow® allows for a dry nozzle change with the turn of a screw. The Site Control Controller is based on Windows® operating system and eliminates layers of spread sheets with the simplicity of mouse point and click. Toro also offers a program to recycle used drip irrigation products: recycle.drip@toro.com. Hunter Hunter has a specialty item that promotes health shrubs and trees with the RZWS (Root Zone Watering System). This system delivers water deep below ground close to the root system of the plant that requires irrigation. It features a Hunter’s patented StrataRoot design which consists of internal baffles while maintaining the rigidity of the baffle. This makes it easier to install and can be used with bubblers or a drip system and is vandal resistant. Dial adjustable nozzles from twenty five to three hundred sixty degrees arcs which are ideal for ground cover areas and slopes requiring a low precipitation rate are available from Hunter. Happy Watering! There is a wide variety of good quality products and providers who truly care for the environment with conservation efforts for water, energy, and the wide variety of landscapes. The practices of using plant materials appropriate for climate, topography, and soil types works in harmony with water conservation so that more of our potable water is available for us to consume. Enjoy a nice glass of water while walking barefoot in the grass! |
All contents contained within this website may not be reproduced or disseminated without expressed written permission from the Publisher.