An irrigation audit measures how much water your system delivers and how evenly it distributes water. Most systems operate at 50-70% efficiency without auditing. A simple home audit takes 30-60 minutes and can identify problems wasting 20-40% of your water.
What is an irrigation audit and why do you need one?
An irrigation audit measures how much water your system delivers and how evenly it distributes water. Most systems operate at 50-70% efficiency without auditing. A simple home audit takes 30-60 minutes and can identify problems wasting 20-40% of your water.
How do you measure irrigation water usage?
Place 5-10 catch cups evenly across the zone. Run for exactly 15 minutes. Measure water depth in each cup. Average the readings. Variation between highest and lowest shows distribution uniformity. Below 70% means your system needs maintenance.
What is the precipitation rate and how do you calculate it?
Precipitation rate = average catch depth / run time. Standard spray heads: 1.5-2.0 inches/hour. Rotor heads: 0.3-0.7 inches/hour. Drip: 0.2-1.5 inches/hour. Compare to soil infiltration rates: sandy absorbs up to 2 inches/hour, clay as little as 0.25 inches/hour.
How do you improve irrigation efficiency after an audit?
If uniformity is below 70%, clean nozzles and filters, adjust head angles, raise or lower heads, and replace damaged components. If precipitation rate exceeds soil infiltration, split zones into shorter run times. Adjust controller schedule based on actual rates.
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