Drip Irrigation

Water Conservation
Dotty Woodson
Extension Program Specialist – Water Resources
Texas AgriLIFE Extension
Dallas Research and Extension
Urban Solutions Center
 Growth and Water
Texas

Population Growth Water Supply

Development Impacts
on the Water Cycle
40% 30%

10% 55%
50% 15%
 Development Impacts
on Water Quality

Fertilizer
Pesticides
Pathogens
Sediment
Toxic Contaminants
Increased Quantity Debris
Decreased Quality Thermal Stress
Greater Speed
 Projected Water Supply/Demand and Population
Region L - South Central Texas
1.4 5.0

4.5
1.2
4.0

1.0

Population (million)
3.5
Demand/Supply
(million ac-ft)

3.0
0.8
2.5
0.6
2.0

0.4 1.5

1.0
0.2
0.5

0.0 0.0
2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060

Demand Supply Population

Landscape Irrigation In Texas

• 3.5 million acres of maintained

turfgrass in Texas

• Single family households account

for 58% (or 2.03 million acres) of
maintained turfgrass
• Water Conservation is the easiest and les
expensive method to make our water use
sustainable.

• Texans use between 8 and 9 billion gallons

of water per day. The aquifers are
recharged at a rate of 4 to 5 billion gallons
per day.
 Control of Water Resources
• Stock tank: exempt
• Surface Water
– State Owned
– Permits issued by Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality
• Groundwater
– Rule of Capture
– Local Groundwater Conservation Districts
 3500

3000 Conservation

Conservation - irrigation
2500
Reuse
T h o u s a n d s o f a c re -fe e t

Groundwater
2000
Surface water

1500 Surface water - major

reservoirs
Conjunctive use

1000 Desalination

500

0
2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060
 Agriculture in Victoria County
• Average size of farms: 400 acres
• Average value of agricultural products sold per farm:
$22600
• Average value of crops sold per acre: $163.11
• The value of nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod:
4.41%
• The value of livestock, poultry, and their products: 51.97%
• Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms:
16.65%
• Irrigated harvested cropland: 2.93%
• Milk cows as a percentage of all cattle and calves: 0.07%
• Corn for grain: 30708 harvested acres
• Upland cotton: 11458 harvested acres
• Soybeans for beans: 12492 harvested acres
• Vegetables: 83 harvested acres
• Land in orchards: 648 acres
 Victoria Water
• Total withdrawal of fresh water for public supply:
10.27 millions of gallons per day

• Water Utilities: $5,480,000

• Sewage: $3,654,000
Read more: http://www.city-
data.com/city/Victoria-
Texas.html#ixzz0U12imjUO
 Victoria Water Production

• Primary source is 20,000 acre feet of surface water from

the Guadalupe River. Currently this is about two times
the amount of water that the City currently uses.

• Off-channel reservoirs holding 10,000 acre feet of water

• Lastly, the City of Victoria has retained the ability to use

10 of its 15 historic water wells for extreme emergencies
and for peak demand periods. These wells are drilled
into the Gulf Coast Aquifer and prior to 2001 they
supplied all of the water for the City’s residents.

• For more information call (361) 485-3381.

Water Treatment
Weather Report
Victoria, TX
 Evapotranspiration (ET)
• Evapotranspiration is
the combined loss of
water from the soil
and wet surfaces due
to evaporation and
plants due to
transpiration
• ET is an estimate of
potential planted-area
water demand in
inches
 Evapotranspiration
Victoria, TX

Evapotranspiration
J F M A M J J A S O N D Total

Victoria 2.3 2.8 4.2 5.7 6.3 6.7 6.9 6.7 5.4 4.4 2.9 2.3 57.02

Rainfall
Victoria 2.3 2.1 2.1 2.9 4.9 4.8 3.1 3.1 5.4 3.7 2.5 2.3 39.17

Resource: Http://texaset.tamu.edu
 Irrigation
• Farm/Ranch
– Crops
– Firewise Landscape
• Orchard
– Drip
• Landscape
– Drip
Furrow vs Subsurface Drip

Subsurface Drip irrigation as a Weed Management

Shrestha, J. P. Mitchell, W. T. Lanini
Journal of Sustainable Agriculture 31:91-112.
Pivot Irrigation
 Drip Irrigation
• Most Efficient Irrigation Method
• Is 90% efficient compared to 65% or less with
other systems
• Equipment is readily available and easy to
installed
• May be exempt from water restrictions
imposed during drought
• Reduces water loss due to evaporation
• Reduces runoff
• Reduces leaching of water and nutrients
below the root zone
• Saves Money
 Drip Irrigation

• Orchards
• Vineyards
• Greenhouse
• Vegetable Fields
• Flower Garden
• Shrub Areas
• Groundcover Areas
• Lawns
Types of Drip Irrigation
 Types of Drip Irrigation
• Soaker Hoses
– Easy to bend around shrubby
• 1/2 tubing
– Add emitters only where you want water
• Netafim
– Self flushing built-in emitters
• Micro Emitters
– Place where you want water
• Purple Pipe
– Non-potable water
 Drip Irrigation Pressure
• Minimum operating
pressure for a drip
system is 15 psi -
maximum is 25-30
psi
• Use pressure
regulator
 Water Source
• Well
– Pump
• Cistern
– Pump
• Municipal
• Water Pressure
Soaker Hose
Hose Caddy
Drip Irrigation Connections
Backflow Preventer
Drip Irrigation Connectors
Drip Irrigation Materials
Emitter Added to Line
Placement and Wetting Pattern
In-Line Emitters
Irrigation Valve
Timers
Irrigation Controllers
 Smart Controllers
• ET
• Soil Moisture
 Run Time
• Emitters
– Figure gallons per
hour
• Run for 30 minutes
• Test for depth and
spread
• Water 6 inches deep
 Irrigation Audit
Purpose:
• Check Irrigation Efficiency
• Create an Efficient Irrigation Schedule
• Identify Problems with Irrigation System
• Potential Water Savings
• Potential Dollar Savings
• Improved Water Distribution
• Increased Quality of Landscape
• Excellent Neighbor Relations
• Most Accurate Method to Determine Run Times
Converting Existing System
Micro Drip Irrigation
 Winter Maintenance
• If freeze is expected
– Disconnect from
faucet to drain
Rain Sensor
Subsurface Irrigation
 Soil Wetting Patterns
Downward, pulled by gravity
Outward and Upward, pulled by capillary action

CLAY LOAM SAND

 Irrigation BMPs
• Water only when required.
• Only judge water requirements in the morning.
• Water deeply to promote deep and healthy roots.
• One inch of water will generally penetrate the soil to a
depth of six inches.
• Water slowly for better absorption. Use drip or soaker
hoses wherever possible
• Never water on windy days
• Water late at night or early in the morning to reduce
wasteful evaporation
• Maintain a 2 to 4 inch mulch layer in flower,
groundcover, garden and shrub areas
• Water newly planted flowers, shrubs and trees
individually
• Water without creating runoff
• Check irrigation system monthly
• http://www.netafim-usa-landscape.com/
• www.digcorp.com
• http://www.rainbird.com/drip/index.htm
 Resources
• http://txsmartscape.com
• http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/
• http://urbanlandscapeguide.tamu.edu/
• http://www.trwd.com/prod/index.asp
• http://texaset.tamu.edu/
• http://turf.tamu.edu/
• http://rainwaterharvesting.tamu.edu/
• http://irrigation.tamu.edu/
• http://earthkindroses.tamu.edu/
• http://aggie-
horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/index.html
• http://dallas.tamu.edu/
For More Information
Dotty Woodson
Extension Program Specialist- Water Resources
Texas AgriLife Extension
17360 Coit Road
Dallas, Texas 75252
972-952-9688
D-woodson@tamu.edu