HOR 145 Irrigation Design and Components

Lecture Hours: 2
Lab Hours: 2
Credits: 3

Creates irrigation design, components, and installation for irrigation systems including agriculture, nursery and greenhouse, and commercial and residential. Applies site evaluation, valve and sprinkler selection, systems design, controllers and installation. Gains hands-on experience designing and installing different irrigation systems.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Understand the different types of irrigation systems, their purpose, and application
Identify the components used in different irrigation systems
Understand how plant-soil-water relationships, plant water requirements, and watering schedules impact irrigation design
Design an irrigation system using the proper sprinkler heads and patterns, correct pipe size, zoning and layout, and appropriate valve types, wire sizes, fittings, and controllers.
Explain industry standard installation methods for the different irrigation systems

Content Outline

Planning
- Factors in irrigation design development
- Factors specific to agricultural sites
- Factors specific to landscape sites
Irrigation water requirements
- Evapotranspiration
- Effect of irrigation system type on water consumption
- Design requirements
  - Estimating peak evapotranspiration
- Calculating annual irrigation water requirements
Distribution system components
- Pipe
- System isolation valves
- Thrust blocks
- Meters
- Backflow prevention devices
Sprinkler fundamentals
- Sprinkler heads and patterns
- Materials
- Landscape turf and golf sprinklers
- Agricultural sprinklers
  - Rotating head sprinklers
- Spray and spinner sprinklers
- Micro-irrigation
- Choosing the irrigation method and sprinkler
  - Area dimensions
  - Plant material
  - Placement relative to crop
  - Water quality
  - Water pressure
- Designing or installing sprinkler heads
  - Slope and elevation
  - Aspect
  - Wind
- Uniformity and efficiency
Micro-irrigation system fundamentals
- Definition and principles
- Elements of micro-irrigation
- Component selection
- Installation, operation, and maintenance
Irrigation systems
- Agricultural systems
  - Planning a sprinkler irrigation system
  - Stationary sprinkler irrigation systems
  - Continuously moving sprinkler irrigation systems
- Greenhouse and nursery irrigation systems
  - Greenhouse irrigation practices
    - Hand watering
    - Overhead irrigation
    - Micro-irrigation
  - Propagation irrigation systems
  - Irrigation of nursery crops
  - Irrigation system design considerations
    - Overhead systems
    - Micro-irrigation systems
  - Irrigation management strategies
    - Traditional irrigation practices
    - Cycled (cyclic) irrigation practices
- Residential and commercial irrigation systems
  - Water supply
  - Sprinkler layout
  - Sprinkler zoning
  - Control systems
  - Piping systems
  - Electrical systems
  - Micro-irrigation
Installation procedures, site requirements, and etiquette