ATTRA Question of the Week

J.N.
Washington

Answer: I am pleased to provide you with information on wheel line irrigation operation and maintenance.

You may be interested in requesting a copy of The NCAT Guide to Efficient Irrigation, which is a 158-page take-to-the-field reference book, complete with guidelines for more than 30 common crops, 14 pages of conversions and formulas, and 44 diagrams and tables. The guide includes sections on water management and equipment maintenance, and should be helpful for planning irrigation events and maintaining equipment. You can call the ATTRA line at 800-346-9140 to request a copy.

Referenced below are several publications from Utah State University on wheel line operation and maintenance, which covers operation and irrigation sequencing and maintenance. The publication Sprinklers, Crop Water Use, and Irrigation Time (PDF/676KB) includes charts that will help you plan irrigation events considering pressure, flow rate, precipitation, sprinkler size, and irrigation duration.

Resources:

Hill, Robert W. 2000. Wheelmove Sprinkler Irrigation Operation and Management. (PDF) Utah State University Extension.

Hill, Robert W. and Kevin Heaton. 2001. Sprinklers, Crop Water Use, and Irrigation Time. (PDF) Utah State University Extension.

Beard, F. Richard, Robert W. Hill, and Boyd Kitchen. 2000. Maintenance of Wheelmove Irrigation Systems. (PDF) Utah State University Extension.