Full Description

Recently, interest in controlling turf irrigation has sparked the development of whole new concepts in soil moisture measurement. Some are refinements of the tensiometer and electrical resistance blocks while others are based on measurement of other soil properties affected by moisture. They all must deal with the inherently complex nature of soil and soil water. This paper discusses a project funded by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to explore the commercial efficacy of installing a soil moisture sensor in a selected location for each watering zone in a residential irrigation system; to associate the sensor with an adjustable electronic control module that will interrupt the watering zone valving operation in response to the sensor characterized degree of root zone wetness; and to accomplish this water saving with effective, dependable, and economic technology. Several sensors were evaluated on unit consistency, sensitivity to soil moisture changes, effects of fertilizer, price, and ease of installation, reading, use, and maintenance. Each of the 10 sensors selected were first tested in clay pots with both sandy loam and clay soils using both fresh water and fertilizer laden water. Those sensors that performed well in the pot tests were then tested in a field study to take into consideration root zone temperature. The results of both studies are provided, as are several examples and recommendations for future research for these sensors.

Product Details

Published: 01/01/1995 ISBN(s): 0898678315 Number of Pages: 11File Size: 1 file , 400 KB