In our dry climate, landscaping soaks up more than HALF of the water used by single-family homes. You can save thousands of gallons a year by making simple adjustments to your irrigation controller. Use the Irrigation Setup Guide below to maximize absorption and minimize runoff.
Irrigation Setup Guide
The charts below were developed by landscaping professionals to properly combine all of the factors in an automatic irrigation system for our local climate. To use the charts, you will need to know the application rate of
your sprinkler heads. Either estimate using the guide at right or test your sprinkler system using the steps below.
Set 12 flat-bottom cans or coffee mugs in a grid pattern in the area covered by one irrigation station. Choose a station that is representative of the entire area irrigated with that type of sprinkler.
Turn on the irrigation station for 15 minutes.
Measure the depth of water in each can with a ruler and determine the average water depth in the cans.
Multiply this average depth by 4 to get the application rate of that station in inches per hour.
Select the proper chart below according to the watering needs of your plants.
Find the application rate closest to yours.
Read across the column to determine cycle duration (minutes per cycle), number of start times (cycles per day) and number of watering days for the month.
Sprinkler Head Application Rates
By Sprinkler Type
Cycle Duration – The number of minutes the water runs at each irrigation station. For spray heads, 2-5 minute cycles are typical; for rotary impact heads, cycles average 6-14 minutes.
Start Times – Use several short cycles on the same day to fill the soil reservoir (soil area containing roots) without runoff. Watering early in the morning minimizes evaporation.
Watering Days – Adjust the number of irrigation days per week to the season and type of plants. Also consider day length, wind, rain, temperature, and exposure to sun.
