Improving Irrigation Efficiency is Key to Productive Farming

At Fiander Moor Dairy Farm in Mil-Lel, Mount Gambier, the longevity of their centre-pivot irrigation system became both a testament to reliability and a challenge for optimal performance. With a system in place for approximately 15 years, the aging sprinkler components were causing significant water and production losses. Recognising the importance of maintaining irrigation efficiency, Nelson Irrigation partnered with Water Dynamics Mt Gambier to conduct a performance review and upgrade.

While centre-pivot irrigators are some of the most trouble-free systems operating throughout Australia and globally, ageing of key components, such as sprinklers, can be the source of significant water and production losses over time.

Gradual degradation of the irrigation system, while often unseen, results in changes to optimum operating pressures, creating patterns of under and over-watering, application uniformity deterioration, and blockages. Crop yields are significantly affected and compound each year.

At the Fiander Moor Dairy Farm in Mil-Lel, Mount Gambier, a centre pivot fitted with Nelson Rotators had been in place for approximately 15 years with a sprinkler pack that had done upward of 15,000 hours of hard labour.

Running a Catch Can Test on the exiting sprinkler pack was the first step in identifying how the system’s performance was tracking and, given its age, the results were not too surprising, says Nelson Irrigation, which conducted a performance review and upgrade in partnership with the Mt Gambier branch of the national network of Water Dynamics, specialists in farm irrigation equipment supply and installation.

For the test, water depth measurements were captured every two metres along the pivot to calculate the distribution uniformity of the existing 15 year old sprinkler pack. The results showed a water distribution uniformity of 53% versus a target DU of 85%. This poor result revealing over and under watering along the pivot but mostly at the end of the pivot and since most of the area under a pivot is under the end spans, the effect on crop growth had a negative impact on production every season. After analysing all components of the irrigation system, it was concluded that the sprinkler pack was in need of replacement much earlier.

Fitting new Rotators saw a significant increase in water distribution uniformity

After the fitment of Nelson Irrigation 3030 series Rotators, the Catch Can Test was repeated. The results revealed an improvement in water depth for each catch can along the pivot that showed a 52% increase in water distribution uniformity. With pastures no longer experiencing a mix of over and under-watering, crop yield has returned to productive levels as well as saving water.

In all cases, the cost of sprinkler replacement is less than the financial losses from inefficient watering. As was the case for Fiander Moor Dairy Farm, many growers will make the money spent on the sprinkler upgrade back in less than the first year and immediately stop the losses for future seasons.

Rotator® The world’s premier pivot sprinkler

Featuring the widest throw on drops and highest uniformity in its class, the Rotator® was used due to its industry-leading performance, standing out as an elite solution designed to take pasture losses to the bare minimum. The 3030 model comes with an extensive list of benefits including:

• 3NV flushable nozzle that can also be used to turn sprinklers on and off.
• Dual nozzle clips allow for high and low flow rates, providing ideal watering during the germination and growing phase of crops.
• Good droplet size and high wind fighting ability for watering uniformity, which achieves a lower application rate, along with reduced runoff, wind drift and evaporative loss, all with fewer sprinklers required along the pivot.

Water Dynamics Mt Gambier Manager Sam Work says robust low-maintenance T-L pivot systems of the type installed at Fiander Moor Dairy Farm are among more than 1000 such low-maintenance systems operating throughout Australia.

But even the best pivot sprinkler systems – and all irrigation systems – work hard and are exposed to the elements. It is recommended that users (including pastoralists, horticulturalists, viticulturalists, farmers, and landholders) conduct a performance evaluation every four to five years to optimise system performance and feed yields, which were substantially improved in this instance.

Contact Water Dynamics today (https://waterdynamics.com.au/about/contact-us/) to discuss your advanced  irrigation requirements to productive farmin and how our products and services can assist you in optimising your water management system for a sustainable future.

Water Dynamics
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