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This is the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) manual for CCAT rain water catchment drip irrigation system. Please refer to it and keep it up to date with any O&M changes.
Operation
The main components of the system are the storage tanks, valves, main line tubing, drip emitter tubing, and the fittings to connect the tubing.
Additional components to the system are the soil moisture sensors and mulch.
The following guidelines should be followed for optimal use of stored rainwater:
- Open valves to initiate water flow
- Ensure that watering events are timed appropriately (approximately 25 minutes per week)
- Irrigation activities which occur early in the day will minimize water loss by evapotranspiration
- Monitor moisture
- Read outputs from moisture meters in food forest soil to confirm need for watering.
Maintenance
To keep the system functioning efficiently, it is important to check the condition of the drip irrigation lines carefully. To conduct a thorough check for damage, the drip irrigation lines should be removed, visually inspected, and re-installed once every year. During this inspection, it is also important to ensure that emitters are free of debris and free of physical wear that would result in leaks. Finally, the position of the drip line should be maintained with anchoring pins. It should be kept out of walkways and other potential areas of foot traffic at CCAT. Any sharp bends or kinks in the drip line should be straightened out and pinned into place. To protect the line from the elements, it should be kept underneath mulch and/or soil.
Mulch should be reapplied at least once every year. Decomposition of the organic matter will yield less effective moisture retention. The depth of the mulch layer should range from 3 to 4 inches.
Soil moisture meters should be cleaned and stored when not in use. The meters’ locations in the food forest or elsewhere on CCAT grounds should be recorded to prevent equipment loss or damage.
For consistent water use plans, we recommend keeping a log of the amount of water used during each watering activity as well as the remaining tank capacity levels. This will help to inform the next watering event and allow for decisions to be made about the system for the next generation at CCAT.
Schedule
This is when to maintain what.
- Daily
- Check moisture meters to see if trees need water
- If soil is dry, open valves to drip irrigation and water for ---- minutes
- Weekly
- Water for eight minutes with drip irrigation
- Check valves and tubing for leaks or other damage
- Monthly
- Check condition of drip line and mulch
- Yearly
- Remove drip line for winter months and inspect for damages
- Reinstall drip line in the spring and reapply mulch
- Every __ years
- Replace drip line when needed
Instructions
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Suggestion |
|---|---|
| Emitter not delivering water | Emitter might be clogged due to small solids in the drip line. Check emitter and clean it with a needle to remove dirt or other precipitates. |
| Leakage in drip or main line | Main lines and drip lines can be damaged by mechanical means, wild life, and/or environment conditions. Damaged parts can be replaced by cutting the damaged portion and reconnect using a joiner/connector fitting. |
| Leakage in fittings | Fittings can be damaged by mechanical means, wild life, environment conditions as well as pipe expansion and frequent use. If the pipe expanded, that portion of the pipe can be cut, and the same fitting can be reused. If the fitting is too loose for the pipe diameter it can be adjusted by heating it. |
Suggestions for future changes
Prioritize trees which are most susceptible to water stress. High on the list should be juvenile trees. Large, mature shade trees and shrubs can be left alone unless the drought is severe and the trees begin to wilt, or the root systems have been recently disturbed.
Irrigate in morning hours, as less water loss occurs from evaporation and wind drift in the early morning hours because temperatures are cooler and there is less wind early in the day.
Analyze the type of soil in the food forest landscape, soil type largely determines how often it should be watered. Clay soils hold more water than sandier ones they can go longer between watering events than sandy soils.
Monitoring soil moisture, sensors need to be placed in the active root zone where water is applied and taken up and must be near trees representative of the whole irrigated area.
Apply mulch to inhibit weed growth, conserve soil moisture and moderate soil temperatures. Mulching minimizes water evaporation from the soil surface. Keep mulch 3 to 4 inches away from the trunk or stem of the plant to prevent rot. Keep zone around tree trunk weed free. Weeds can compete for water and nutrients.