Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Accuracy Of Round Meter Gates For On-Farm Deliveries, Daniel J. Howes, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Recent California legislation requires irrigation water agencies larger than 25,000 acres to measure volumetric water deliveries within specified levels of relative uncertainty. Although the meter gate is one of the most widely used flow measurement devices in California, little investigation has been conducted into the accuracy, limitations, and uncertainties of the rating tables developed over 60 years ago. A meter gate testing facility was constructed at the Cal Poly Irrigation Training and Research Center’s Water Resources Facility capable of testing gates up to 0.76 m (30 in.). The facility was constructed with gates oriented perpendicular to the supply channel flow …

Improving Flow Measurement Accuracy At Farm Delivery Gates In California, Charles M. Burt, Daniel J. Howes

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

ITRC, through a CSU ARI grant, constructed a meter gate testing facility and tested five gates of various sizes and designs. The gate testing was conducted by varying the multiple parameters including upstream and downstream head, supply channel velocity, gate opening, and head above the gate. Data was also collected at various locations on the downstream side of the gate. In total, ITRC staff collected over 10,000 points of data during this evaluation. Using the new rating tables for the three gates examined, the relative uncertainty is less than ±5 to ±7% at the 95% confidence level with the new …

Proposal For Extracting A Drip Irrigation System And Implementing A Micro-Sprinkler Irrigation System On A 30-Acre Almond Orchard, Nicolette Schiber

Agricultural Education and Communication

The purpose of this project was to develop a plan to remove a drip-irrigation system and implement a micro-sprinkler irrigation system into a 30-acre almond orchard located in Livingston, California. The reason for removing the drip-irrigation system and inserting a micro-irrigation system was due to the farm wanting to perform less labor when it comes to harvesting time but still conserve water. Through careful research certain choices were made in order to choose what equipment would be used in the new irrigation system. The data and research provided is based on the specific type of orchard and scale of the …

Drip Hydraulics Program, Garret Blocher

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This senior project report lays out the production of drip hydraulics software composed in Microsoft Excel and backed by coding in Visual Basic for Applications. The program performs 2 main functions useful in the design of irrigation systems. The first is based on performing single hose computations under three different circumstances. It can solve for the average emitter flow rate given the hose inlet pressure, the inlet pressure given the average emitter flow rate, and can model hose pressures and flow rates while flushing. The second function is to place a manifold in the hydraulically optimum location on a slope. …

Installation, Evaluation, And Modification Of Adcon Telemetry Systems, Caitlin Held

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Evapotranspiration From Natural Vegetation In The Central Valley Of California: Monthly Grass Reference-Based Vegetation Coefficients And The Dual Crop Coefficient Approach, Daniel J. Howes, Phyllis Fox, Paul H. Hutton

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Restoration activities in the Central Valley of California and elsewhere require accurate evapotranspiration information, which can then be used for a wide variety of surface and subsurface hydrologic evaluations. However, directly measuring evapotranspiration can be difficult or impossible depending on the evaluation’s time frame. Transferability of measured evapotranspiration in time and space is also necessary but typically requires a weather-based reference. For nonagricultural vegetation, there is at present time no standard reference, which makes the evaluation of a variety of vegetation types from different sources difficult and time-consuming. This paper examines several methods used to estimate evapotranspiration from native vegetation, …

Practical Guide For Metergates, Charles M. Burt, Daniel J. Howes

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This document contains brief instructions on the use of special round canal gates called “metergates” for flow measurement.

Center Pivot Sprinkler Distribution Uniformity Impacts On The Spatial Variability Of Evapotranspiration, Daniel Howes, Sean Ellenson, Lucas Hoffmann, Franklin Gaudi

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Understanding variable evapotranspiration (ET) throughout a field can help maximize yield on a per-acre basis, as well as assist with proper irrigation scheduling. The results from this study indicate that irrigation system distribution uniformity (DU) has a significant effect on the uniformity of ET during water-stressed periods. The study site involved intensely managed forage (alfalfa and winter grain hay) irrigated by center pivots being supplied with reclaimed water near Palmdale, California. During spring and early summer 2007 the center pivots were operating under deficit irrigation. In 2010, after the installation of reservoirs, water was applied to meet full evapotranspiration (ETc) …

Modernization Of The Walker River Irrigation District Water Gauges, Stuart Styles, Robert C. Bryan, Kenneth C. Spooner

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) and Walker River Irrigation District (WRID) collaborated on WRID’s Water Gauge Improvement Project with support from the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Department of Interior in Carson City, Nevada. This paper presents a summary of the proposed plan and implementation for improving water gauges in WRID with strategic engineering recommendations for new hardware and control equipment; water management strategies; flow measurement devices; and integration of a new district-wide SCADA system. Field investigations and engineering analyses were carried out by the ITRC in 2009 to inspect existing WRID infrastructure, to review current operational procedures, and …

Comparison And Cost Analysis Of Growing Hops In A Greenhouse Versus An Outside Environment, Preston Way

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Analysis For Updating An Irrigation Pumping Station With Variable Frequency Drives, Kirk Teixeira

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of San Luis Obispo Historic Precipitation Data And Calibration Of The Cal Poly Weather Station, Hilary Olsen

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Design And Construction Of A Solar Water Purification System Using Ultraviolet Radiation, Bryan Wilson

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Irrigation Drip System Design For A Vineyard, Riley Way

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Aquaponics Art, Alexander Horton

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

Aquaponics has enormous potential to change the way we farm. I wanted to connect more people to Cal Poly's first aquaponics club by creating a functioning aquaponics art installation that allows people to plant their own plants. This paper is catalog of the design process as a reflection of what this project hopes to accomplish.

Methane Production By A Packed-Bed Anaerobic Digester Fed Dairy Barn Flush Water, Sean Richard Thomson

Master's Theses

Packed-bed digesters are an alternative to covered lagoon digesters for methane production and anaerobic treatment of dilute wastewaters such as dairy barn flush water. The physical media of packed-beds retain biofilms, often allowing increased treatment rates. Previous studies have evaluated several types of media for digestion of dilute wastewaters, but cost and media fouling have setback commercial development. A major operational cost has been effluent recirculation pumping.

In the present effort, a novel approach to anaerobic digestion of flush dairy water was developed at pilot-scale: broken walnut shells were used as a low-cost packed-bed medium and effluent recirculation was replaced …

Winegrape Vineyards And Winery Operations: Energy Efficiency/ Sustainability And Expansion, Stuart Styles, Sierra Layous, Sarah Crable

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Southern California Edison (SCE) provides utility services to the greater southern California area. Vineyards and wineries exist throughout the region, and historical data suggests that that they largely do not utilize incentive programs offered by the utility.

As the first phase in a larger study, the Irrigation Training & Research Center (ITRC), located at the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, completed a characterization of the vineyard and winery sector as it pertains to energy and water usage in SCE’s service area, including the following major tasks:

1. Identification of vineyard and winery demographics in SCE’s service area.
2. Identification of …

Integrating Remote Sensing Of Evapotranspiration With Applied Water To Target Potential Water Conservation Projects In Watersheds, Daniel J. Howes, Stuart Styles

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The overall purpose of the project is to develop a methodology for watershed managers to successfully target and release recommendations to growers that could benefit from improved on-farm irrigation management. Initially it was thought that the methodology could rely on remote sensing of actual crop evapotranspiration, effective rainfall estimates, and water application information (pumped volumes and surface water deliveries) to simply evaluate if fields and farms that applied significantly more water than plants needed could be identified. However, it became clear that, in this region specifically, additional information on water quality, crop sensitivity to salinity, and an assumed good irrigation …

Evaluating Net Groundwater Use From Remotely Sensed Evapotranspiration And Water Delivery Information, Daniel J. Howes, Charles M. Burt, Lucas Hoffman

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

A detailed, comprehensive, and accurate identification of groundwater aquifer properties will likely never be fully achieved because of the high degree of variability and costs that testing involves. Furthermore, accurate estimates of boundary conditions are essential for groundwater modeling so that investigations of improved management scenarios can be conducted. The lack of key input values at the ground surface boundary limits the ability to accurately assess aquifer dynamics. Of major importance is actual evapotranspiration (water consumption or the loss of water to the atmosphere through transpiration and evaporation). The Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) modified remotely sensed satellite imagery …

Development Of A Public Education Website: Building Bridges Over Water, Angelina Mckee

Agricultural Education and Communication

Website created by Angelina McKee to educate the public about water resource issues. Water is the basic unit of life, water resources are the basis for what societies and ecosystems are founded upon. Water shortages and droughts are more prevalent in our ever-changing world. It is no shock that there are discrepancies between various stockholders on either sides of the dry riverbed. This senior project resulted in the development of a website that addresses global water resources, water use in California, water conservation, and water allocation. The website informs the public on water resources and related issues and will hopefully …

Micro-Irrigation Design For Avocado Orchard In California, Michael C. Meyer

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This project encompasses the design and recommendations for a micro-irrigation system on an avocado orchard owned by Underwood Family Farms in Somis, California. The main objective of this report is to improve the existing irrigation system’s efficiency and uniformity with the new design and recommendations. The analysis includes information about good irrigation practices, irrigation system design and all the processes herein. Although there are many opinions on growing, irrigating and maintaining an avocado orchard, all of the methods, procedures and suggestions must be based on accurate data to provide reliable information to the grower. Evaluating the irrigation system and suggesting …

Redesign And Evaluation Of The Irrigation System For The Cal Poly Radio Hill Avocado Grove, Rob Hillebrecht

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Design, Construction And Analysis Of An Ag Equipment Trailer, Connor Mckean

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Crop Dryer Recirculation And Heat Recuperation, Ross Ribeiro

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Evaluation, Installation, And Documentation Of Adcon Telemetry Stations Connected At Cal Poly, Shelsie Kloepper

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Design And Fabrication Of An Electric Aircraft Dolly, Kyler Zike

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Flap Gate Design And Implementations For Water Delivery Systems In California And Nevada, Kerilyn Ambrosini

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Pump Station Calculations And Irrigation System Evaluation For Trestle Vineyard, Linda Bushey

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Design, Testing, And Development Of An Internal Combustion Engine Throttle Controller, Michael Burlingame

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Design And Analysis Of The Brae Tractor Pull Tow Vehicle, Alexander R. Paulsen

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This senior project discusses the design and analysis of a towing vehicle for the tractor pulling team and the BRAE department. This report examines different types of existing hand operated towing vehicles and their strengths and weaknesses and how they can be modified to design a custom tow vehicle for the BRAE department. The purpose of this report was to make transporting and handling of the modified pulling tractors in the BRAE department safer for the operator and bystanders.