Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Water Level Sensor Testing, Stuart Styles, Sarah Herman, Marcus Yasutake, Chuck Keezer

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The findings presented here are the continuation of a series of studies begun in 1998 by the Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo, California, on behalf of the Mid-Pacific Region of the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) to test water level sensors under a variety of hydraulic conditions. This report is intended as a supplement to the original 1999 report, entitled “Water Level Sensor and Datalogger Testing and Demonstration” (ITRC Report No. R-01010), which describes the testing processes in detail and presents detailed results for the first 17 sensors …

Canal Velocity Indexing At Colorado River Indian Tribes (Crit) Irrigation Project In Parker, Arizona Using The Sontek Argonaut Sl, Stuart W. Styles, Mark Niblack, Beau J. Freeman

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

An index velocity rating was developed for a SonTek/YSI Argonaut Side-Looking (SL) ultrasonic Doppler flow meter installed in the Main Canal of the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) Irrigation Project in Parker, Arizona. Velocity data collected concurrently with the ultrasonic flow meter and conventional current meter were compared using linear regression techniques. The rating equation for this installation provides a reasonably accurate means of computing discharge. This project was completed by the Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC), California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, working under a technical assistance contract for the Water Conservation Office, United States Bureau of …

Soil Salinity Accumulation In Orchards With Drip And Micro-Spray Irrigation In Arid Areas Of California, Charles M. Burt, Brett Isbell

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

A soil salinity accumulation study was conducted by ITRC during the summer of 2002 to examine the long-term impact of drip and micro irrigation on salinity build-up in orchards, focusing on the salinity concentration pattern across a soil profile. This study assessed the current level of salinity accumulation in orchards irrigated with drip/micro systems and provided information to support recommendations on the most effective and efficient leaching techniques.

There is a concern that soil salinity accumulation in orchards, which comprise large acreages in the Central Valley of California, will eventually require reclamation leaching. Not only would this consume large quantities …

Reclamation Leaching For Salinity Buildup Under Drip/Micro Irrigation Of Trees, Charles M. Burt, Brett Isbell

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

ITRC conducted a reclamation leaching experiment in a pistachio orchard in order to quantify the leaching water required to remove salts from the effective root zone of trees. This experiment tested a new reclamation leaching technique - multiple lines of low-flow drip tape were used to apply water to the area of salinity accumulation along a tree row.

Soil Salinity Accumalation In Orchards With Drip And Micro-Spray Irrigation In Arid Areas Of California, Charles M. Burt, Brett Isbell

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

A soil salinity accumulation study was conducted to examine the long-term impact of drip and micro irrigation on salinity build-up in orchards, focusing on the salinity concentration pattern across a soil profile. The study assessed the current level of salinity accumulation in orchards irrigated with drip/micro systems and provided information to support recommendations on the most effective and efficient leaching techniques.

Long-Term Salinity Buildup On Drip/Micro Irrigated Trees In California, Charles M. Burt, Brett Isbell, Lisa Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) of Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, hypothesized that there is salinity accumulation in the root zone of tree crops that have been irrigated with drip or micro-spray irrigation systems, located in arid and semi-arid regions. Therefore, a study was conducted by ITRC during the summer of 2002 to examine the long-term impact of drip and micro irrigation on salinity accumulation in orchards, focusing on the salinity concentration pattern across a soil profile. The project also provided information to support recommendations on the most effective and efficient leaching techniques.

During the …

Salinity Patterns: On Row Crops Under Subsurface Drip Irrigation (Sdi) On The Westside Of The San Joaquin Valley Of California, Charles M. Burt, Othman Al-Amoudi, Alejandro Paolini

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The objectives of this study were to identify if there was detrimental salinity buildup in the upper layers of soil caused by the usage of SDI on row crops, identify the extent of any detrimental salinity buildup, and identify successful and/or essential practices used by farmers who use SDI.

Underground Pipe Locating Demonstration At Arvin-Edison Water Storage District, Stuart Styles

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

A presentation/demonstration of some of the latest underground pipe locating equipment was conducted on August 13, 2003 at the Arvin-Edison Water Storage District. All the techniques shown were non-destructive pipe locating procedures that provide approximations to the depth and location of underground-buried pipe.

3 types of technology were shown at the demonstration:

1. Acoustic pipe locators
2. Leak detectors
3. Ground penetrating radar

Each form of technology has its own merits and advantages. Acoustic technology is effective in locating single, small diameter pipes with pressurized flow located within about 500-ft of the sound (sonde) units. Leak detection technology is more accurate in locating …

Gis Mapping For Irrigation District Rapid Appraisals, Daniel Howes, Charles M. Burt, Stuart W. Styles

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Geographic information system (GIS) mapping is slowly becoming commonplace in irrigation districts as the need for more accurate and organized data becomes increasingly important. The Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo commonly uses GIS as a tool in technical assistance packages for irrigation districts. One of the challenges in developing a strategic irrigation district modernization plan is to organize spatial data in such a way that various options can be easily understood. ITRC uses a combination of commercially available software with web-downloadable maps and photographs to organize and present the spatial information. …

Chemigation And Fertigation Basics For California, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Chemigation is the application of any chemical through an irrigation system. Examples of chemicals include insecticides, fungicides, fertilizers, water amendments, soil amendments, and compounds used to reduce plugging of drip emitters. Proper chemigation reduces energy consumption (less fertilizer, chemicals, and tractor travel) and improves crop quality and yields.

Fertigation accounts for the majority of chemigation. The sophistication of fertigation knowledge and practices is at about the same level as drip/microirrigation was in the mid-1970s. A lot of equipment and chemicals exist, and many farmers use fertigation, but only a relatively small percentage of those farmers are sophisticated users.

California Crop And Soil Evapotranspiration, Charles Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The goal of this publication is to provide water users, consultants, water agency personnel, and others throughout California with information that will: (a) help individual water users with irrigation scheduling and system design and (b) help agricultural water agency personnel with water balances and future planning.

The tables in this publication represent the consolidation of results from thousands of annual ET simulations that accounted for crop, rainfall (wet, dry, or “typical”), soil, and irrigation method in each of 13 major ETo zones in California. The annual simulations used daily water balances at the soil surface, crop canopy, and soil root …

Telog Pr-31 Water Level Tracker, Stuart W. Styles

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The Irrigation Training and Research Center, working under a technical service agreement with the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) Mid-Pacific Region, has undertaken a performance review of advanced electronic water level measurement technologies in irrigation applications. An example is the Telog PR-31 Level Tracker.

Itrc Weir Stick, Stuart W. Styles

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The Irrigation Training and Research Center, working under a technical service agreement with the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) Mid-Pacific Region, has developed a new weir rule for open-channel flow rate measurement.

Government Highline Canal – A Win-Win Solution, Charles M. Burt, Stuart W. Styles

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The Irrigation Training and Research Center, working under a technical service agreement with the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) Upper Colorado Region, Western Colorado Area Office, performed canal modernization on the Government Highline Canal in the form of automated canal structures, in-system storage, and new operational procedures that could significantly reduce operational spill.

Benchmarking Of Flexibility And Needs 2002: Survey Of Non-Federal Irrigation Districts (California Department Of Water Resources), Stuart W. Styles, Daniel Howes

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

ITRC interviewed irrigation district personnel from 17 agricultural districts throughout California. Data were analyzed to determine the degree of water delivery flexibility provided to farmers and the extent of existing and planned district modernization. This report did not include irrigation districts with long-term federal contracts.

Water Delivery Service As A Determinant Of Irrigation Project Performance, Stuart W. Styles, M. A. Marino

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Performance of an irrigation system is represented by its measured levels of achievement in terms of one or several parameters that are chosen as indicators of the system’s goals. The purpose of this paper is to utilize and refine a set of evaluation indicators that can be used to describe the irrigation performance for sixteen international irrigation projects in less-developed countries. The irrigation performance of many international irrigation projects in less-developed countries has been reported as poor. The cause of the poor irrigation performance has been blamed on technical, financial, managerial, social, and/or institutional causes. This study is specifically designed …

Electric Load Shifting In Irrigation Districts - California's Program, Charles M. Burt, Ricardo Amón, Darren Cordova

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

During the 2000-2001 winter, California experienced a severe imbalance in electricity supply and demand that resulted in blackouts and brownouts. The state legislature initiated a number of emergency programs, one of which (Senate Bill 5x) was targeted for irrigation districts. The primary goal of SB 5x is to reduce peak period electricity demand. The California Energy Commission (CEC), acting under authority of Section 5(b) of the legislation, developed the "Agricultural Peak Load Reduction Program". The program was announced on June 1, 2001, and Cal Poly ITRC administers the irrigation district portion of the program for CEC. During the first 9 …

Advances In Plc-Based Canal Automation, Charles M. Burt, Xianshu Piao

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

A short history of canal automation is given. PLC-based canal automation is relatively new. Advances in PLC-based canal automation are listed. Also listed are some of the remaining challenges. Recent advances have been made in understanding unsteady flow simulation procedures, the form of the control algorithms used, the tuning procedures for these control algorithms, and the field programming of the algorithms into PLCs. The experiences of the Cal Poly Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) in automating a variety of canals with upstream and downstream control are given.

Case Study: Installation Of Canal Control Structures On The Government Highline Canal, Ram Dhan Khalsa, Stuart W. Styles, Charles M. Burt, Bob Norman

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The Government Highline Canal Modernization Study was completed in April 2000 to evaluate options for reducing the flow rate requirement of the Government Highline Canal in order to increase the water supply in the “15-Mile Reach” of the Colorado River, thereby helping sustain habitat for fish species identified as endangered. The intent was to develop a design for which Colorado River diversions could be better matched to on-farm demands. It was determined that canal modernization, in the form of automated canal structures, in-system storage, and new operational procedures could significantly reduce operational spill. A systematic evaluation of the existing canal …

Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District Flow Monitoring Program, Dennis Perkins, Stuart W. Styles, Marcus Y. Yasutake

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

In 1996, the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), Mid-Pacific Region, Northern California Area Office began the Willows Flow Monitoring Program. The program objective was to monitor, in near real-time, 85% of the Sacramento River Diversions from Shasta Dam to Sacramento. Several site visits were conducted to the District and their diversion points along the Sacramento River by USBR and Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC) staff from California Polytechnic state University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo. One of the sites identified for flow monitoring was the Glen-Colusa Irrigation District (GCID) canal at the Stoney Creek Siphon. At question was …

Breaking The Technology Barriers Imposed By Cast-In Place Concrete Pipe In Irrigation Districts: Case Study Of South San Joaquin Irrigation District, Charles M. Burt, Michael B. Gilton, Kevin Johnson, Keith Crowe

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

South San Joaquin Irrigation District (SSJID) in Manteca, California, is beginning an ambitious modernization program to increase its water delivery flexibility. The district has over 200 miles of 30-60 inch cast-in-place (CIP) concrete pipeline that currently allow for little flexibility. SSJID will install four reinforced concrete interceptor pipelines and regulating reservoirs to redistribute water among the CIP pipelines and provide improved flexibility. The district's goal is to improve efficiency and encourage farmers with pressurized irrigation systems to shift from well water to surface water.

Modernizing Irrigational Facilities At Sutter Mutual Water Company: A Case Study, Frederick F. Schantz, Stuart W. Styles, Beau J. Freeman, Charles M. Burt, Doughlas Stevens

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

In 1999 Sutter Mutual Water Company (SMWC) began an effort to modernize its water-distribution system in an attempt to reduce operation and maintenance costs and conserve water and power resources. The primary technical support was provided by professionals from the Irrigation Training and Research Center (ITRC), California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), San Luis Obispo. Additional technical expertise was provided by Concepts in Controls of Visalia, California and Wilson Pumps of Woodland, California. This modernization project was partially funded by the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), Mid-Pacific Region, Northern Area Office, though a Field Services Program Grant and technical …

Closure To "Flap Gate Design For Automatic Upstream Canal Water Level Control", Charles M. Burt, Russdon Angold, Mike Lehmkuhl, Stuart Styles

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Evaporation From Irrigated Agricultural Land In California, Charles M. Burt, Andrew Mutziger, Daniel Howes, Kenneth H. Solomon

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Variable Frequency Drives And Scada — Are They Worthwhile Investments?, Charles M. Burt, Daniel J. Howes

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Managers and personnel from five California irrigation districs were interviewed to determine if installing variable frequency drives (VFDs) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems were worthwhile investments.

Infrared Inspection, Charles M. Burt, Daniel J. Howes

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Infrared thermography is the use of infrared radiation to qualitatively and quantitatively express heat signatures and heat differences. Infrared inspection can help identify weak connections in an electrical box, uneven heating of pump windings, overheating of bearings, and many other possibly devastating problems well before any failure occurs. The use of thermography as a preventative tool can increase system reliability and efficiency.

Basic Design Of Replogle Flumes, Charles M. Burt, Stuart W. Styles

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

To facilitate accurate flow measurement, this paper describes specific design and construction considerations applicable to Replogle flumes in irrigation applications. A design example is provided to illustrate these concepts.

Side Mounted Doppler Flow Meter For Canals, Stuart W. Styles

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The Irrigation Training and Research Center has undertaken a performance review of advanced electronic flow measurement technologies in irrigation applications. An example is the SonTek Argonaut Side-Looking (SL) Doppler Flow Meter.

Doppler Flow Meters For Turnouts, Stuart W. Styles

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Irrigation districts, farmers and other agricultural and environmental water users need reliable and low-cost flow meters with integrated dataloggers to measure water velocity and depth with a high level of precision. The Irrigation Training and Research Center has undertaken a performance review of advanced electronic flow measurement technologies in irrigation applications. Examples are the Unidata STARFLOW and the MACE AgriFlo Ultrasonic Doppler Meters.

Variable Frequency Drives - Planning Your System, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Many irrigation districts are installing Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) to increase their level of service to their customers and/or to reduce their energy consumption. This brochure is intended to help irrigation districts properly evaluate what type of VFD they need and how to install it.

However, not all VFDs are the same. The performance quality of a VFD will depend on the characteristics of the particular VFD, as well as how the VFD system is set up. Many times it is the seemingly small details that will have a large impact on performance in the long run. This brochure is …