Essential elements of high-performance surface irrigation
Tony Oakes, Rubicon WaterApril 9 2014
Surface Irrigation
DependantBenefits
Unimproved surface irrigation
Improved surface irrigation
On-farm Modernisation Alternatives
High-performance surface irrigation is achieving application efficiencies close to that of sprinkler and micro irrigation with considerably less investment and lower carbon foot print
System ApplicationEfficiency
Water applied (ML/ha)
Water savings (ML/ha)
Increase in energy use(MJ/ha)
Unimproved surface irrigation
55% 7.3 - 0
Sprinkler 90% 4.4 2.9 7300
Micro 95% 4.2 3.1 6300
High-performance surface irrigation
85% 4.7 2.6 0
Source: Khatri & Smith, University of Southern Queensland
Application Efficiency
UnderIrrigation
OverIrrigation
Cut-off PointApp
licat
ion
Effi
cien
cy
Varies for each irrigation
Time
50 – 70%
Unimproved surface irrigation
Application Efficiency
UnderIrrigation
OverIrrigation
Cut-off PointApp
licat
ion
Effi
cien
cy
Varies for each irrigation
Time
85 – 90%
50 – 70%
High-performance surface irrigation
Unimproved surface irrigation
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Unimproved Surface Irrigation
Example: low flow – 8 megs per day
Low Crop Water Use Efficiency
Multiple days of reduced productivity due to waterlogged
conditions
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Example: high flow – 20 to 22 megs per day
High Crop Water Use Efficiency
Full productive use of water. No evidence of waterlogged
conditions
High-performance surface irrigation
Key Message
Automation is an essential element of high-performance surface irrigation
Automation ensures on-farm development programs achieve increased application efficiencies
Integrated system of automation and crop management achieves increased productivity using less water
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FarmConnect® FarmConnect is a single platform to deliver the water saving for High-performance surface irrigation via:
control and automation (using iBee radios and Rubicon Actuation and valves),
irrigation system monitoring (pressure, flow, water level, remote pump)
auto detection for cut-off times (using FloodTech) and
sensing plant water demand for irrigation commencement (using soil moisture probes).
FarmConnect® GatewayFast, reliable communications
CellularNetwork
Web based viewing
FarmConnect server
Agronomic analysis
FarmConnect® Software
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FarmConnect® System
CellularNetwork
Internet PPPconnection
FarmConnect Server
Web based viewing
Agronomic analysis
FarmConnectGateway
Multi sensorprobes
BladeValveBayDrive
FarmConnect®
Scheduling and control software
Integrated solution to automate irrigation
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FarmConnect® Automation Farm Plan
FarmConnect® NodesIntegrated solution for remote wireless communicating using telemetry devices
FarmConnect Nodes provides a sensor and actuator interface to the FarmConnect ® system
Nodes self-mesh and self-manage to form a network with optimal data routing with 1 km (0.6 mile) range
GPS receiver provides real-time coordinate information for location-tagging of data
ZigBee International standard Open platform Utilised by Victorian Government for smart metering for
water, gas and energy
FarmConnect®Integrated solution to automate irrigation programs
Setup irrigation program select date and start
time select bay sequence determine bay
runtime auto calculate total
runtime for program
Visually displays bay sequence with bar chart
Spatially displays bay sequence with map
Dispatch program to each radio Program ready to
execute unless updatedEvent-based automation
FarmConnect®Integrated solution to monitor irrigation programs
Monitor irrigation program in progress See which bays have
completed irrigation identify current bay still
irrigating determine remaining
runtime for current bay
Visually displays bay outlet status: open (currently
irrigating) closed stopped (if not
completed)
FarmConnect®Integrated solution to manage devices
Manage each bay outlet remotely via mobile deveice: open closed Stopped
Displays bay outlet status
Displays current preset – instruction to open and closed at a certain time and date
Show status of preset: active or expired
BayDrive™Wireless control of bay outlets
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BayDrive™
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BayDrive™Bay outlet actuation system with furrow irrigation
BladeValve™Pipe & riser valve actuation system
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BladeValve™
Smart Meter Gateway
Giving the farmer access to operational data from their meter
Providing connectivity between TCC metering device and Rubicon’s FarmConnect on-farm control system
Full isolation from meter function
No impact on TCC operation (both local and host) or TCC communication system
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Smart Meter GatewayAccumulated flow rate is recorded per bay to: determine volume delivered per irrigation event determine volume delivered per season determine volume applied per crop variety
Link water applied to productivity levels: record productivity (kg or tn) per megalitre understand water use efficiency on the farm generate indexes for comparison within farm,
season to season or between farms
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Smart Meter GatewayFlow reading used by FarmConnect to achieve high irrigation application efficiencies Current flow rate Accumulated flow rate Determination of time to cut-off
Benchmark each irrigation event understanding volume applied per bay Accumulate multiple irrigation events for volume applied per season Generate indexes for comparison within farm, season to season or between farms
This is expressed as: irrigation water use index (IWUI) – irrigation only or gross production water use index (GPWUI) – all water use from irrigation, rain & soil
stored
Water order start and stop events used to sequence on-farm automation program
Irrigation Water Use Index For example with high-performance surface irrigation for maize (dry matter) for a dairy farm, the Irrigation Water Use Index (IWUI) was:
3.97 ton per megalitre– 27tn per hectare (dry matter – Maize) with 6.8megs per hectare
Compared to traditional surface irrigation for neighbouring dairy farms:
1.88 ton per megalitre– 16tn per hectare (dry matter – Maize) with 8.5megs per hectare
The capability of high-performance surface irrigation can double the production with the same volume of water and cropped area orProduce the same level of production with half the water and cropped area
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FloodTech™ Sensor – Bay Cut-Off The precise time to stop the flow onto the
bay from the bay outlet or riser valve is dynamic as seasonal changes in ground cover or a different soil moisture content changes the runtime
Delivers high-performance surface irrigation Adds science to the decision to determine
the time to shut the bay outlet to avoid tail water losses
Essential requirement to ensure High Flow achieves high water application efficiency
Backed up with alarms to notify operator if exceptions occur
Irrigation is completed without tail water losses incurred
Determination of time to cut-off
FloodTech sensorlocation
Bayoutlet
Cut-offpoint
Flow = Q
Waterfront
End ofbay
di
ds
Point ofFull Depth
tctbtat=0
TIME
Flow rate – measured at Smart Meter GatewayAdvance time and flow depths – measured by FloodTech sensors a location down the bayBay geometry – length, width, slopeSoil moisture deficit – from moisture probe or ET estimates
Application EfficiencyPossible efficiency range
UnderIrrigation
OverIrrigation
Cut-off Point
App
licat
ion
Effi
cien
cy
Varies for each irrigationTime
85 – 90%
Crop Water Use EfficiencyUnderstanding irrigation management is a key aspect to implementing Improved Surface Irrigation - the result is higher water use efficiency using less water to grow more crop.
delay the timing of the next irrigation without reducing crop productivity
allow consumptive use of available water at all levels of the root zone while extending the irrigation interval providing a soil profile with increased capacity to accept the next irrigation applied and reduce waterlogging
knowledge of the soil moisture deficit and confidence of knowing the number of days till next irrigation event without being to late or too early
FarmConnect®
Summed Graph daily water use rate irrigation effectiveness when to irrigate how much to irrigate establish upper & lower limits
Separate Layer Graph through drainage & infiltration rates where most root activity occurs soil moisture stress at each layer
Integrated solution to determine demand management
Irrigation Management Concepts
FarmConnect®
Prediction of next irrigation
A line extrapolated from the trend of current crop water use, estimating future soil moisture decline
The trend line automatically updates providing the latest trend
Determine when your next irrigation is due (when the trend line intersects the refill point)
Integrated solution to determine demand management
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FarmConnect®Integrated solution to determine demand management
Device list of soil moisture sites with prediction of next irrigation Fuel gauge to show range of soil moisture and current statusQuick view of soil moisture graphs on mobile device or tablet (iPhone or Android)
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FarmConnect®Integrated solution to determine effective rainfall in soil profile
Overlay rainfall events with the data from the soil moisture probe Analyse how effective rainfall was within the soil profile
Crop Water Use EfficiencyThe following case study highlights the transition from a current schedule to an actual schedule after suggestions were identified for improvement.
The result will be less number of irrigations, less volume of water applied and increased crop productivity
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Case Study - Historic Schedule
Soil moisture probe captures irrigation events and daily crop water use Records data for future interpretation
Case Study – Opportunities for improvement
Multiple days of reduced
productivity due to
waterlogged conditions
Case Study – Opportunities for improvement
Strong daily water use -
soil moisture is still available -
no stress evident at this
deficit
Case Study - Suggested Schedule
Delay irrigation and monitor that continued soil moisture is still available – watching for evidence of any reduction in
daily water use
Strong daily water use -
soil moisture is still available -
no stress evident at this
deficit
Delay irrigation compared to previous irrigations and monitor that continued soil moisture is still available – watching for evidence of any reduction in daily water use
Ensure that the next irrigation is not too early
Delay irrigation and monitor that continued soil moisture is still available – watching for evidence of any reduction in
daily water use
Strong daily water use -
soil moisture is still available -
no stress evident at this
deficit
Case Study - Suggested Schedule
Multiple days of reduced
productivity due to
waterlogged conditions
Delay irrigation compared to previous irrigations and monitor that continued soil moisture is still available – watching for evidence of any reduction in daily water use
Ensure that the next irrigation is not too early
Case Study - Actual Schedule
Confirmed the delay in the two Irrigations showed no
evidence of any reduction in daily water use
Since the recommendation date, the manager has delayed irrigations to maximise water use in the soil profile without stress or reduction in productivityThe crop has benefited with being able to harvest rainfall within the profile for productive water use
Rainfall event occurred and a
decision to further delay irrigation was
made with confidence
Advised the manager to delay Irrigation and
monitor that continued soil moisture is still
available – watching for evidence of any
reduction in daily water use
Longer irrigation intervalsShort irrigation
intervals
Changed practiceOriginal practice
Case Study - Actual Schedule
Since the recommendation date, the crop has accessed available moisture at lower depths within the soil profile compared to before recommendationThis maximises water use efficiency, reduces waterlogging as profile is fully utilised before refilling
Advised the manager to
delay Irrigation and monitor that
continued soil moisture is still
available – watching for
evidence of any reduction in daily
water use Original practice Changed practice
Benefits for Crop ManagementSoil moisture monitoring records events as they happen - in real time – and presents them in an understandable format
Predictive tool (pre-planning) Know the effectiveness of rainfall Estimations of yield Auditing of season performance Site specific measurement can be
integrated with spatial data from other precision ag technologies (imaging, surveying etc)
Learn how the crop responds in the ‘plant – soil – climate’ matrix
Aggregation of data (region-wide) can help agronomists understand district trends (influence on strategy)
Summary
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Automation is an essential element of High-Performance Surface Irrigation, ensuring the On-Farm development programs achieve increased application efficiencies by using an integrated system of Automation and Crop Management to achieve increased productivity using less water.
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Thank you