Irrigation Subcommittee Meeting
May 8, 2009
Attendees: Ken Wolford, Shari Davis, Tom Watson, Bob Pleski.
Topic 1 After some discussion, it was decided that Bob Pleski will contact the Fresno State University, Center for Irrigation Technology to see if they will do a technical evaluation of the subcommittee's report dated 4/14/09. He is hoping to get CIT to do an in depth study of the added stress put on sprinkler piping when fast shut off versus slow shut off sprinkler heads are used. The question is, are the fast shutoff heads the primary source of water hammer that causes the breaks we are having in the lateral piping? It is hoped that we can get a qualified engineer to review the engineering analysis and either confirm or tell us why the analysis is faulty. This study would be valuable to all who refer to CIT as the ultimate authority on matters pertaining to golf course management.
Topic 2: We will defer reducing the pressure out of the pump station until we get new measurements of pressures during a full-watering cycle using the Dickson Pressure Data Logger that is on loan to us from Kevin Eppich, Toro salesman.
Topic 3: For the purpose of measuring the water distribution uniformity of the Toro sprinkler heads, now installed on fairway 15, on Thursday, May14, at 1:00 pm, Ed Lauchner, Bob Pleski, and another will do a layout of where the bowls are to be placed for the water collection to be done on May 15 at 11:00 am. Bob Pleski has checked with Jim Knight and we can temporarily relocate the tees forward on #15 while these tasks are being performed.
Topic 4: Ken brought a sample of 1-1/2" broken pipe for the purpose of failure analysis. This break is very abnormal because the piping is not Schedule 40. It is thinner than Schedule 40, it is pressure Class 200. Supposedly, we have no pipe in our system thinner than Schedule 40 pvc.
Ken will update the few breaks that have occurred since September 4, 2008. He will add a column to his report of Cost of Repair.
Topic 5; There should be no operational problems if we install sprinkler heads made by Toro into our system with Rainbird software and control stations.
Topic 6: Watering of greens. Ken has done a study and estimates that if we limit the water flow to less than 300 gpm, so we can use only the 30 hp pump that the watering time will take about 18 minutes total for each nine holes. The reason for this possible change is to attempt to reduce the air that gets into the piping when each pump is started up.
We visited the pump station and looked at the air-venting system that is built into the station and the air is intended to be vented by a half-inch air vent valve, as well as 1/4" and 3/8" vent lines at the motors.
Comments by Bob Pleski: The above vent lines seem undersized for the amount of air to be eliminated. We should have further discussion on this topic with Mark Hadkin, the service rep for the manufacturer, Flowtronics.