The Soil Is a Reservoir

            The purpose of watering is to replenish the soil reservoir, which makes water available for plants. This reservoir has a limited capacity based on soil type and root depth.

Weather Effects Landscapes

Landscapes need water at changing rates based on weather conditions. Water leaves plants and soil through evaporation.

Because weather has a direct effect on evaporation, changing weather condition have an effect on how often landscape watering is needed.

 

Evaporation Can Be Measured Based On Weather Conditions

            Landscape, golf and agricultural water managers have been using weather stations to measure the loss of soil moisture caused by evaporation for over 30 years.

            Evaportranspiration, or ET, is a measurement of water that evaporates into the air from the soil and the amount of water used (transpired) by a plant. ET is used to determine how much water must be returned to the soil, either by rain fall or by using a sprinkler system. ET is typically expressed in hundredths of inches of water per day. ET losses are calculated using meteorological data measured with a weather station. Weather parameters used to calculate ET include; solar energy, air temperature, wind speed, humidity. 

The Weather Based Water Management System

            The irrigation control system receives weather data from Accord Irrigation Technologies (AIT) weather stations. The weather data contains the most recent weather conditions.

The irrigation control system automates commercial and residential irrigation schedules using these real-time weather conditions to compute water loss, control how often your sprinkler controller waters your landscape and provides freeze and rain interrupts.

Applying the right amount of water at the right time promotes healthier landscapes and saves water.