BLOG: Recycling Content and More for Earth Day

by Jennifer Wemhoff, Groundwater Foundation

Recycling is good for the planet - and for content! I looked back at the Earth Day post I wrote 10 years ago on the Groundwater Blog, and found most of it still applies today (I updated some website links for everyone's convenience). Caring for our Earth and groundwater is a never-ending job, and it's one that all of us can do.

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Original post from Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Earth Day is next week (April 22). Plan to celebrate by taking these simple steps to help care for our planet:

This little light of mine…
Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. CFLs use 70-75% less energy than standard bulbs, and last for several years. You can also help save energy by turning off lights, computers, televisions, etc. when they are not in use. Get more information on the advantages of using CFLs.

Green it up!
Add some green to the planet by planting a tree. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that one acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen, which is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people. Learn more about the benefits of trees. Or plant a rain garden and help filter out contaminants from roofs and driveways. See how a rain garden can add beauty to your home and help prevent pollution.

Park the car
Leave the car at home! Carpool, take public transportation, walk, or ride your bike to work. Find information on ways to go green in your daily commute.

Attend an Earth Day celebration
Check local newspapers, television and radio stations for event announcements, or visit https://www.earthday.org/ to search for an event in your area.

Reduce, reuse, recycle
Try to go the entire day without throwing a single thing away (and don’t just postpone it until the next day). Use a reusable shopping bag for your grocery trip, use a tumbler instead of a disposable cup for your morning coffee, start a compost pile, and recycle plastic, aluminum, tin, steel, glass, paper, etc. Get more information about local recycling options.

Get outside and play
Enjoy all that nature has to offer! Take a walk, have a picnic, play a game, go fishing, take a hike – just get outside and interact with nature! Make sure to leave only your footprints behind.

Save a drop
Conserve water around your home. Install water-saving devices such as faucet aerators or low flow showerheads, upgrade to a low-flow toilet and water efficient appliances, and use drought-tolerant plants in your landscaping. Check out these easy water conservation tips or find out more about EPA’s WaterSense program.

Clean green
Switch to natural cleaning products. Skip the harsh chemical cleaners and opt for plant-based, natural cleansers. Find a cleaner buying guide. Or make your own cleaning products with simple ingredients like vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda.

Tell a friend
Tell someone how they can help protect the planet! Share the tips above and get involved in local environmental protection efforts.

Support The Groundwater Foundation
Help support The Groundwater Foundation’s mission of educating the public to care about and for groundwater by:

• Becoming a Groundwater Foundation member
• Making a donation or supporting a specific program 
• Purchasing one of the Foundation’s educational products 

How do you plan to celebrate Earth Day? What steps have you taken in your daily life to help protect the planet?

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Level Up Your Sustainability in the Shower}

Last week, Frannie challenged you to take shorter showers: only 5 minutes, in fact.  But did you know that there are many other ways you can up your sustainability game just in your shower or bathtub? 

Here are a few unique ways you might not know about:

1. No one likes to step foot in a cold shower. While you wait for the water to get hot, put a bucket under the faucet or showerhead.  Instead of letting that water run down the drain, you can use it to water your garden or household plants!

2. Consider replacing an old showerhead with a WaterSense showerhead. The WaterSense label means that the showerhead uses 20% less water per minute than a standard showerhead but is just as comfortable and works just as well at washing you off. 

3. Stop the clock! No, don’t literally stop the clock, but consider turning the shower off when you’re lathering up or waiting for the recommended amount of time on your conditioner bottle. Think of this as the next level of turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth.

4. Reuse the captured water from the beginning of your shower or plug the sink and gather a small amount in the bottom to rinse off your razor. By using a small amount of water instead of running water, you can shave gallons off your monthly water bill (excuse the pun).

5. Replace some of your bath products with natural or biodegradable substitutes. Not only will you feel good about taking steps to protect your water quality, but many popular organic and biodegradable soaps and shampoos contain aloe or coconut oil to leave your skin feeling soft and clean.


Frannie wants you to try to level up this week by using one or more of these tips. Let her know how the challenge is going on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!

Good luck!

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {5 Minute Shower Challenge}

Frannie knows how important it is to save water every day, so she limits herself to a 5 minute shower. A quick shower uses 20-30 fewer gallons of water than taking a bath or a 10 minute shower!

Frannie wants YOU to take the 5 Minute Shower Challenge. It's easy! Just follow these directions:

• Take a timer and set it for 5 minutes. 
• Make sure you are finished with your shower when the timer goes off. 
• Use the 30by30 mobile application, available on Android and iOS platforms, or start a journal to track how much water you have saved!
• Challenge your family members to do the same. Encourage your family to use the 30by30 app to track how much water your entire family has saved!
• Share the results of your 5 minute challenge with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We'd love to see how much water you've saved! 

BLOG: 5 Ways Green Sites Protect Groundwater

By Jennifer Wemhoff, The Groundwater Foundation

Groundwater Guardian Green Sites is a program of the Groundwater Foundation that recognizes the groundwater stewardship of green spaces. Green Sites like golf courses, parks, educational and office campuses, nature centers, and more implement groundwater-friendly practices as part of their regular site maintenance. To participate, site managers fill out an application that documents their site’s practices related to water use, chemical use, potential contaminant management, and more, earning points for each practice. Here are 5 ways the protect groundwater:

1. Green Sites manage their site with groundwater in mind. The Green Site program prompts site managers to look internally at their practices and examine them through the lens of groundwater protection. The application makes them think and ask questions about how they operate, and look at ways they can improve their practices to protect groundwater and related natural resources. 

2. Green Sites look for ways to reduce their chemical use. Site managers earn points for finding ways to reduce their site’s chemical use – from implementing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices to soil testing to determine nutrient needs. Green Sites have reduced fertilizer use by nearly 1 million pounds by analyzing the soil’s nutrient needs and using lower input plants, and reduced pesticide use by about 35% by using label recommended application rates and IPM.

3. Green Sites save water whenever they can. By utilizing precision watering and irrigation techniques, along with common sense practices, Green Sites use less water and still maintain healthy turf. In fact, participating Green Sites have saved nearly 500 million gallons of water by tracking their site’s water usage, modifying irrigation practices when necessary, and choosing plants and turf species that are adapted to the region’s climate. Some sites even use recycled wastewater for watering landscapes.

4. Green Sites are environmental stewards. Site managers that participate in the Green Site program actively look for ways to protect the environment beyond water resources. They implement recycling programs, install energy-efficient lighting, expand wildlife habitat, use native plants in landscaping, and more.

5. Green Sites educate site staff and the community. As an organization that focuses on education, it was imperative to the Groundwater Foundation to build continuing education into the Green Site program. Site managers document their internal education efforts for site staff, as well as public outreach efforts such as tours, work with students, and community events.

To find out more about the Green Site program and how you can get involved, visit www.groundwater.org/greensites, email guardian@groundwater.org, or call 402-434-2740.

Protect Groundwater by Maintaining Your Septic System

by Jennifer Wemhoff, the Groundwater Foundation

With proper construction and maintenance, septic systems can be an effective way of treating wastewater for homeowners not connected to a centralized wastewater treatment system. But it's up to the homeowner to take care of the system and ensure it's not negatively impacting groundwater.

Regular Inspections. Your septic system should be inspected annually to ensure that it's working properly and if the tank needs to be pumped. Having your system inspected and pumped regularly can help you avoid the high cost of septic system failure. Find a professional septic system contractor. An inspection will locate the system, uncover the manhole and inspection ports, check connections, measure the scum and sludge layers, and check the tank and drainfield.

Keep Records. It's important to keep records of all permits, inspections, pumpings, repairs, and other maintenance. It's also a good idea to keep a sketch of where your system is located. Having this information is handy for service providers.

Protect the Drainfield. The septic system's drainfield is delicate, and needs to be protected. Don't plant anything but grass over the drainfield. Roots from shrubs and trees can cause damage. Also, don't drive, park, or operate heavy machinery over any part of the system, and don't build anything on top of the drainfield. Grass is the best cover for a drainfield.

Be Careful What You Flush. What you put into your septic system greatly affects its ability to do its job. Your septic system contains living organisms that digest and treat waste. Septic systems are not designed to be a garbage can. In the kitchen, don't put food scraps, coffee grinds, grease, cooking oils, or other food items down the drain. In the bathroom, never flush plastics, paper towels, facial tissues, tampons, sanitary napkins, cigarette butts, dental floss, disposable diapers, condoms, medications, or kitty litter in the toilet. The only things that should be flushed down the toilet are wastewater and toilet paper.

Conserve Water. Water conservation is a very important part of septic system maintenance. Continual saturation of the drainfield's soil can affect its ability to remove contaminants from wastewater. Look for and fix leaky fixtures and toilets, only wash full loads in the dish and clothes washers, and take short showers.

Find out more about how you can protect groundwater through septic system maintenance here, here, and here.

BLOG: 4 Simple Ways to Start Saving Water At Home Today

by Sally Phillips, Freelance Writer

Water is a necessity for life. Our survival depends on the availability of water and our consideration of its usage - a factor that often slip our minds. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that the average American family of four uses roughly 300 gallons of water a day, 70 percent of which is used indoors. Many of our daily tasks involve water; showering, cooking, gardening even ironing (steam irons). Growing concern over water usage has spurred interest in ways we can be  more efficient with our usage. Businesses and industries including agriculture and aquaculture are seeking ways to conserve water. But how can we save water at home?  Check out these simple ways you can implement at home to get behind the conserve water movement.

Practice Efficiency With Your Faucets
One of the simplest things we often do that leads to water wastage: leave our taps running. Leaving the water on while brushing our teeth or washing our dishes, or even just neglecting to fully turn off the tap can waste liters of water each year. When using your taps, get into the habit of just switching them on when needed. For example, keep the tap switched off while you brush your teeth and only turn it on to rinse. Switching the water off can save valuable water and dramatically decrease your water bills. Don’t hesitate to fix leaks and faulty fixtures, such as toilets. Leaky toilets can waste up to 20 liters of water each year.

Get Behind Re-purposing
There are some great innovative, yet simple, ways you can reuse water in your home. Simple tricks around the house such as installing a shower bucket and capturing and reusing your pasta water and water used to rinse fruits and vegetables can help reduce your water use and ensures maximum efficiency of the water you do end up using. A great idea for re-purposing and reusing water is to install a grey water recycling system which is typically connected to your home’s plumbing system and can save as much as 35 percent of the water that would otherwise be returned to the sewers.

Time Your Showers
A 10 minute shower uses an average of 25 liters of water while a bath can use between 35-50 liters each time. Turning off the shower while you lather up can save you hundreds each year in water costs. If you tend to lose track while showering, try setting a timer to keep you from losing track of time. The installation of a low-flow showerhead in your shower costs just a few dollars but can turn out to be one of the most effective tips for going green in your residence.

Upgrade Your Appliances
Regular daily-use appliances such as your washing machines and dishwashers are often major determinants of your household water usage. However, with the progression of technology and support of sustainability, there are now a magnitude of more efficient appliances available. When using, only run full loads of laundry or dishes or if you generally have smaller loads, consider installing a smaller model, certified by Energy Star. Opting for an Energy Star washer and dryer can save a household up to $370 over its lifetime. Energy efficient washers can use up to 33 percent less water than standard models.

When you are conserving water, you are not only conserving the Earth’s resources but also reducing your energy usage and in turn, your household bills. By using these simple water saving techniques around your home, you can see the result from the very first month. The future of the planet and your pockets will thank you.
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Sally Phillips is a freelance writer with many years experience writing across many different areas. She enjoys reading, hiking, spending time with her family, and traveling as much as possible.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent the view of The Groundwater Foundation, its board of directors, or individual members.

BLOG: Smart Irrigation Month

A typical morning routine involves a shower, cup of water, and the flow of a faucet. We often don't think twice about our water usage until we’re confronted with water shortages or contamination. Only 2.5% of the water on earth is fresh. As a result, we must actively protect this precious resource. A considerable portion of our country’s drinkable water going to our plants. July is Smart Irrigation Month - a public awareness campaign to promote efficient water use. July is traditionally the month of peak demand for outdoor water use, the campaign highlights simple practices and innovative technologies to:

• Make maintaining green spaces easy and convenient.
• Minimize overwatering while keeping lawns, gardens and landscapes beautiful and healthy.
• Save money on utility bills.
• Help protect community water supplies for today and the future.

Property owners and managers often overwater, unintentionally wasting money every time they take out the hose or turn on the sprinklers. For those of us who do irrigate our lawns, plants, gardens, and landscapes, we can follow these simple steps to become more efficient: only irrigate when we need to, turn off our irrigation systems when it is raining, and make sure the water is not hitting and or running off on to our sidewalks and streets.

For assistance or additional advice, call in a professional to help. Resources like www.irrigation.org and www.epa.gov/watersense are good places to find someone qualified to save water, while helping our landscapes. A landscape professional can help to:

• Plant and maintain low water landscapes that will thrive in their climate and site conditions.
• Install new irrigation systems that use real-time weather data and soil moisture sensors to automatically adjust watering to meet plant needs.
• Use low volume microirrigation to precisely apply very small amounts of water to gardens, trees and shrubs, minimizing evaporation and waste.
• Retrofit existing systems with rain sensors that prevent watering in rainy weather.
• Audit irrigation systems to make sure water is being using effectively and making necessary adjustments. 

These simple steps will save a substantial amount of water in the end. Our decision to efficiently irrigate our landscape will positively impact our lives and those of generations to come.

Smart Irrigation Month is an initiative of the Irrigation Association, a non-profit industry organization dedicated to promoting efficient irrigation. Visit www.smartirrigationmonth.org to learn more.

BLOG: Water Conscious Ways To Take Care Of Your Lawn

by Sally Phillips, Freelance Writer

About 30 percent of an average American family of four's 400 gallons of daily water use is devoted to outdoor uses. With the number of homeowners increasing, households will use more water for both indoor and outdoor uses, like irrigating gardens and lawns. Your lawn can be one of the most beautiful places in your home. However, lawns need special attention that includes regular watering, mowing, and replanting, depending on the season, occasion or your pets. Nevertheless, watering your lawn and ensuring it stays pretty throughout the season should not interfere with a commitment to groundwater conservation and protection. Below are three ways to remain water conscious while taking care of your lawn.

Install a functional hybrid irrigation system
A beautiful lawn is the reflection of all the hours, water, and care invested in it. Installing an irrigation system that runs on a schedule saves you the time and money to hire someone to take care of it. A functional sprinkler system affords you the luxury of watering your lawn while on vacation and a drip irrigation system conserves even more water than a sprinkler. Using the two together, such as sprinkles for the middle of the lawn and a subsurface drip system for your lawn edges ensures water efficiency. Ensure that all leaks are fixed and the system checked and tested regularly. Leaks also translate to wastage of water, increasing your utility bill and also results in a waterlogged lawn.

Adjust your watering schedule
During midday and hot summer afternoons, the water evaporation rate is higher due to the temperature increase. Temperature affects a soil’s ability to absorb and retain moisture, which in turn requires more water to be applied to your lawn. Change your watering schedule to early in the morning when the grass is still dewy, as it is more likely to retain all the water. You can buy a programmable water timer for this specific purpose. Another amazing idea would include heavy watering your lawn often. Lawns watered in this way can survive up to seven days without a second session, cutting back on both the water and manpower.

Tailor your grass to your soil
If you are planting your grass for the first time, or are replanting it either due to damage from the winter season or a disease, then consider hiring a professional. There are different types of grass, and all of them demand various inputs to thrive. Planting the wrong type of grass can bring along lots of challenges, and even require expensive and harmful chemical treatments and a lot of water. For instance, St. Augustine, a warm season grass, requires watering every 3-6 days to grow beautifully. If your soil is not alkaline, then planting this type of grass soil will lead to wasted water, compared to a grass that naturally grows in your area.

Water conservation is a critical aspect of environmental conservation and this includes doing your best to maximize the available natural resources. Your lawn is also important as it is an area to relax, entertain and play. A creative way to avoid compromising on either is to harvest your rainwater for lawn irrigation. However, it is the small things that count, and avoiding water wastage in such small ways really makes a bigger difference.

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Sally Phillips is a freelance writer with many years experience across many different areas. She enjoys reading, hiking, spending time with her family, and traveling as much as possible. 

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the view of The Groundwater Foundation, its board of directors, or individual members.

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Rain Barrels}

If April showers bring May flowers, then what do May flowers bring?

June bugs!

All joking aside, it’s very hard to keep those beautiful May flowers alive and blooming through the hot and dry summer months. Frannie wants to share with you an easy, and even artistic, way to save and repurpose rain water this season.

Rain barrels are, broadly, any type of above-ground container that has been modified to collect and store rooftop runoff for non-drinking uses. During a heavy rain, gutters efficiently move the water away from the roof and out onto the ground below but all of the water can quickly over-saturate the soil. By collecting that water in a rain barrel instead, we can reduce the amount of water that evaporates or flows away.

Rain barrels can cost as little as $20 for a simple container installed by the homeowner or as much as $300 for a fancy set-up and you can be as creative with it as you like. Many people opt to paint the barrels with their favorite flowers or insects that help pollinate the gardens.

And in case you need another reason to start building your own rain barrel, the EPA suggests that the average home saves 1300 gallons of water over the course of the summer!

Save money and water this summer by installing a rain barrel and share your progress with us on Facebook and Twitter!

BLOG: 5 Ways to Save Water in Your Home

by Jennifer Wemhoff, The Groundwater Foundation

The average American uses about 100 gallons of water a day. For comparison's sake, the average person in the Netherlands uses only 27 gallons per day, and the average person in the African nation of Gambia uses only 1.17 gallons per day.

So how can we use less?

1. Take Shorter Showers
A quick shower uses 20-30 fewer gallons of water than a bath. Challenge yourself to take just showers of just 5 minutes or less, then challenge your family members to do the same. Use a shower timer to help keep the time down. 

2. Check the Plumbing
Proper maintenance is one of the most effective water savers. Faucet washers are inexpensive and take only a few minutes to replace. At home, check all water taps, hoses, and hose connections (even those that connect to dishwashers and washing machines) for leaks.

3. Don’t Let It Run
It’s simple really, before you turn on the tap, think of ways you can use less water to accomplish the same purpose. Always shut off the water when you brush your teeth, fill the sink when shaving instead of letting the water run, keep a pitcher of water in the fridge instead of running it til it gets cold.

4. Drip No More!
There is no such thing as a little drip. A leaky faucet can waste 10 gallons of water every day. On a toilet, an average leak can add up to 60 gallons per day! Replace worn sink washers or valve seals to get rid of the drip, and check for leaks in a toilet's tank or replace old toilets with low-flush units.

5. Fill It Up
Only run full loads in the dish and clothes washers. Get the most clean for the least amount of water!

For more ways to conserve water, download the free 30by30 water tracking app. Challenge yourself to reduce your water use, and tell us how you did.

It’s Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Food Waste Part 3: Upcycled Leftovers}

This is the third part of Frannie’s dive into reducing food waste at home.  Click to read the first and second parts.

Did you know that there are ways to reduce food waste and save water even after you’re done cooking and eating?

If you’re like Frannie, you know that variety is the spice of life. Eating the same thing for several meals each week can get a little boring.  Instead of letting all of those leftovers go to waste, consider freezing them for a few weeks or, depending on the item, up to a few months.

If you have so many leftovers that you can’t possibly eat them all before they good bad, consider donating them.  Even if your food is a little too old for food centers to take it, many farmers accept scrap donations for pig feed or to add to their own compost piles. To find a farm near you that does this, click here.

After your morning cup of coffee or afternoon tea, the used leaves and grounds can be added to your compost pile or simply scooped on top of your houseplants or garden.  If you use coffee pods, consider starting seedlings or small succulents in them instead of heading straight for the garbage bin.  You can find ideas for pod potters, along with other artsy ways to upcycle the pods, here.

 

And remember, the best way to really reduce food waste is to educate yourself and others about why it's an issue and what you can do about it.

Share with us some of your ways to reduce food and water waste after your meals on our Facebook, Twitter, or E-mail.  Happy Upcycling!

It’s Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Food Waste Part 2: Save and Reuse}

This is the second part of Frannie’s dive into reducing food waste at home.  To read the first part, click here.

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Do you like to cook? Frannie does!

There are ways to reduce food waste and save water even when you’re preparing food and cooking food.

To make sure our food is clean, we should wash our fruits and vegetables even if they come in a bag.  Before turning on the tap, put a bowl in sink to catch the dirty water.  When you are done washing your food, you can use the water on your houseplants or garden instead of letting it run down the sink.  You can also do this with the water you have used to boil fruits, vegetables, and eggs after, of course, you let it cool.

As pointed out last week, you can easily use vegetable peelings to start your own compost pile, but did you know you can also some vegetable food waste to make soup?  Save your carrot and celery ends and freeze them for up to six months and boil them in water to make a delicious vegetable broth.  You can also do this with vegetables that are beginning to get old by simply cutting away any bad parts and chopping them into large chunks.

Want a meat broth instead? Save bones and scraps leftover from your pork chops or chicken and add them to boiling water or the veggie broth.

When your bread goes stale, you can break it into pieces and make homemade croutons or breadcrumbs using recipes like this one.  If you want to try something a bit different, try these cornbread croutons!

Even cheese can be reused.  After cutting away the Parmesan rind, turn it into a nice cheesy broth for a Wisconsin Cheese soup or a creamy pasta sauce for your next Italian night.

Share with us some of your ways to reduce food and water waste while cooking on our Facebook, Twitter, or E-mail.  Bon appetite!

It's Water-Wise Wednesdays with Frannie the Fish! {Food Waste Part 1: Composting}

Food is an integral part of the water cycle.  Plants need water to grow.  Animals need plants to eat and water to drink.  The big trucks need water to keep their engines cool on the long interstate drives from the farm to the store to the table.  You even use water to clean and cook your food.

We know it’s important to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, but did you know you can do that with your food, too?

Food waste is the name for our leftovers after we’re done preparing, cooking, or eating our food.  In this mini-series, Frannie will look at different ways that we can reduce, reuse, and recycle food waste.

Composting is one of the easiest way to reuse food waste from fruits and vegetables.  It reduces the volume of trash we put into landfills while creating nutrient-rich soils we can use to grow beautiful, healthy plants.

It starts with a box. Or a bin. Or hole in the ground. Or even just a pile in the corner of your yard that is out of the way and people know not to step in.  Any way you have it, the important part of the pile is the worms and fungi and bugs, decomposers that will take whatever you put into your compost and turn it into the dirt you want at the end.

 

Once you have your compost pile or box or hole, you can start putting things in there.  But wait, you can’t put all of your food waste in the compost.  Only put plant-based items in your bin, such as nut shells, fruit and veggie peelings, grass clippings, and weeds.  Things you should not put in your compost include meat, dairy, oils, or fats because they might attract some pests you don’t want near your home.

Once you have added your first compostable materials, cover them with soil or some already completed compost.  This will kick-start the decomposing process by introducing the worms and microbes (little bacteria) to the fresh scraps.

Add a little water for moisture, turn or stir it once a week, and voila! Your composted soil should be completely done and ready to use in just a couple months! Of course you can always add to the top of the pile and scoop out the finished compost at the bottom to keep the process going.

Like Frannie said before, the finished product that comes out of a compost pile is a nutrient-rich soil that you can use to start new seedlings or spread on the top of your garden like a fertilizer.

Share pictures of your compost piles and gardens for a chance to be featured in an upcoming blog! Happy Gardening!

Save Water, Increase Yields with Close Spacing

by Jose Fontela, Senninger Irrigation

In the mid 80's Senninger worked with researchers at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research &

Close spacing combines bubbler sprinklers with
conservation tillage.

Extension Center to release the first Low Energy Precision Application (LEPA) sprinkler.  This technology was developed for center pivot irrigators in the western high plains of the United States who were affected by high energy costs and declining water availability due to dropping water tables or dwindling surface supplies. 

LEPA systems use low-pressure bubbler heads to deposit water directly into furrows just 8 to 18 inches above the ground. With the heads closer to the ground, the water avoids the hitting leaves, so it does not come in contact with plants and fruit susceptible to water borne diseases and nearly all of it is absorbed by the soil. In fact, researchers and growers have found that with these low pressure heads, at least 20 percent more water reaches the soil compared with conventional spray nozzles.

What began 30 years ago as LEPA has evolved into one of the most effective irrigation methods known today for center pivot systems ‒ close spacing. Close spacing has been a proven success in many dry regions across the US.  It is an irrigation method based off LEPA that is gaining ground in areas where water is regulated and people are increasingly concerned about diminishing natural resources. The reason why close spacing irrigation is gaining popularity among growers in America is simple ‒ growers are saving water, saving energy, and seeing increased yields. 

Furthermore, this high-performance technology works at low pressures, which makes it ideal for reducing energy and pumping costs, as well.  

A Closer Look

Close spacing combines the use of the same water-efficient LEPA bubbler heads with conservation tillage. Just as in those LEPA applications, close spacing heads are mounted 8 to 18 inches above the soil to combat wind-drift and prevent evaporation losses.  Both methods require nearly identical management practices and provide similar benefits.

The close spacing method, with 30 inches
between heads.

Close spacing started to take shape among North Texas growers who experimented with combining LEPA technology with conservation tillage, and began placing bubbler heads on every row.  In traditional LEPA systems, sprinklers are placed 60 inches apart to irrigate every other furrow.  The close spacing method, with 30 inches between heads, distributes water over most of the soil surface.  The crop residues left over from previous growing seasons helps prevent evaporation loss and run-off and holds the water until the soil is ready to soak it in.  As a result, close spacing technology achieves application efficiencies typically exceeding 95 percent.

Making It Work

Success with close spacing depends on three key factors: the right irrigation equipment, the right farming practices and the right field conditions. 

Senninger bubblers made for LEPA have proven to be the ideal sprinklers for getting the most out of close spacing irrigation.  They operate at low pressures ranging from 6 to 20 PSI, using less energy than conventional low-pressure sprinklers, and operate using fewer gallons per minute than conventional spray nozzles ‒ approximately 0.27 to 21.18 gpm. 

Bubbler sprinklers deposit water
directly into furrows, which avoids
wetting the foliage.

There are two types of bubbler sprinklers currently available.  One creates a narrow, aerated stream of bubbling water that resists high temperatures and strong winds. This sprinkler deposits water directly into furrows, which avoids wetting the foliage.  The other deflects water down in a wide, dome-shaped pattern that gently delivers the water without spraying, which is ideal for germination, low crop watering and sensitive soils that are prone to compaction.  Due to its less concentrated distribution pattern, it can be used on fields without furrows and on some rolling terrains.

Because close spacing sprinklers are mounted 8 to 18 inches above the ground, this method works better on relatively flat farms. The maximum recommended slope for fields considering close spacing is one percent. Circle planting allows bubblers to be centered in furrows, which is ideal for further controlling run-off.  It is used by growers who also want to prevent wetting the crop canopy when taking advantage of close spacing applications.

The versatility of bubbler sprinklers provides the opportunity to combine various components to suit different crop and soil needs.  Some growers, for example, combine conventional spray heads with bubble applications at various crop stages. Others alter the spacing on the first few spans, vary the sprinkler height off the ground, and even alter the application rate by irrigation cycle. 

For more information about close spacing and LEPA sprinklers, visit www.senninger.com.

Sources:

Close Spacing LEPA Bubblers. Application guide for 30-inch spacing with LDN LEPA components.

LEPA Irrigation for Drought Management. How to make pivot irrigation 95-98% efficient.

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About the Author: Jose Fontela is a Copywriter and Digital Marketing Coordinator for Senninger Irrigation, a Hunter Industries Company based in Clermont, Florida. He can be reached at jfontela@senninger.biz.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the view of The Groundwater Foundation, its board of directors, or individual members.

Get Smart - About Irrigation

by Jennifer Wemhoff, The Groundwater Foundation

July is Smart Irrigation Month. An initiative of the Irrigation Association, the campaign  
educates businesses, homeowners, growers/producers, and other water users about efficient water use.

Being smart about water use (taken from https://www.irrigation.org/Resources/Smart_Irrigation_Month/Consumer_Resources.aspx):

• Saves money on your utility bill.
• Nurtures green spaces that deliver real environmental benefits.
• Protects your community's water supply for generations to come.
• Minimizes needed investments in infrastrucuture to store and carry water, which must be paid for by property taxes or municipal bonds.

The Irrigation Association promotes a variety of other strategies to help users be efficient with outdoor watering:

• Plant right.
• Invest in an irrigation system.
• Water wisely.
• Maintain and upgrade your system.
• Work with an irrigation professional.

You can also check out some great resources at irrigation.education from Valmont Industries. It's a great online source for on-demand education about agricultural irrigation. Available 24/7, irrigation.education shares best practices and product advice for every application.

How are you being water smart this month? Post a comment here or on our Facebook page.

2016 "Be Waterwise" Poster Contest

By: Jessica Wheeler, The Groundwater Foundation

The Lincoln, Nebraska Groundwater Guardian team hosts an annual water conservation poster contest for fifth graders across the city. The first place winner's art will be featured on a StarTran bus board and the second place winner's artwork will be featured on billboards throughout Lincoln.

 First place - Aleena Nguyen, Pyrtle Elementary

Second place - Evyn Shafer, Lincoln Christian

Tied for third place - Alaina Nielsen, Morley Elementary

Tied for third place - Caleb Schwerdtfeger, St. John's

How does your community get involved with water conservation and protection? Join the Groundwater Guardian program, a nationwide network of over 70 communities working locally to raise groundwater awareness.