Editor's Note:
This article discusses and shows the use of an old style shanking attachment that laid the dripperline into the ground while being pulled through the soil by a tractor. Netafim USA and Vermeer Manufacturing have a developed a much more effective way to install Netafim Techline CV and Techline with a cutting edge multi-blade vibratory plow that mounts on a Vermeer LM42. For more information, please visit http://www.netafimusa.com/partnerships/Vermeer/.
THE ISSUES BEING FACED
Visit sports parks throughout the United States and you are likely to see every field in play. This is definitely the case in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, where more than 100,000 kids in the suburban Baltimore and Annapolis area give constant use to sports fields for baseball, field hockey, football, lacrosse and soccer. The challenge became so great that the Anne Arundel County Parks Department knew they needed to add irrigation to relieve soil compaction and improve safety on the playing surfaces.
Prior to 1999, automated irrigation had only been installed on a limited number of county parks. One of the reasons was the "down time" required on the busy field for installation, seeding and cultivation of turf. But after obtaining positive results on several subsurface "test sites," Callahan decided to implement low volume systems countywide – and had the full cooperation of the sports teams, who had to rotate play on fields that were open. Soon, he and his staff were talking with Netafim USA, a major manufacturer of subsurface equipment, and Century Rain Aid, the nation's leading distributor of landscape irrigation products.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The project came together with a partnership that included Jerry Schmidt of the Century Rain Aid Gaithersburg, MD branch; Mike Stoll, Netafim area sales manager; and Lou Rudinski, sports turf superintendent of Anne Arundal County Parks. They worked as a team on a Century-designed irrigation plan for GORC Park, a multi-use field.
THE NETAFIM SOLUTION
"After a thorough analysis of the soil and site, Century designed a low volume system that matched the clay soil at GORC Park," said Schmidt. "We specified 14 irrigation zones using Netafim Techline Dripperline with inline emitters spaced every 18 inches, an output of 0.6 gallons per hour per emitter and a spacing of 18 inches between rows.
Less Liability, More Safety
"We chose subsurface irrigation for a number of important reasons," said Callahan. "From a safety standpoint, you don't have the problems associated with sprinklers – tripping over heads, puddling or soggy areas. Secondly, a subsurface system conserves water because irrigation is immediately available to the rootzone and isn't wasted through evaporation, wind or overspray."
Only 10 Hours to Install Netafim Dripperline
"The entire process from Techline installation to start up of the system took only three days last spring," said Stoll. "Using our Techline Tubing Insertion Plows (TLTIP), the contractor and his crew laid all the Techline tubing over the course of 10 hours."
Anne Arundel County is very pleased with the new system. "The Netafim Techline irrigates the field at an ideal 6-inch depth," said Rudinski. "It's healthier for the turf and the grass grows with deeper roots. Because the field is not muddy or soggy from sprinklers, they are always dry and ready for play – a major benefit because the sites are very busy every day."
Techline Dripperlines Many Features Deliver Many Benefits
Rudinski has also been impressed with the pressure compensating, continuous self-cleaning dripperline and 140-mesh filtration features of the Techline system. "The pressure-compensating component means each emitter puts out the same amount of water on the field, allowing for uniform coverage," he said.
Water Conservation
"Water conservation is an added bonus of the Netafim system – important for GORC Park since its water comes from low-yield wells," said Schmidt. "We expect to use 50 percent less water than overhead sprinklers."
The community benefits are important, too," added Rudinski. "With a subsurface system, we can irrigate the fields during periods of drought, yet still stay within the state water conservation guidelines. Because water ‘seeps' into the root zone without any disruption to the playing surface, we can actually irrigate the fields while they are in use."
For the 100,000 pairs of youthful feet on the sports fields, cushioned turf offers some welcome relief. "Subsurface low volume irrigation continues to be a great solution for the compacted soils at GORC Park," said Schmidt. "Irrigation can be turned on before practice, softening the soil and minimizing player impact and injury."
Anne Arundel County is planning to continue to work with Century Rain Aid on the installation of a series of subsurface systems at additional fields – many with low producing wells as their water source. "We scored a total home run with the installation of a Netafim subsurface irrigation system. The newly irrigated fields are safer and the improved aesthetics are a source of pride to everyone in the community, especially our turf management team," said Callahan.
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