Redneck Pickup Truck Irrigator
- Thread starter bcarwell
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capt jack
Silver Member
Laugh all you want about the prayer REQUEST (not an order!), but in the two days after the REQUEST it rained over the fire areas between one and FOUR inches. Rain in the same areas since Jan 1, was 3/4". "ask and you shall receive".:thumbsup:
After thinking about it some more it appears spray nozzles like at Tractor Supply for ATV, etc. sprayers might not be suitable since they deliver smaller GPM intended for smaller insecticide etc. application rates. Drilling holes in a pvc irrigation boom transverse to the truck direction of movement might involve a lot of experimentation to get flow rate, pattern right. I thought of using a 180 degree sprinkler head but again I'd have to sit there in the truck for 5 minutes or so before moving on. But I didn't want to give up on a sprinkler head since they're cheap, intended for more flow like my intended irrigation purpose, have defined, predictable patterns, and the various systems have all kinds of cheap additional components like risers that thread into them, they fit pvc, work off standard 40 psi, etc. But flow rate was still a problem. How about this: a pvc riser in the center of the truck bed carrying multiple (like maybe 4 or 5) 180 degree sprinkler heads stacked vertically to give the same 180 degree pattern squirting out the back and 5 times the flow, so I can drive slowly ? (BTW I can attest that Gov. Perry's request indeed produced rain but not enough for planting yet. Guess we gotta pray harder...)
Bob
Bob
shane
Gold Member
Not only is the sheer volume of water a task, but what about constantly driving over the new grass. Will that not trample it down?
aczlan
Good Morning
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- Kubota L3830GST, B7500HST, BX2660. Formerly: Case 480F LL, David Brown 880UE
Take a look at: http://www.awwa.org/waterwiser/refe...s_D_Water_Truck_Spray_Distribution_and_Co.pdf or http://www.watersmartinnovations.co...y Patterns from Construction Water Trucks.pdf for some ideas of what are used for nozzles on constructions sites for dust suppression.
Aaron Z
Aaron Z
schmism
Super Member
348480 sqft in 8 acre
one acre-inch (how much water it takes to cover an acre in 1" of water) is 27,154 gal so say you wanted to only put out 1/4" of water a week for 8 acers
27454/4*8 = 54,908 gal of water / 250 gal = 219 trips a week / 7 = 31 trips per day.
oh and recommended water is like 4 times that but have fun with the 31 trips a day to start with :thumbsup:
one acre-inch (how much water it takes to cover an acre in 1" of water) is 27,154 gal so say you wanted to only put out 1/4" of water a week for 8 acers
27454/4*8 = 54,908 gal of water / 250 gal = 219 trips a week / 7 = 31 trips per day.
oh and recommended water is like 4 times that but have fun with the 31 trips a day to start with :thumbsup:
As noted before I should have been more clear that I'm <not> doing all 8 acres at once. But in light of the numbers I may have to significantly cut back on my optimism and only tackle an acre or so at first to see how things are going and save the rest of the seed I bought until next year. I have water at the pasture location so there at least are no "trips" to go <get> the water. I just don't have time to get any other irrigation system together before I lose the planting window.
And I'm wondering about the "recommended" watering of an inch a week and if that is for lawns, and if less than that is completely futile or just not ideal. I am not trying to establish a dense lawn, just getting some pasture grass growing. Not many folks around Central Texas with small acreage have irrigation. I'm sure there's a big difference in water needs in <starting> grass versus maintaining it. And I know Bermuda loves nitrogen and water. But I'm hoping I only have to do this until we get some decent rains and wondering how much less than "recommended" amounts of water will work. And if to even have a shot at it I need an inch a week I'm wondering why my feedstore guy who seemed very upright and honest, knowing exactly what I was up to in using the seed for a pasture and not my front yard, would never have even mentioned how I was going to water it ? And how do they sprig coastal or Tifton and it "take" without irrigation ? Is it that its way easier for sprigs to catch than to germinate seeds to establish grass with little/no water ? If I'm stuck with $300 worth of Texas blend seed now, should I just save it until next year when I can get irrigation to the pasture from the river ? Does germination rate of seed stay at 80% or so after a year ? What would the minimum amount of water be where I was not just completely wasting my time (and water) ? (BTW, one other reason for wetting the surface was to keep the seed from blowing away right off the bat). What's a mother to do ?
And I'm wondering about the "recommended" watering of an inch a week and if that is for lawns, and if less than that is completely futile or just not ideal. I am not trying to establish a dense lawn, just getting some pasture grass growing. Not many folks around Central Texas with small acreage have irrigation. I'm sure there's a big difference in water needs in <starting> grass versus maintaining it. And I know Bermuda loves nitrogen and water. But I'm hoping I only have to do this until we get some decent rains and wondering how much less than "recommended" amounts of water will work. And if to even have a shot at it I need an inch a week I'm wondering why my feedstore guy who seemed very upright and honest, knowing exactly what I was up to in using the seed for a pasture and not my front yard, would never have even mentioned how I was going to water it ? And how do they sprig coastal or Tifton and it "take" without irrigation ? Is it that its way easier for sprigs to catch than to germinate seeds to establish grass with little/no water ? If I'm stuck with $300 worth of Texas blend seed now, should I just save it until next year when I can get irrigation to the pasture from the river ? Does germination rate of seed stay at 80% or so after a year ? What would the minimum amount of water be where I was not just completely wasting my time (and water) ? (BTW, one other reason for wetting the surface was to keep the seed from blowing away right off the bat). What's a mother to do ?
Thanks Aaron for the website. Very interesting. I was unable to find any information previously on those water trucks though I've seen them working often. And it was amazing the data they generated on various nozzles, overlap, etc. At least if the sprinkler head doesn't do it they had some good, siimple ideas on cutting slots in pipe caps, etc.
And Shane, yes I had some concern about trampling grass. Just thought though if I could get the pattern wide enough (20-25 feet or so with boom) I could at least just traverse the same path kinda like the ag boom irrigators and only sacrifice a little.
In case nobody can tell, I'm desperate to try something this year even if likelihood of success is small, as I missed the opportunity to sprig due to all the pasture prep (you should have seen how awful it was with brush, prickley pair cactus, dead oak wilt, rocks, ...- took WAY much more time than I thought). At least now its a nicely disked, York raked smooth seedbed but all I'm staring at is.... DIRT. Maybe I get a long roll of polypipe, a high pressure pump, fire nozzle, and sit out there with a lawn chair and a six pack passing time...
And Shane, yes I had some concern about trampling grass. Just thought though if I could get the pattern wide enough (20-25 feet or so with boom) I could at least just traverse the same path kinda like the ag boom irrigators and only sacrifice a little.
In case nobody can tell, I'm desperate to try something this year even if likelihood of success is small, as I missed the opportunity to sprig due to all the pasture prep (you should have seen how awful it was with brush, prickley pair cactus, dead oak wilt, rocks, ...- took WAY much more time than I thought). At least now its a nicely disked, York raked smooth seedbed but all I'm staring at is.... DIRT. Maybe I get a long roll of polypipe, a high pressure pump, fire nozzle, and sit out there with a lawn chair and a six pack passing time...
Have you considered a Drip Tape type irrigation for a garden. I imagine you could put enough for an acre with about a foot between the rows for a couple hundred. Once that acre gets established move it to the next.
Do you have a well near by?
Do you have a well near by?
Polypipe and a pump sounds most promising of your options. No comment on how well that will work.
In my area (dry Colorado front range) it takes 3~4 years to establish a pasture (at least) suitable to be grazed. An option I have seen on Craigslist are caged 275 Gallon sweetener tanks. They have a low drain point spout and valve. If I were hauling tanks around I might look for a junky trailer and a couple of tanks. Then you can load up the tanks and plumb them. Keep your sprayer bars low to the ground (less evaporation and wind loss).
Mostly I would bag the seed and what for a better year -- how about fall?
In my area (dry Colorado front range) it takes 3~4 years to establish a pasture (at least) suitable to be grazed. An option I have seen on Craigslist are caged 275 Gallon sweetener tanks. They have a low drain point spout and valve. If I were hauling tanks around I might look for a junky trailer and a couple of tanks. Then you can load up the tanks and plumb them. Keep your sprayer bars low to the ground (less evaporation and wind loss).
Mostly I would bag the seed and what for a better year -- how about fall?