Res88 10828 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Irrigation 1. All parks, median strips, landscaped public areas, landscaped areas surrounding residential and commercial developments and industrial parks shall have separately metered automatic irrigation systems designed by a landscape architect or irrigation designer. Soils tests shall be performed as part of the design process. Single family dwelling and duplex units which are not part of a new development or subdivision are exempt. 2. Specifications for the irrigation system shall include a watering schedule with amendments for seasonal changes. Water used for irrigation shall be minimized to the amount needed to maintain adequate plant health and growth. 3. Low volume irrigation systems shall be required in areas where efficiency of water use is improved. This includes low volume sprinkler heads, drip emitters, and bubbler emitters. Low volume sprinklers are defined as "emitting less than 0.75 inches per hour of water." Apply water so that it soaks into the soils and is timed to apply the correct amount of water for each type of plant. 4. The application rate should not exceed .25" per cycle and should not exceed a total of .75" per hour. Avoid runoff by learning the characteristics of the soils and irrigation system and turning the water off before runoff occurs. 5. Install separate valves for turf and non-turf areas and to accommodate different water use requirements within the landscaped area. In many cases, mature plants require only infrequent irrigation. Separation of valves can provide more water to shallow-rooted plants or to those in shallow soils which need more frequent watering and less water to deep-rooted, mature shrubs and trees. 6. Set electric controller to water between 7 p.m. and 10 a.m. Early morning is best for turfgrass. Drip irrigation systems can operate at any time. Nighttime and early morning irrigation will reduce evaporation losses. 7. Sprinkler heads should have matched precipitation rates within each control valve circuit. This will help to avoid overwatering or underwatering. 8. If a system is found to have overspray resulting in water wasted on paved or street areas, then system modifications to prevent overspray will be required. 2.