Grateful for those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and to their families left behind. May we never forget that freedom isn’t free! This week sharing excerpts of an article that my colleagues wrote on sprinkler packages in windy conditions. The full article is here: https://go.unl.edu/f90p. “Efficient irrigation relies on minimizing water losses and maximizing the portion of applied water that reaches the crop root zone. …Past UNL research has shown that evaporation losses are often less than 4% of the applied water, though potentially approaching 10% with sprinklers on top of the pipe under high pressures, creating small droplets. In contrast, wind drift can lead to larger losses than evaporation by physically moving water droplets away from the intended target area. This not only reduces irrigation efficiency but can also create uneven water distribution across the field.

…a field evaluation was conducted recently at the UNL’s South Central Agricultural Laboratory (SCAL) near Clay Center, Nebraska. The evaluation was conducted with sustained winds of 10-15 mph and gusts reaching 20-25 mph, conditions that are not uncommon during the irrigation season in Nebraska. The sprinkler industry offers a wide range of sprinkler packages designed to meet different irrigation goals. In this test, three sprinkler configurations from Nelson Irrigation Corporation were tested: 1) Orbitor with blue plate (large droplet design). 2) Sprayhead with tan bubble-wide plate (bubbler-style). 3) Sprayhead with purple plate (fine droplet design).

All these sprinklers were mounted on drops at 9 feet aboveground. Each configuration was assessed based on observed wetted diameter, droplet size and behavior, and overall performance under windy conditions. In addition, a catch-can test was conducted to evaluate how closely the applied water matched the target depth programmed into the system.

The Orbitor sprinkler performed consistently under windy conditions and maintained a stable water distribution pattern. It also produced a relatively large wetted diameter: approximately 40 feet in the direction of the wind. This broader coverage can help reduce application intensity and thus, the risk of generating surface runoff.

Sprayhead with Tan Bubble-Wide Plate: The bubbler configuration produced larger droplets and demonstrated strong resistance to wind drift. The wetted diameter was less than half of Orbitor’s at approximately 18 feet in the direction of the wind. These characteristics make this type of sprinkler particularly effective at delivering water to the intended area when wind is a concern. However, some localized ponding was observed during the test, even at a relatively low application depth of 0.25-inch. This suggests that the higher application intensity associated with a smaller wetted diameter may increase the risk of runoff, particularly in soils with lower infiltration rates or in fields with slope.

Sprayhead with Purple Plate: This configuration produced the smallest droplet size and, under calm conditions, would be expected to create a relatively narrow wetted pattern. However, under the windy conditions during the test, performance was significantly compromised. The fine droplets were highly susceptible to wind drift, to the extent that the boundaries of the wetted area could not be clearly identified in the field. …this type of sprinkler configuration may result in reduced irrigation efficiency and non-uniform water distribution when used in windy environments.

The results of this field test reinforce a key point: sprinkler selection plays a critical role in determining how effectively irrigation water is delivered under windy conditions. In windy conditions, droplet size matters. Sprinklers that produce larger droplets are less likely to be carried away by wind, improving the likelihood that water reaches the soil surface where it is needed. There is a tradeoff between drift and application intensity. While larger droplets reduce drift, they are often associated with smaller wetted diameters and higher application rates, which may increase the risk of ponding or runoff. …Producers are encouraged to evaluate their current systems, consider how they perform under windy conditions, and work with irrigation professionals to select and maintain sprinkler packages that align with your field conditions and water management goals.”