Index

Page references in italic indicate illustrations; those in bold indicate tables.

~ A ~

ABS pipe, 82

Adapters, 117–18

pitless, 51, 122

Air valves, 116

Anchors, mushroom, 29

Appearance issues, 75–76

~ B ~

Backflow protection, 8, 112–14, 113

Brass pipe, 124

~ C ~

Check valves, 113, 114

Cistern(s), 8

aboveground, 34–35, 34

building a garden pond, 31–34, 32, 33

cost of, 14–16, 15, 33

definition of, 31

filling, 35

in-ground, 59–60, 60

Code requirements, 8–9, 31

Compression fittings, 66, 66, 68, 117–18

Connections

adapters, 117–18

air valves, 116

for backflow protection, 8, 112–14, 113

check valves, 113, 114

cut-off valves, 115, 115

drain valves, 116

for frost protection, 115–116

glue joints, 121

pitless adapters, 51, 122

pressure-reducing valves, 114–15, 114

problems to avoid, 123–24

for pump systems, 122–23

screw joints, 121

soldering joints, 118–20, 118

Controllers, 128

Control panels, 108, 108, 109

Controls and valves, selecting, 101

Copper pipe, 116

adapters for, 117–18

mistaking brass for, 124

for overhead systems, 84

soldering joints, 118–20, 118

Costs

of backflow protection, 113, 114

of cisterns/garden ponds, 14–16, 15, 33

of drilled wells, 24

of driven-point wells, 22

of dual-pipe jet pumps, 42

of dug wells, 23

of effluent/submersible pumps, 38

evaluating, 11–16

of municipal water systems, 19

of polybutylene (PB) piping, 15–16

of single-pipe jet pumps, 41

of submersible deep-well pumps, 42–43

of tapping into an existing system, 45

of underground systems, 6, 12–14

Covenants/restrictions, 9, 16–17

CPVC pipe, 84, 118, 121

Crossthreading, 121

Cut-off valves, 115, 115

~ D ~

Dams, garden row, 65, 65

Deed restrictions, 16–17

Deep-well jet pumps. See Dual-pipe jet pumps

Drain valves, 116

Drilled wells, 7–8, 24

Drip systems See also Trickle/drip system

description of, 6, 7

Driven-point wells, 8

cost of, 22

driving the point, 20, 21–22, 21

equipment/supplies for, 20

finding water and, 20

pros and cons of, 22

Dual-pipe jet pumps

advantages/disadvantages of, 53

description of, 42

installation of, 48–50, 40

Dug wells, 7, 22–24

~ E ~

Effluent/submersible pumps, 39

advantages/disadvantages of, 53

cable length, 40

conclusions on, 41

cost of, 38

floats, 40

horsepower, 40

uses for, 39

voltage requirements, 39

water pressure in, 72

Environmental regulations, 9

~ F ~

Flow rates, pump, 44

Flux, 119

Foot valve, protection of

in moving water, 29

in ponds and lakes, 27–28, 27, 28

Foundations, making a hole in, 122

Frost/frost protection

connectors for, 115–116

durability of pipes when frozen, 102

~ G ~

Garden pond, building a, 31–34, 32, 33

Gardens

how to make the most of rainfall in, 65, 65

irrigation systems for, 74

Glue joints, 121

Gravity distribution

defined, 55

disadvantages of, 70

in-ground cistern, 59–62, 60

for lawn watering, 62, 64, 62

slotted-pipe system, 56–59, 57, 58

trickle/drip system, 64, 66–70, 66, 67, 68

Gray water, use of, 61

~ H ~

Hose bibbs, 113

Hose mobiles, 79–80, 79

Hoses

perforated water, 78–79

problems with, 4

~ I ~

In-ground cistern

getting the water to the garden, 61–62

setting up the connections, 59–60, 60

In-line protection, 113–14

Irrigation systems

code requirements, 8–9

monitoring, 128–29

planning for, 11–17

putting all the pieces together, 123

Irrigation systems, types of

drip systems, 6, 7

mobile, 6–7

overhead, 4–5

underground, 5–6

~ J ~

Jet pumps. See Dual-pipe jet pumps; Single-pipe jet pumps

~ L ~

Lawns

improving water-storing ability of, 94

irrigation systems for, 74

Lawn-watering system

installation of, 62, 64, 62

tee fittings, 64

~ M ~

Mobile irrigation

description of, 6–7

problems with, 7

start-up procedures, 126

Mobility issues, 74–75

Moving water

protecting the foot valve, 29

as a source of water, 28–29, 31

Municipal water systems

description of, 7, 19–20

water pressure in, 72

~ N ~

Nozzles, 126–27

~ O ~

Overhead irrigation

appearance issues, 75–76

description of, 4–5

how to camouflage, 76, 76

installation of, 5

mobility and, 74–75

start-up procedures, 126

usefulness of, 73–74

use of term, 73

Overhead irrigation systems, building

creating a wooden frame, 85–86

installing horizontal pipes, 83–85

installing piping with a wooden frame, 87

installing wooden frame, 86–87

materials list, 81

pipe frames, advantages/disadvantages of, 81

pipe selection for, 81–82, 82

pipe versus wood frames, 81

support frame, 82–83, 83

water regulation, 84–85, 85

wooden frames, advantages/disadvantages of, 85

~ P ~

Pipes, in single-pipe jet pumps

burying, 46–47

connecting to pump, 47–48

installation of, 45–48, 46

installing in the well, 46, 46

Pipes/piping

aboveground entry into houses, 122

ABS, 82

CPVC, 84, 118, 121

copper, 84, 116–20

cutting into, with bad valves, 124

dirt in, 124

durability of, when frozen, 102

making a hole in the foundation for, 122

mistaking brass for copper, 124

for overhead irrigation systems, 81–82, 82, 84

polybutylene (PB), 15–16, 63, 66, 84, 104–5, 117

polyethylene (PE), 63, 66, 84, 103–4, 103, 117–18

PVC, 63, 82, 102–3, 102

Schedule-40, 81–82

selecting the right feed, 123–24

in submersible deep-well pumps, 51

for trickle systems, 66

for underground sprinkler systems, 101–7, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106

Pitless adapters, 51, 122

Planning an irrigation system

financial considerations, 11–16

frequency of use issues, 17

topography limitations, 16–17

Polybutylene (PB) pipe

connecting to copper, 117

cost of, 15–16

description of, 63

for overhead systems, 84

for trickle systems 66

working with, 104–5

Polyethylene (PE) pipe

connecting to copper, 117–18

description of, 63

for overhead systems, 84

for trickle systems 66

working with, 103–4, 103

Ponds and lakes

estimating capacity of, 30

protecting the foot valve, 27–28, 27, 28

pump installation/system in, 26–27, 26, 27

sites for man-made, 30

as a source of water, 8, 26–28

Potable water, 19

Precipitation rates, 91, 92

matching rates for balanced water coverage, 96–98, 97

Pressure. See Water pressure Priming, 48

Property boundaries, 9

Pumps/pump systems

advantages/disadvantages of, comparison of, 53

combining pump duties, 43–44

dual-pipe jet, 42

effluent/submersible, 38–41, 39

flow rates, 44

in ponds/lakes, 27, 27

selecting, 38

single-pipe jet, 27, 27, 41–42

submersible, for garden ponds, 33, 33

submersible deep-well, 42–43

sump, 38–39

tapping into an existing system, 45

water pressure in, 72–73

Pumps, installation of

dual-pipe jet, 48–50, 40

in ponds/lakes, 26, 26

second, 44–45

single-pipe jet, 45–48, 46

submersible deep-well, 50–52, 50

trench-digging tips, 47

PVC pipe, 63, 82, 102–3, 102

~ R ~

Recovery rates, estimating, 44

Recycling water for irrigation

moving water, 28–29, 31

ponds and lakes, 26–28

Rivers, as a source of water, 28–31

~ S ~

Screw joints, 121

Sealants, 121

Shallow-well pumps. See Single-pipe jet pumps Single-pipe jet pumps

advantages/disadvantages of, 53

burying the pipe, 46–47

connecting pipe to pump, 47–48

description of, 27, 27, 41–42

installation of, 45–48, 46

installing pipe in the well, 46, 46

pressure setting, 48

priming, 48

water pressure in, 72–73

wiring, 48

Slotted-pipe system

aboveground installation, 57–58, 57

belowground installation, 58–59, 58

establishing water source, 56

installing the pipe, 56–57

laying out the pipe, 56

Soldering joints, 118–20, 118

Springs, 29, 30

Sprinklers, aboveground

arc and radius adjustments, 128

arcs and saturation patterns, 78

description of, 76–79, 77, 78, 79

nozzles, changing, 126–27

toys as, 80–81

Sprinklers, underground

arc and radius adjustments, 128

bubblers, 91, 100

fixed-spray, 91

gear-driven models, 99–100

gear-rotor, 91

impact-rotor, 91

installation of, 101, 107

location of, 93, 95–96

microspray, 91

nozzles, changing, 126–27

for odd-shaped plots, 100, 100

pop-up, 91, 99–100, 99

precipitation rates and, 91–92, 92

rotating-stream, 91

row spacing options for heads, 95, 95

selection of, 91–92, 98–100, 98, 99, 100

stream-spray, 91

turf cups, 127–28, 127

Start-up procedures, 125–26

Streams, as a source of water, 8, 28–31

Submersible deep-well pumps

advantages/disadvantages of, 53

connecting water distribution system, 52

description of, 42–43

installation of, 50–52, 50

installation of pipe, 51

installing pump in the well, 51–52

pitless adapter, installing, 51

Sump pumps, 38–39

Surface irrigation See also Overhead irrigation

appearance issues, 75–76

defined, 73

hose mobiles, 79–80, 79

mobility and, 74–75

perforated water hoses, 78–79

sprinklers, 76–79, 77, 78, 79

toys as sprinklers, 80–81

usefulness of, 73–74

~ T ~

Tank tee, 52

Tape sealants, 121

Tapping into and existing system, 45

Tee fittings

compression, 66, 66, 68, 117–18

copper, 117

in lawn-watering systems, 64

in overhead systems, 83

in underground sprinkler systems, 106, 106

Terraced gardens, benefits of, 65, 65

Thread sealants, 121

Topography limitations, 16–17

Torque arrestor, 51

Trench-digging tips, 47

for underground sprinkler system, 105, 105

Trickle/drip system, 64

adjusting flow in, 69–70

commerical, 67, 67

fittings, 66, 66, 68

installation of, 68–69, 68

installing the pipes, 66, 68

system design, 66

Turf cups, 127–28, 127

~ U ~

Underground sprinkler system

accessories, 109

advantages/disadvantages of, 89

calculating running time, 92–93, 93

controllers, 128

control panels, 108, 108, 109

controls and valves, selecting, 101

cost of, 6, 12–14

description of, 5–6

design considerations, 90–93

installation of, 101–7, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106

matching precipitaiton rates for balanced coverage, 96–98, 97

precipitation rates, 91, 92

sprinkler location, 93, 95–96

sprinkler selection, 91–92, 98–100, 98, 99, 100

start-up procedures, 126

Utilities, underground, 9

~ W ~

Watering cans, use of, 4

Water pressure

importance of, 71–72

in municipal water sources, 72

in pumped water sources, 72–73

reasons for regulating household, 72

reducing valves, 72, 114–15, 114

setting, 48

Water problems, common, 3–4

Water reserve, estimating, 43–44, 43

Water sources, types of

cisterns, 8, 31–35

drilled wells, 7–8, 24

driven-point wells, 8, 20–22, 21

dug wells, 7, 22–24

moving water as, 28–29, 31

municipal water systems, 7, 19–20

ponds and lakes, 8, 26–28

potable water, 19

Water tanks, 8

Wells

drilled, 7–8, 24

driven-point, 8, 20–22, 21

dug, 7, 22–24

problems with, as source of water, 1, 3

recovery rates, estimating, 44

tapping into and existing system, 45

water reserve, estimating, 43–44, 43

~ Z ~

Zoning requirements, 9