CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 06/08/06

It's hot, dry and time to fix irrigation problems

By Brad Haire
University of Georgia

Take time now to check and fix any problems with your home irrigation. There's no guarantee afternoon showers will bring water to your lawn when it needs it this summer.

Make sure the sprinkler heads are properly adjusted and not spraying too far out or too close in. Look for signs of broken risers beneath the sprinklers. Sometimes this is obvious: You'll have a traffic-stopping geyser. A cracked riser will allow water to boil up around the sprinkler.

Inspect the sprinkler riser wiper seal for flow-by. A small amount of water emitting past the wiper seal is acceptable while the system is running. Excessive flow-by while a system is operating indicates a damaged seal.

Many times people will replace a sprinkler because it leaks between the wiper seal and pop-up stem after the system has turned off. This leakage does not indicate a problem. If water drains out after the system has turned off and eventually stops, the valve is fine.

For spray heads with filters under the nozzle, hold the pop-up stem and unscrew the nozzle carefully. A damaged nozzle may result in an uneven spray pattern. A damaged pop-up stem will result in a poorly performing wiper seal. Remove and clean the filter.

To clean clogged nozzles, flush with water or lightly tap on a firm surface. While the filter is out, turn on the zone and flush out the sprinkler body. Reinstall the filter and nozzle, turn on the zone and recheck for effective coverage. Make all of the necessary adjustments to cover the area properly. While the water is on, inspect the other heads in the zone for proper operation.

To clean filters installed under the pop-up stem, unscrew the cap from the body. Don't allow dirt to fall into the sprinkler body while the riser assembly and cap are removed.

The filter is at the bottom of the riser assembly. Remove it and flush it with water. Before reinstalling the assembly, run a small amount of water through the system to flush any debris caught in the sprinkler body.

It's very important that broken or poorly performing sprinkler heads be replaced. When a specific sprinkler isn't operating as it's designed or if water is flowing freely because of a worn wiper seal, the performance of all the other heads in the zone is affected. Water flowing unchecked past a wiper seal will cause a loss in pressure and affect the other sprinklers' performances.

Valve problems can be hard to fix. Check with a professional if you think you have valve troubles.

(Kerry Harrison is a Cooperative Extension irrigation engineer with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)

Experts/Sources:
Kerry A. Harrison
A new UGA study found that children improved their diet quality when they ate school-prepared lunches. CAES News
UGA study shows all students benefit from healthy school lunches 04/24/24 Erica P. Techo
School lunches have come a long way from square pizza and fish sticks, and students across the board are benefiting from improved nutritional standards in the cafeteria. A new study from the University of Georgia found that children from all walks of life improved their diet quality when they ate school-prepared lunches following the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act nutritional guidelines instead of home-prepared lunches.
Jeffrey Dean (center), assistant provost and campus director for UGA-Griffin, with 2024 Classified Employee Award recipients Daniel Nordstrom (left) and Kenny Corley. (Photos by Ashley Biles) CAES News
Corley, Nordstrom named UGA-Griffin 2024 Classified Employees of the Year 04/23/24 Ashley N Biles
The University of Georgia Griffin campus recently named Kenny Corley and Daniel Nordstrom the 2024 Classified Employees of the Year. The designation was made at the 35th annual Employee Recognition Ceremony held April 3. The Employee of the Year award is presented to classified personnel who have made a significant impact on programs at UGA-Griffin through superior job knowledge and performance, work attitude, initiative, dependability and time management.
A Master Gardener with UGA Extension teaches a class at the GROWL Fulton County Demonstration and Teaching Garden. (Submitted photo) CAES News
Volunteers uplift statewide UGA Extension outreach programs 04/22/24 Sheri Dorn, Keri Gandy Hobbs
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension depends on thousands of volunteers who give generously to extend program impact and reach in support Extension missions. During Volunteer Appreciation Week April 21-28, UGA Extension celebrates the many volunteers who donate their time to facilitate 4-H, Master Gardener and Family and Consumer Sciences programming. Volunteers across Extension contributed over 324,200 hours in 2023, the equivalent of more than 155 full-time employees.
uga commencement CAES News
CAES to celebrate new graduates during May 9 convocation 04/18/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
As another academic year draws to a close, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is gearing up for its Athens campus convocation ceremony, which will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, at The Classic Center in Athens. “Each year, it’s an honor to celebrate the success of our CAES graduates,” said CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place. “It’s amazing what these students accomplish during their time with us, and I’m always excited to commemorate this next step in their lives as they continue on to either further studies or the start of their careers.”
A student harvests red clover at UGArden. CAES News
UGA horticulture class shows students the science behind herbal remedies 04/16/24 Sameeka Prabath Rajamani
The field of medicine is ever-changing, and the use of herbal medicines may play a bigger role in health care as the value of natural remedies gain recognition in the Western world. Students at the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are delving into the field of medicinal remedies through the class “Herbs, Spices and Medicinal Plants.” Offered to undergraduate students through the Department of Horticulture, the class helps students develop a deeper understanding of the connection between nature and health.
Using robotics to help sort onions on Georgia farms CAES News
Using robotics to help sort onions on Georgia farms 04/15/24 David Mitchell
During the pandemic, labor problems became acute on many farms in Georgia and across the country. Farms once staffed by humans to bring produce from the field to stores for purchase were suddenly short-staffed, and the global supply chain was severely impacted. Working with UGA’s Vidalia Onion and Vegetable Research Center and A&M Farms in Lyons, Georgia, a team of researchers led by School of Computing Professor Prashant Doshi is designing collaborative robots to mitigate some of these potential challenges.