Best Practices & Standards
Turf & Landscape Irrigation Best Management Practices
The Irrigation Association developed turf and landscape best management practices to provide stakeholders with tools to understand, implement and manage irrigation systems. BMPs include:
- Assure overall quality of the irrigation system.
- Design the irrigation system for efficient and uniform water distribution.
- Install the irrigation system to meet design criteria.
- Maintain the irrigation system for optimum performance.
- Manage the irrigation system to respond to changing water requirements.
Irrigation System Installation
Irrigation systems should be installed to meet the design specifications, manufacturers’ specifications, and state and local code requirements, and result in an efficient and uniform water distribution. The irrigation contractor or installer should be licensed and/or certified, where applicable, and insured.
Practice Guideline Summary
(Download the complete Turf & Landscape Irrigation Best Management Practices.)
This guideline was created to facilitate development of specifications that address local landscape needs while protecting water supplies. Policymakers and other stakeholders should adopt only those guidelines that apply to local needs.
To ensure that the irrigation system is installed to efficiently and uniformly distribute water, and to conserve and protect water resources, the irrigation contractor or installer should:
- Prior to beginning installation, contact appropriate utility companies to locate and mark underground utilities, including gas, electrical, telephone and cable lines.
- Prior to beginning installation, verify that the point of connection, flow rate, and static and dynamic pressures meet design criteria.
- Install the irrigation system according to the design specifications and manufacturer's published performance standards. If a design does not exist, encourage the property owner to have a qualified irrigation designer or consultant develop a design.
- Review planting plans prior to installation to minimize conflicts between larger plants and irrigation heads, and between hardscapes and sprinkler head placement.
- Inform the property owner and irrigation designer of unusual or abnormal soil conditions that may impact irrigation system design and management.
- Redline the plan drawing to note where deviations from the design are required and consult the designer to ensure the proposed change is within design performance specifications.
- Furnish an “as-built” set of drawings to the owner of the system that describes the system layout and components, including any changes from the original design.
- Test the irrigation system to verify it meets the design criteria.
- Perform an irrigation audit using accepted audit guidelines. Provide the owner with system specifications and a performance summary report by station/zone.
- Review the design’s irrigation schedule or create one if necessary. Operate the system and add repeat cycles and adjust run times to eliminate runoff.
- Explain the location and operation of key system components to the owner; review advanced programming features; and explain system features and capabilities, including maintenance requirements.
- Provide recommendations for landscape water conservation.
- Provide product warranties and operating instructions for all equipment.