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 Overall Quality

 The irrigation system should provide supplemental water when rainfall is not sufficient to maintain plant health, while protecting water resources and the environment.

 

Assuring the overall quality of the system requires:

  • Designing the irrigation system to be efficient and distribute water uniformly.
  • Installing the irrigation system according to design specifications.
  • Maintaining the system regularly to preserve the design integrity and ensure efficient operation.
  • Managing the irrigation schedule to maintain a healthy and functional landscape with the minimum water requirement.
     

Practice Guideline Summary

(Download the complete Turf & Landscape Irrigation Best Managment 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 a high-quality irrigation system is designed, installed, maintained and managed:

  1. A certified, formally trained, licensed or other qualified irrigation designer or irrigation consultant should design the system for the efficient and uniform distribution of water.

     
  2. A qualified irrigation contractor should be selected to install the irrigation system. The irrigation contractor should test the completed system to verify that the system operates according to the design criteria.

     
  3. The landscape architect, irrigation designer, irrigation consultant or local water district representative should perform one or more site observations during system installation to check for adherence to the design.

     
  4. The irrigation system should be maintained for ongoing efficient performance.

     
  5. The controller programming (scheduling) should be managed to respond to the changing need for water in the landscape.

     
  6. Following installation of a new system, a field performance audit should be conducted using accepted audit guidelines.

    The audit should:
    • Evaluate the irrigation schedule to ensure the system meets plant needs without wasting water.
    • Verify the installation of specified water management devices such as a rain shutoff device and/or soil moisture sensors.
    • Check the performance of the system for conformance with state and local requirements, including standards for minimum precipitation rate and lower quarter distribution uniformity.

Those systems that are not in compliance with the audit within a reasonable amount of time (as specified by the local governing authority) may be assessed a financial penalty. For geographical areas where a landscape water allowance applies, financial incentives for property owners should be established and coordinated by the local water purveyor or other governing authority.