Maintenance & Repair: Keep It Flowing

Agricultural irrigation maintenance and repair practices go a long way toward ensuring long-term efficiency.

Brenda Ortiz, PhD, Auburn University professor and Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) precision agriculture specialist, has worked with farmers on providing tips and recommendations, as well as demonstrations on how to perform maintenance of center-pivot irrigation systems.

“Farmers do not always treat their irrigation systems as they do their tractors and sprayers,” Ortiz notes. “Maintenance of irrigation systems is not always their priority, perhaps because they do not always use those systems all year round, or because they are not always aware of their problems.”

Farmers and irrigation operators can turn to extension specialists at land grant universities as well as industry personnel for education on best practices for operation and maintenance of the systems, including water pumping systems and stations, Ortiz notes.

“I think more training can be done and is necessary,” she says, adding that “waste of water is not only because of poor operation of these systems; it is also because of poor irrigation scheduling practices.”

Cory Broad, CID, CAIS, CCA, CA-NSp, PASp, AvidWater agronomic sales manager, notes the most important parts of irrigation system upkeep focus on doing it consistently and correctly. “I see growers/farmers who only perform maintenance when they have an issue, which really is a repair and not maintenance,” he says. “I also see growers who don’t perform the tasks as required to be effective, but they believe they are.”

Broad says flushing is the most important task. He notes it should be done at least monthly for most systems and with the correct water velocity and duration. “I am a big advocate for chemical remediation and protection of irrigation systems,” he adds. “I am seeing many wells that have bacteria/fungus that are creating plugging in all parts of the irrigation systems.”

Domonic Rossini, agronomy west key account manager for Orbia, Netafim, notes the most effective practices come down to having the right equipment installed for the terrain and the crop along with consistent and thorough proactive maintenance.

“Like any irrigation system, drip and micro-irrigation setups require regular maintenance and attention to ensure optimal performance and longevity,” he adds. “Without maintenance, emitters can plug from algae, mineral deposits and/or sediment buildup, leading to poor uniformity of water as well as fertilization.”

The result: crop stress, inconsistent crop maturity, increased input costs and reduced profit. “Over time, factors such as rodents, sun exposure, root intrusion, aging and general wear can damage components of the system,” Rossini says.

The best way to stay ahead of these issues is prevention and routine care, Rossini notes. “Flushing the system regularly and using treatments when needed — like chlorine or hydrogen peroxide to control algae and acid to break down mineral buildup — will help avert problems,” he adds.

“Furthermore, recalibrating sensors as needed, along with regular flushing, helps ensure uniform water distribution, maintaining the system’s performance as originally designed. A combination of these maintenance practices helps keep emitters clean and ensures the system operates efficiently and reliably.”

“Without maintenance, emitters can plug from algae, mineral deposits and/or sediment buildup, leading to poor uniformity of water as well as fertilization.” —Domonic Rossini, agronomy west key account manager, Orbia, Netafim

Rossini notes regular seasonal checks of filters, valves, air vents, pressure and flow rates are essential to prevent minor issues such as clogged filters, damaged valves, water hammer, suck-back or uneven pressure from becoming costly problems.

“Routine early-season tasks include testing pressure, inspecting all pipes thoroughly, cleaning air vents, testing valves and ensuring filters are clean,” he says. “Mid-season is an ideal time to look for line breaks, plugging and any uneven distribution, as well as perform routine flushing.

“When the season ends, shutting a system down correctly helps reduce any issues when the system comes back online in the future. In colder or more challenging climates, it’s important to winterize irrigation systems by properly draining lines and protecting components from freezing to prevent damage. These routines significantly extend equipment life and help prevent any expensive repairs or downtime by identifying problems early.”

Budgets and system complexity are ongoing challenges, particularly for smaller farms with limited resources, Rossini notes. “Many irrigation systems can be phased in to reduce upfront costs, with upgrades added over time,” he says. “Additionally, leveraging available incentive programs can further ease the financial burden. Partnering with professionals during the initial setup ensures the system is designed correctly from the start, maximizing performance and return on investment throughout its lifespan.”

There are still rural areas with limited internet access, so it’s harder to use connected tools, Rossini notes, adding some growers find hybrid systems with solar power and local data storage can meet the challenge.

Water quality has a big impact on irrigation systems’ longevity and effectiveness. “Sediment, algae and minerals like iron can clog filters and emitters, especially in operations that draw from surface or well water,” Rossini says. “Regular water testing and the installation of proper filtration systems help reduce degradation and wear on components, extending the life and efficiency of the irrigation system.

“Pressure-compensated drip lines that have clog-resistant emitters embedded help maintain reliable performance, even when used in lower-quality water areas. Drip lines with self-cleaning diaphragms can continuously flush debris, reducing clogging and extending system life. Wide filtration areas prevent sediment from entering the flow path.”

Broad notes a major challenge is customer education, notably their operations staff. “Flushing correctly is often a very large shift,” he says. “It takes longer and requires a change in the process. You need to have those field people on board to be successful. On the ownership side, these initiatives are viewed as an expense instead of an investment in your crop.”

That goes back to customer education and clearly defining a return on investment for activities and showing the real costs of crop loss or productivity, Broad notes. “We have spent years teaching farmers about distribution uniformity and its impact on crop production,” he says. “I feel like we have missed opportunities as an industry to give growers the education and ability to achieve that high distribution uniformity number. This should be a focus in the coming years.”

Educational tools and resources

The Irrigation Association has a multitude of resources to help growers and irrigation technicians get the most efficient usage out of their systems (see box below).

Ortiz notes several ACES publications that can also be of use in educational efforts: Operation & Maintenance Problems of Center Pivot Irrigation, Maintaining Water Application Uniformity in Irrigation Systems and Crop Evapotranspiration Irrigation Tools. The publications note the following best practices:

Operation & Maintenance Problems of Center Pivot Irrigation

• Before the irrigation season starts, check for clogged or worn nozzles, missing sprinkler heads and/or leaking boots.
• Do not replace nozzles without referring to the pivot sprinkler chart. Verify the nozzle size is correct for the pivot location to ensure the nozzle operates at the specified pressure along the pivot.
• If you operate a variable-rate irrigation system, check if the solenoid valves are operating properly and electronics have not been damaged during the fall or winter months.
• A catch-can test is recommended every year to evaluate the uniformity of water application.
• Make sure the pivot operates at the pressure for the designated sprinkler chart.
• Be aware that the revolution time or speed of the pivot is directly related to the amount of irrigation.

Maintaining Water Application Uniformity in Irrigation Systems

• The water application uniformity test allows farmers and consultants to understand whether the system is operating properly or if there are uniformity problems caused by hardware such as missing sprinklers, clogged or worn nozzles, solenoids, control valves, pipes or software such as electronics.
• Operating irrigation systems at a pressure higher or lower than the designed pressure will also impact water application by changing the water droplet size and distribution.
• Preventing malfunctions of irrigation systems could reduce under- or overapplication of water and chemicals that may impact crop growth, reduce harvested yield, have negative environmental consequences and increase operating costs.

Crop Evapotranspiration Irrigation Tools

• Determination of the best irrigation amount and timing is constrained by several aspects related to soil, weather conditions and plant development.
• Many crop evapotranspiration irrigation scheduling tools, such as smart irrigation apps and Irrigator Pro, have been developed to support and facilitate irrigation decisions for many crops.
• Corn and cotton smart irrigation phone apps have been evaluated at several locations in Alabama, and the irrigation recommendations — especially at the peak of crop water demand — agree with other irrigation scheduling methods like soil sensors.
• Soil sensors are another irrigation scheduling tool that is being used by farmers and consultants. Among the most widely used soil sensors and associated solutions for irrigation scheduling are AquaSpy, Sentek and CropX. Some considerations and guidelines for soil sensor installation can be found in ACES’ Installation of Soil Sensors for Irrigation Scheduling.
• Users should always monitor the response of the soil sensor data to rainfall events and the daily changes in soil moisture data with respect to plant water use and growth stages, so the determination of irrigation amount and timing is more accurate.

“When you can identify an issue quickly in regard to when it starts or know exactly where to walk to in a field, it is a major time saver.” — Cory Broad, CID, CAIS, CCA, CA-NSp, PASp, agronomic sales manager, AvidWater

Among the newer tools available to help contractors and technicians optimize performance and reduce water waste are aerial imaging and crop mapping, notes Broad, adding they show variability in the irrigation system performance as it relates to actual crop production, which is the most important measure to farmers at the end of the season.

“In-field pressure sensors and monitoring of the flow meter are also extremely helpful, as we can track the irrigation system performance spatially and temporally,” he adds. “When you can identify an issue quickly in regard to when it starts or know exactly where to walk to in a field, it is a major time saver.”

Sensors and AI are being integrated into controllers so they are able to adjust water delivery depending on changing needs related to weather patterns, soil moisture and specific crops autonomously, says Rossini.

“This real-time responsiveness leads to dramatic water savings and healthier, more consistent yields,” he says. “Subsurface irrigation delivers water directly to crop root zones, reducing evaporation and runoff. Equipment using machine learning can analyze plant needs, access weather data and create custom watering schedules.”

Bluetooth and cellular-connected devices provide quick diagnostics and system adjustments from a phone or tablet, Rossini points out.

“When paired with routine maintenance schedules, these tools enhance both water efficiency and system reliability,” he says. “Effective maintenance safeguards the grower’s investment by extending the system lifespan, ensuring water is delivered precisely where it’s needed, promoting healthier crops and reducing long-term cost. Selecting the right equipment tailored to the terrain and crop type is a smart, valuable investment.”

Carol Brzozowski is a freelance writer with a specialty in environmental journalism based in Venice, Florida. She can be reached at brzozowski.carol@gmail.com.