Success Stories

THE MEADOWS
Castle Rock, Colorado

In 1994, we performed an irrigation system evaluation for The Meadows Metropolitan District 37-acre streetscape. High water pressure, up to 85 PSI was measured at pop-up spray heads, which should have been operating at 30 PSI. Water usage was 37 to 45-inches per square feet, or three times as much as necessary to ensure turf health. Poor maintenance and the radio failure of the central control system were some of the many reasons we recommended renovating the irrigation system. Our report indicated the potential for a 50 percent reduction in water use and annual savings of almost $50,000.00 in water and maintenance savings. The estimated projected cost payback period was about 6 years.

In 1996 we were contracted to develop Irrigation Design and Maintenance Requirements for The Meadows. These guidelines were filed with Douglas County and became a requirement for all future development. That same year we designed a renovated system utilizing existing controllers, mainline, control valves and wire. The upgrade of the central control system was not considered worthwhile and controllers were used as "stand alone". Pop-up spray head numbers decreased and small radius rotors were used instead; many control valves were eliminated. In narrow turf areas and planting beds, subsurface drip irrigation buried 3 to 4-inches deep was used. In other narrow areas we used 6" pop-up flat sprays. All pop-up spray heads had pressure regulators built into the base of the head and all heads incorporated check valves to prevent low head drainage and lateral line surge.

In 1997 the irrigation system was renovated and we provided construction observation services for this $360,000.00 37-acre project. The irrigation system was renovated in three phases, with the two largest completed by June 20th and August 12th respectively. A third phase, representing a small section was completed October 1st. All irrigation heads and lateral lines were replaced. Controllers were repaired as required and reprogrammed based on the new heads in use. The turf was kept green with individual segments out of service about a week at a time during construction. After each area was renovated, extra water was applied to bring the turf back to normal. Thus, water savings due to shutdown of sections during renovation was minimal. The Town of Castle Rock agreed to loan the money to the Metropolitan District and also agreed to pay future water costs if we saved 30 percent on water use.

WATER USE:

1997 water requirements adjusted for ET indicated that 3.57" more water should have been required due to weather and additional rainfall over 1996. If weather conditions were the same, an additional 3,561,000 gallons would have been used, resulting in a total of 19,051,000 gallons.

1997 Net Savings: 25,449,000 gallons 28-INCHES $51,407.00:

Projected 1998 water use will be a little less then 1997 usage or about the same. The City of Castle Rock, Colorado now pays the water costs and Keesen Water Management, Inc. has received a Water Conservation award from the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado.