SDI Animation Transcript

Back to Subsurface Drip Irrigation

Scene one

This scene shows unfiltered water entering the SDI main line from an irrigation supply channel. The irrigation controller also blinks. The scene is accompanied with text “A great advantage of subsurface drip systems is their suitability for automation, providing ongoing labour savings”.

Scene two

The focus of this scene is within the pump shed. The pump flashes, followed by the filter, indicating the sequence as water is pumped from the channel and through the filter. The text for this scene is “Filtering of water is imperative. Filters remove physical, chemical and biological impurities, preventing blockage of drip tape emitters and extending the life of the system”.

Scene three

This scene shows filtered water pumped from the pump shed to the field main line. This frame has the following text “The main header line provides an even pressure to the lateral drip tape irrigation lines that span the field”.

Scene four

This scene shows the irrigated field, with sub-main lines at the head and foot of the field, spanned by drip lines. Air release and flushing valves are also depicted. Water flows from the main line to the field sub-main and then through the drip tape, saturating soil in the root zone. Water fills the sub-main at the far end of the field. This scene is accompanied with the text “Drip tape spacing, depth and emitter flow rate and spacing must match the crop type, crop water demand and soil hydraulic characteristics”.

Scene five

This scene shows that pasture is growing and roots are developing in response to water application. The text in this scene is “On suitable soils, and if properly planned, designed, installed and managed, subsurface drip systems can be very efficient, matching plant water requirement while minimising evaporation losses”.

Scene six

In this scene a cow is grazing while the SDI system is operating. A large red cross flashes across the cow, signifying that grazing must be avoided during irrigations. This scene has the following text ”Grazing or uncontrolled vehicle traffic during or immediately after irrigation or rainfall must be avoided because of potential damage to buried drip tapes”.

Scene seven

In the last scene, a man appears and opens the flushing valve to flush the system. This scene has the text “During the irrigation season regular checking for system leaks and blockages is essential. Routine maintenance of equipment, including regular flushing of the system is needed. Flushing at the start and end of the irrigation season is also important”.

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