Case Studies

Project Description:  To design and install an irrigation system to provide the daily water requirements for 100 hectares of pastoral dairy land. To provide a new Pump Station and underground mainline to operate two travelling irrigators (one existing machine and one new Ocmis RV5).  Also data from three independent water meters had to be transmitted via automatic Telemetry to the Council and the WaterForce website.

Client: MacDonald Family, Blenheim

Contractor: WaterForce Marlborough

To install the Pump Station and VSD Drive, and to also work closely with the owner to oversee the installation   of the  200mm PVC mainline.

To supply and commission the new Ocmis RV5 travelling irrigator.

Subcontractor: WaterForce Monitoring Christchurch

To design and make up all data telemetry units including and battery backup units.

Installation: November  2010

Designer/Project manager:  Grant Clifford, WaterForce Marlborough

Project Summary:  The MacDonald family property is just over 100 hectares. The entire property is flat and lies approx 12km north east of Blenheim township. The entire farm is set up as a full time Dairy unit.  Previous irrigation comprised of a PTO driven Pump, hand shift aluminum pipes and an old travelling irrigator. Water that was taken from ditches was both poor quality and unreliable.

A new Bore was drilled to give long term reliable clean water. The water from this bore along with water from the adjacent Vineyard bore and adjacent cowshed bore had to be monitored, with all information being sent to the Council to ensure resource consent conditions were being met.

Information from the three water meters were sent to a central gateway unit radio telemetry units.

A 55kw Southern Cross Pump was chosen for its reliability and performance. To ensure maximum system efficiency and to safeguard the mainline and irrigators a Variable speed drive ( VSD ) was installed.

The mainline and hydrant design also took into account possible future options with Pivot / Boom irrigation. The majority of the mainline used was 200mm PVC.

Paddock layout and resource consent conditions played a big part in the decision to use an Ocmis RV5 travelling irrigator. The machine has a 380m long 125mm diameter hose.

System Brief: Large electric Pumpset capable of delivering up to 60 litres per second ( LPS ) at a  suitable pressure for two traveling irrigators.

Three independent water meters monitoring three bores capable of sending data to the Council and to the WaterForce web site.

Large PVC mainline enabling multiple shift options with the irrigators.

Supply one travelling irrigator with 380m of 125mm hose.

System specifications: 3.38 x 2.545 coloursteel pump shed 55kw Southern Cross electric pumpset.

A Dorot 200mm DIM-A-EX water meter was installed to monitor all the flow from the new bore. This was directly wired to a WaterForce Monitoring GPRS gateway telemetry unit.                            

200mm and 150mm PN9 PVC mainline.

Ocmis RV5 125 x 380mm travelling irrigator.

A Dorot 50mm DIM-A-EX water meter was installed to monitor the Vineyard flows. This was wired directly to a WaterForce Monitoring radio telemetry unit. This radio unit sends data out via the gateway unit.

A Dorot 50mm DIM-A-EX water meter was installed to monitor the Cowshed flows. This was wired directly to a WaterForce Monitoring radio telemetry unit. This radio unit sends data out via the gateway unit.

Project outcome: The project was a great success, giving the MacDonald family reassurance that they can maintain pasture growth throughout the season. The water meter data is live on the WaterForce web site for the MacDonald family to access from literally, anywhere around the world.