Measuring water sprinkler delivery to your lawn

Measuring water sprinkler delivery to your lawn is quite easy. Set up a grid-like pattern of small containers of the same size on a section of the lawn. Even though different types of sprinklers require different grid patterns, it is a good idea to start with a straight line of containers, extending them at set intervals. You want to start from close to the sprinkler Head to just outside the reach of the water.

Measuring water sprinkler delivery to your lawn

Turn the sprinkler on at the normal operating pressure. Leave it on for a set period of time. Then record the amount of water deposited into each container. This gives you a good idea of the sprinkler pattern, as well as the amount of water distributed.

Realizing that the lawn generally needs 1 to 2 inches of water per week, the container test is an easy method to follow. It helps you determine how long to turn on the sprinkler and to what degree to overlap the sprinkling pattern for efficient watering.

As you can see from the picture you can use any kind of container that you would like. The important thing is to keep them all the same size and then measure accurately with a ruler or tape measure. If you let the sprinkler run for 30 minutes, and then take your measurements you will be able to figure out how long you need to water to deliver 1 inch to 2 inches of water per week.