12/27/2024 9:13:51 AM	HORT 144 Course Outline as of Fall 2024	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  HORT 144	Title:  LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION
Full Title:  Landscape Irrigation
Last Reviewed:12/12/2023

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	2.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	35.00
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	3.00		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	52.50
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	5.00			Contact Total	87.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  70.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  HORT 92.1

Catalog Description:

Students will learn to design, install, maintain, and audit water-efficient landscape irrigation systems. The course will introduce concepts of water supply, hydraulics, component identification and terminology, system layout and pipe sizing. Types of valves, heads, controllers, and practices related to sustainable landscapes in California will be emphasized. Students who pass the final exam with a grade of 75% or better will be recognized as having completed the Qualified Water-Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) training program.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

Students will learn to design, install, maintain, and audit water-efficient landscape irrigation systems. The course will introduce concepts of water supply, hydraulics, component identification and terminology, system layout and pipe sizing. Types of valves, heads, controllers, and practices related to sustainable landscapes in California will be emphasized. Students who pass the final exam with a grade of 75% or better will be recognized as having completed the Qualified Water-Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) training program.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Select and size pipe material based on use, water pressure, and flow for a given irrigation plan.

2. Utilize formulas and calculation to determine irrigation rates, distribution, and uniformity.

3. Perform a water audit on a spray, rotor, and/or drip irrigation system to determine system efficiency

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Describe regional and local water storage and delivery systems

2. Identify the percent of the state's developed water supply used for landscape irrigation

3. Describe how water moves through the soil

4. Identify irrigation system components on an irrigation plan

5. Define the basic concepts of water pressure, flow, velocity, and friction loss

6. Calculate water pressure and flow at key points (meter, valves, worst head) in a landscape irrigation system

7. Identify and describe the primary irrigation system components used in a typical landscape irrigation system

8. Space sprinkler heads and drip emitters for uniform application and specified precipitation rate

9. Select and size pipe material based on use, water pressure, and flow for an irrigation plan

10. Identify and select pipe fittings for the correct use in an irrigation plan

11. Specify heads, emitters, valves, backflow prevention and controller for a residential landscape plan

12. Install PVC pipe, polyethylene tube, drip emitters, sprinkler heads, remote control valves, pressure reducers, filters, backflow prevention devices and/or controllers for a landscape irrigation system

13. Program a controller for water-efficient system operation for a given site

14. Describe the need for pumping/filtering irrigation water from city mains and private wells

15. Perform a water audit on a spray, rotor, and/or drip system to determine efficiency of the system

16. Apply the troubleshooting process to solve irrigation system problems of a given irrigation system

17. Prepare and present a cost estimate for an irrigation system from a given irrigation plan

18. Demonstrate professional work ethics and safety practices on the job site

19. Program and operate an efficient irrigation schedule for a given climate, landscape, and irrigation system

20. Design a landscape irrigation system from a given landscape or plot plan

21. Explain the steps to installing a drip or micro spray system

22. Describe common techniques to retrofit a conventional system to low-volume irrigation

Topics and Scope

I. California's Climate and Water Resources

    A. California's Mediterranean climate pattern

    B. Importance of winter rainfall and storage facilities

    C. Regional and local water distribution systems

    D. Statistics on landscape water use

II. Basic Hydraulics and Water Movement through Pipe

    A. Static pressure

    B. Dynamic (operating) pressure

    C. Flow gallons per minute (GPM)

    D. Velocity

    E. Friction loss

    F. Calculation of water forces at key system points

III. Soil and Plant Water Relations

    A. Soil types and drainage/aeration characteristics

    B. Soil water holding capacity and rooting depth

    C. Water use of plant types

    D. Evapotranspiration (ET) concept and reference ET

    E. Infiltration rates of soils

IV. Water Supply

    A. City mains and service lines

    B. Soil water holding capacity and rooting depth

    C. Water quality

    D. Alternative water sources

    E. Sprinkler irrigation sources

    F. Drip or micro-spray irrigation systems

         1. Surface

         2. Subsurface

V. Assembly Methods and Installation of System Components

    A. Sprinkler heads, nozzles, and drip emitters

    B. Manual and remote-control valves

    C. Backflow prevention devices

    D. Pressure regulators and filters

    E. Controllers and wiring

    F. Moisture-sensing devices

VI. Pipe, Hose/Tubing, and Fittings

    A. PVC pipe

    B. Polyethylene pipe

    C. Galvanized steel pipe

    D. Copper pipe

    E. Polyethylene hoses/tubing

VII. System Planning/Layout, Design, and Installation

    A. Available water pressure and flow at point of connection

    B. Watering zones (hydrozones)

    C. Head selection and placement

    D. Precipitation rates and head spacing

    E. Circuiting heads into valve groups

    F. Location of valves, main lines, and lateral lines

    G. Sizing valves and pipe

    H. Location of controller and sizing power and valve wires

    I. Controller programming and system operation check

    J. Design of landscape irrigation systems

    K. Installation of landscape and drip irrigation systems

         1. Layout

          2. Trenching

          3. Component assembly

          4. System check

          5. Adjustment

         6. Backfill

VIII. Estimating Costs

    A. Irrigation plan reading and standard symbols

    B. Material take-off

    C. Supplier catalogs and price lists

IX. Water-Efficient System Operation

    A. Water audit method of determining system efficiency

    B. Use of California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS) and other ET data resources

    C. Implementation of ET data in controller programming

    D. Troubleshooting problems

    E. Adjustments and repairs

    F. Local water agency assistance and resources

    G. Irrigation scheduling based on climate and type of system

    H. Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO)

X. Professional Groups and Activities

    A. California Landscape Contractors Association

    B. Irrigation Association Certification

    C. Landscape Industry Certified Technician

    D. National Association of Landscape Professionals (formerly PLANET)

    E. Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL)

 

All topics are covered in the lecture and lab portions of the course.

Assignments:

Lecture-Related Assignments:

1. Weekly reading (10-20 pages) and homework

2. Cost estimate project: Prepare and/or present a detailed cost-estimate for a given irrigation system design

3. Quizzes (2-10), Midterm, and Final Exam

 

Lab-Related Assignments:

1. Field trip and lab reports (2-12)

2. Irrigation installation project, may include installation of:

    A. PVC pipe

    B. sprinkler heads

    C. Remote control valves

    D. Drip irrigation

    E. Backflow prevention devices

    F. Controller for a landscape irrigation system

3. Controller programing: set a water-efficient irrigation schedule for a real or hypothetical landscape

4. Irrigation audit(s) (1-2): Perform a water audit on a spray, rotor, and/or drip irrigation system to determine system efficiency

5. Irrigation design: Design and specify a landscape irrigation system for a given landscape or plan

6. Required field trip(s) (1-4)

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 0 - 20%
Homework; field trip and lab reports
This is a degree applicable course but assessment tools based on writing are not included because skill demonstrations are more appropriate for this course.
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 20 - 40%
Cost estimate project; controller programming; irrigation audit
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 20 - 40%
Irrigation installation project; irrigation design
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 30 - 60%
Quizzes, midterm, and final exam
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 20%
Attendance and participation including field trips

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

QWEL Reference Manual. Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership. 2018.

Principles of Irrigation. 3rd ed. Irrigation Association. 2015 (classic).

Irrigation. 6th ed.  Irrigation Association. 2011 (classic).

Landscape Training Manual for Irrigation Technicians. 2nd ed. Professional Landcare Network. 2011 (classic).

Print PDF