Irrigation Optimization Project

2020

$60,000

$25,100

The goal of the Irrigation Optimization project is to maximize water conservation for all Central Control sites operated by City of Kelowna Park Services and to assist Central Control operators throughout the valley. This will be achieved through specific improvements to the Sentinel Central Control system and the implementation of two water saving technologies; Evapotranspiration (ET) data and soil moisture sensors. The City of Kelowna Parks Services Department has been working to improve the installation and utilization of its’ Central Control technology for several years. The project will determine appropriate flow sensing equipment for flood mitigation with the Sentinel Central Control system, as well as site testing the effectiveness of ET based water management versus soil moisture sensor technology. The data will allow the City of Kelowna Park Services and other basin purveyors, to choose which type of conservation tool is best suited to the their particular operations. Potential water savings for the City of Kelowna Parks Services from the full implementation of either water saving technology , coupled with full operational status of the Sentinel Central Control System, is estimated to be 10% of overall usage or 76,668,000 litres diverted from irrigation water use.