Irrigation systems vary in complexity, but all benefit from early-season preparation to avoid breakdowns, improve water-use efficiency and reduce downtime.
Scheduling tips for all systems
- Start irrigation before soil moisture drops below the root zone
- Monitor pressure and flow regularly
- Use rainfall to reduce pumping costs
- Keep spare parts and tools on hand
- Train all operators and document procedures
Check your irrigation pump
All pressurised irrigation systems need to have a pump that is:
- properly selected to the system’s duty
- operating efficiently
- well maintained.
If the pump is not performing properly, the irrigation system won’t either.
- Ensure the pipe sizes are adequate, especially the suction pipe.
- Ensure the foot-valve and strainer are not blocked.
- Check inside the pump for partial or full blockages.
- Ensure the operating pressure and flow are according to specifications.
- Have the efficiency checked at regular intervals.
Maintenance and safety tips
- Safety first – Some maintenance tasks can be done on-farm, but others require specialist skills or equipment. Know your limits and legal obligations.
- Prevent machinery collisions – Erect reflective signage to reduce the risk of implements or vehicles striking the irrigator.
- Inspect the irrigator track – Walk the path before start-up to check for obstacles such as fallen branches, failed fences, or leftover equipment.
- Train new operators – Walk the system with new staff before they operate it, and ensure all operators read the operating instructions before use.
- Maintain wheel tracks – Include wheel track management in your farm maintenance program. Deep ruts increase wear on the drive train and can affect irrigator alignment.
- Use soil moisture monitoring and weather forecasting – Link monitoring tools with forecasts using a simple water balance tool to optimise timing and reduce pumping costs.
- Schedule irrigation efficiently – Even the best system won’t perform well without effective scheduling.
- Build staff skills – Train yourself and your team to identify risks and hazards before the irrigation season begins. Small issues can cause outages that impact production within days during hot, dry periods.
Checklists for specific systems
