COLUMN
Q & A:
Modern Water Management With Kyle McNerney, Founder and CEO of Smart Water Management, a subsidiary of Corbett, Inc.
Why is irrigation important to athletic fields and green space areas? Irrigation is essential because it is the only way to develop a healthy stand of mature turfgrass in full sun year after year. In New England our variable climate has consistently brought drought conditions every year, or every other year. The cost associated with the lost use of unirrigated fields and parks to recover from these conditions makes a functional and efficient irrigation system an economic necessity and not a luxury. We have also seen that soil moisture is the most critical factor when it comes to field and green space playability and usability. Moisture content affects wear tolerance and field surface hardness directly. So moisture management is directly related to safety. Finally, we are in an industry where we are judged from a sideline or a drive-by glance. Field aesthetics and water management are intertwined in that overly green fields, or a system running unnecessarily is perceived as wasteful, but dry fields are judged as unappealing. Simply put, irrigation is necessary because it is financially responsible, improves playability, and provides the aesthetic result by which the industry is judged.
What is the average cost of an irrigation system for an athletic field? The average might be $22,000–$28,000. There are so many things that go into this, including size of field/fields, water source development, new or existing complex, control system needs, etc. That can’t be answered accurately, but you can’t do a fullsize soccer field correctly for $9,000. What are the key criteria during the design phase of an irrigation system? Expandability and reliability. Try to build a system that can accommodate an addition and aim to set a foundation so the additions can be done the right way. Talk to someone – your irrigation contractor will have valuable insight they can offer that will make the management of the system easier. Add enough bells and whistles so that you feel like you got a little more than what you wanted. Installing 20 moisture sensors in unknown locations is overkill, but 2-3 sprinkled throughout a complex can be a helpful tool. I like it when a client says, “I don’t know when I’ll use it, but it made sense.” Consider what it would take to do things better than you have when you put your next system in. Why is automated irrigation usually seen as the best approach? I believe that semi-automatic irrigation is the best approach. By this I mean that human involvement and decision-making should override sensors and automated decisions. However, it is great to understand when to water and how long or how much you should water. This varies site to site, but the practice typically does not. 20 minutes a zone, 5–7 times a week, is the norm, but it takes very little into account. What is the value of correctly applied irrigation water to an athletic field or green space? There are many tangents this discussion could follow, but playability and safety have become the focus of why and how we water and it’s refreshing to see. We have been proud to work with thoughtful people who analyze how they use water critically. Irrigation is one of the tools we can use to make fields and green spaces more inviting places. In contrast, poorly managed irrigation, lack of irrigation, or overwatering makes places less inviting. Irrigation isn’t directly what brings a community together on a field or park, but it’s a big part of what does. •
Kyle McNerney
16 • New England BLADE • June 2021
