Working on family land comes with a unique sense of responsibility – both towards those that have come before, and those who will take over in the future. In Mike Deaver’s case, this means making sure that the farm he inherited from his father will one day provide a prosperous life for his grandchildren, and beyond.
Resource conservation plays an important role in turning this dream into reality. Just outside Garden City in the US-State of Kansas, Mike Deaver grows wheat, hay and triticale as rain-fed crops, as well as beans and corn under pivot irrigation. His previous setup – comprising conventional stream type devices – had proved no match for the region’s hot, dry and windy summers, leading to excessive losses through wind drift and evaporation.
Cue the Komet Wide Bubbler – one of two sprinklers in Komet’s portfolio designed for LEPA/LESA applications, whereby water is distributed from a low ground clearance directly to the root zone of the crop. Both LESA and LEPA (Low Energy Spray Application / Low Energy Precision Application) are only suited to very specific conditions, including a maximum 1% incline of the irrigated ground. In certain scenarios, however, this type of ultra-low-pressure irrigation can be a good choice, as it not only lowers water usage and energy costs, but also reduces the risk of wind drift and evaporation losses, by delivering the water directly to the soil. In Mike’s case, the consistency of the irrigated soil (a mixture of sand and sandy loam) also played into his decision, as LEPA/LESA irrigation requires light soils with a high infiltration rate to avoid sealing and pooling on the surface of the soil.
With the on-site support of irrigation expert Chris Hindman, one of Komet’s Technical Sales Managers for the South Central US region, Mike compiled a sprinkler package comprised of the rotating Komet Precision Twister (KPT) on the first two pivot spans, and the Komet Wide Bubbler on the remaining spans of the center pivot. The KPTs were installed with 90” between each sprinkler, the Wide Bubblers with a spacing of 60”. The systems on Mike’s farm are designed for flow rates of 300 to 800 gpm, but on this system Mike was able to reduce the flow to 200 gpm by opting for smaller nozzle sizes.
Several growing seasons later, Mike couldn’t be happier: “The efficiency really is impressive”, he is pleased to report. Thanks to their highly engineered designs, the KPT and the Komet Wide Bubbler ensure an ultra-precise, minimal-waste distribution – resulting in thriving crops even at low pressures and a nozzled-back flow rate. Since switching to Komet, Mike has seen significantly less wind drift and a noticeable reduction in water usage.
While LEPA/LESA irrigation is not suited to every scenario, it can offer great results in certain environments and terrains – a goal best achieved with the help of an expert who will carefully assess every aspect of the conditions at hand.
We Speak Your Language! Our network of highly trained Irrigation Consultants covers virtually every part of the world – simply contact us for more details, or find your region’s Komet representative here.
To learn more about the Komet Wide Bubbler and its sister model, the Komet Vertical Bubbler (both based on the Komet Precision Spray KPS), go to our product page.
And lastly, for important insights into the finely-tuned practice of LEPA/LESA irrigation, keep an eye out for the next Komet Academy!
