Irrigation water
Irrigation water management with IoT records when and how much water actually flows to the fields. The administration compares this with irrigation schedules, saves inspection trips and reduces evaporation losses.
Irrigation water at a glance
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Irrigation water management: use water to plan
In the solution example, the SMARTebox nanoIO from PSsystec reads the water meters of the irrigation systems. The compact, battery-powered data logger in an IP65 housing is designed for retrofitting distributed and even underground installations. It has four potential-free inputs for meter pulses or alarm contacts and a BLE interface for beacons. Data travels via LTE-M or NB-IoT over Deutsche Telekom's PSA-certified path into the IoT platform; where the signal in a shaft is weak, an external antenna helps. SMS alerts report the start, end and volume of irrigation as well as soil moisture. A REST API connects the operator's system, and configuration is done remotely via a web app.
The example comes from agriculture and the public sector. A district in Germany has used it to digitise agricultural irrigation. Previously, farmers or the administration had to check on site whether irrigation schedules were being followed, and many pumping stations and meters are hard to reach. Today, flow volumes are compared with planned time windows such as 8 to 10 pm. Manual checks are no longer needed, and automatic documentation supports internal analysis and the processing of subsidies.
Irrigation water management: frequently asked questions
How can compliance with agricultural irrigation schedules be checked?
A data logger on the water meter records flow volumes and automatically compares them with the planned time windows. In the district from the example, this is the period from 8 to 10 pm, for instance. The SMARTebox nanoIO reports the start, end and volume of each irrigation run by SMS. Inspection trips by the administration or farmers to the distributed pumping stations and meters are no longer needed.
How does digital control reduce evaporation losses in irrigation?
It ensures that irrigation takes place at favourable times of day rather than in the heat of the day. Without digital control, water was wasted in the example because irrigation took place at unfavourable times. With time-controlled irrigation using the PSsystec solution, the district reduced evaporation and made irrigation more efficient. Water consumption fell significantly.
How can distributed irrigation systems without IT connections be monitored?
With a battery-powered data logger that transmits over the cellular network and connects to existing meters. The SMARTebox nanoIO is compatible with all meters with a pulse output and can be mounted by magnet, on a wall or on a pipe. According to the provider, it runs autonomously for up to five years on five standard batteries. Commissioning and fleet management are handled remotely via a web app.
How does automatic documentation help with irrigation?
It records all irrigation data seamlessly without anyone having to keep lists. In the district from the example, the documentation is used for internal analysis and for processing subsidies. The values are available as charts on the IoT platform and can be transferred into the operator's own systems via the REST API. Manual checks by staff are no longer required.
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