System Assessment
If you have been experiencing problems with your irrigation system, are thinking of an upgrade, are interested in a limited upgrade but don’t know where to spend your money, or simply are interested in understanding the highlights and shortfalls of your irrigation system in specific terms, then let Hydro Designs come out to your site and assess your existing system.
We visually inspect the hardware and operation of the system, take pressure, flow, and electrical measurements, and deliver to you a written evaluation of the irrigation system. In our report we enumerate those items that need repair or replacement and explain a course of action that will result in an improved and more efficient irrigation or pumping system.
We often are able to include existing components into a proposed upgrade without compromising the potential improvement. This may lead to cost savings, allowing you to maximize your investment.
The improvements resulting from an assessment frequently extend the life of the entire system and reduce maintenance expenses. The upgrades allow you to better allocate limited resources and make long range budget plans.
Master Planning
Master planning is one of the most cost-effective services we provide. Applying our knowledge and experience to irrigation project planning we can save you money, time, and headaches as your project progresses.
We consider your capital and maintenance budgets, water resources, growth of the landscape, available time for construction, contractor availability, hardware and product availability, permitting processes, etc.
Our master plan explains all of the steps and expected costs, allowing you to make informed decisions about project funding and phasing. Part of the Master Plan is the conceptual design of the irrigation/pumping system which assists you in making development decisions.
The Master Plan typically takes the form of a schematic level drawing accompanied by a written narrative in which we discuss the proposed solutions, construction sequencing, and cost estimates.
Irrigation System Design
Our process for an irrigation design begins with a meeting, conference or interview to determine what our client would like. For a renovation we will visit the site and talk with the owner operator, otherwise we require dimensionally accurate drawings of the project. These may come from a landscape or golf course architect, site engineer, or other design professionals that are working on the project.
We develop and send a schematic irrigation site plan to our client with water and construction budgets to make sure that the cost of the system is within the client’s budget and that the annual volume of water will be available. Follow-up discussions are held to clarify the nature of the materials that we envision to be part of the irrigation system.
With our client’s agreement, we proceed to produce construction documents which typically consist of site plans, detail drawings and technical specifications. The latter are sometimes included in a project manual that also contains contractual terms, schedules and a bid form.
Bidding and Construction Support
Hydro Designs will assist with construction procurement. We can provide a list of reliable contractors and vendors, distribute bid documents and receive bids, organize the pre-bid meeting, respond to requests for clarifications, and provide an evaluation of the bids.
Following award of the construction contract we review submittals, work with the contractor to lay out the system hardware, conduct construction observations, respond to change orders and pay requests, and assist with project coordination.
System Commissioning
The final phase of the work that comprises project delivery is system commissioning. This typically entails producing an as-built map or construction record drawing using GPS dataloggers. This map is a critical management and maintenance tool and is often incorporated into the irrigation control system interface. Additionally, we provide initial system scheduling of irrigation, demonstrating how we intended the system to operate and meet our client’s needs.
Site and System Mapping
In addition to mapping irrigation construction record drawings, we often provide GPS maps of landscapes, existing irrigation systems and landscape drainage systems.
Operations
Hydro Designs continues its involvement in the operations and maintenance of the system long after construction is complete. We assist with programming of the control system and write Operations and Maintenance manuals.
The GPS map produced as a construction record continues to be updated as the landscape and irrigation system are modified. We make recommendations with regard to water budgeting and system upgrades.