Authors: Noah Proctor
Advisors: Dr. Kevin Crowthers
Category: First Year
Abstract: In the United States, many large-scale farms use some form of external irrigation, whether through drip irrigation or overhead sprinklers. However, these methods can be highly inefficient and result in significant water waste. Because of this, various automated irrigation systems have been developed to minimize freshwater consumption in agriculture. Additionally, farms on hillsides can pose additional challenges, as water will flow downhill, causing the soil at the bottom to become moister compared to the soil at the top, further wasting water. While many systems incorporate some components, such as weather or soil data, they often fail to integrate both data types. This project introduces a new irrigation system that integrates weather and soil data while accounting for topographical variations by utilizing multiple solenoid control valves and capacitive soil moisture sensors. The multiple soil moisture sensors and solenoid control valves will allow us to smartly irrigate the different levels independently. This approach offers a more efficient and sustainable water management solution that shows a nearly 50% reduction in water used compared to traditional irrigation systems. This system could be transferred to large-scale agricultural operations and significantly reduce their water footprint.
UN SDGs:
SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production
SDG 13 – Climate Action
SDG 15 – Life on Land
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