Developing Smarter Tools for Maximizing the Value of Irrigation
Developing Smarter Tools for Maximizing the Value of Irrigation
Self-recording tensiometers:
Tensiometers are used to measure soil water pressure, which is crucial for understanding water flow patterns in soil. In the early 1990s, tensiometers were manually read, requiring regular field visits to collect data from remote sites. To address this, we configured Campbell Scientific data loggers and modems to transmit tensiometer and other sensor readings to the Manaaki Whenua office via the cellular network. This system was employed in 1990 to monitor and study the effects of climate-induced pore-water pressure on earthflow dynamics in the Mangatu Forest, Gisborne, under the leadership of Chris Phillips. Additionally, a shear testing machine was developed to measure the energy contribution of soil-root interactions for use in slope stability analysis.
Wireless sensor networks:
In the 1990s, sensors were hardwired to central dataloggers powered by solar-backed rechargeable batteries, which limited the spatial measurement of environmental variables. To overcome this limitation, we developed wireless sensor networks based on a star topology using remote garage door openers. These networks enabled spatial measurements of environmental variables and were successfully tested by Oregon State University postgraduate students in St. Andrews Forest. However, the low range of the remote garage door openers restricted the measurement area to less than 0.5 square kilometers.
Mesh networking:
Short-range wireless mesh networks using DigiMesh radios were developed to collect spatial soil moisture data on farms and visualize it on web-enabled devices in near real-time. Mesh networking allows the measurement area to be expanded to cover large farms, as long as each sensor node has a direct line of sight to at least two other sensors. In mesh networks, data hops from one sensor to another until it reaches the gateway, which can be located several kilometers away from the measurement point. Wireless soil moisture sensor networks have been a key component of the successful "Maximizing the Value of Irrigation" program, led by Dr. Carolyn Hedley.
Dr. Carolyn Hedley, the mastermind behind the "Maximizing the Value of Irrigation" program, explains the advantages of farmers using soil moisture networks for precision irrigation scheduling to enhance irrigation efficiency.
Use of LoRa radio technology:
Latest low power LoRa radio technology enabled us to expand our measuring area over 100 sq.km. These LoRa sensor networks guarantee 10-year battery life (13000 mAh) for hourly data measurements. Range tests showed that they could communicate distance over 60km (L.O.S). Veronica Penny is installing a wireless LoRa sensor node in Inverary catchment under the direct supervision of Fly.
Advances in Information Provision from Wireless Sensor Networks for Irrigated Crops (scirp.org)
Moisture monitoring in large catchments:
Moisture monitoring for MBIE Endeavour-funded project called “Hill Country Futures” run by Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ltd.
120 wireless LoRa sensor nodes were constructed during the lock down period to install in 6 catchments around New Zealand. Catchments area varies from 10 - 30 sq.km. Because it was completed during the lockdown period this story went viral Five Scientific Achievements That Happened During Coronavirus Lockdown | Innovation| Smithsonian Magazin
Soil sensors in the living room – how science keeps going during lockdown | Beef + Lamb New Zealand (beeflambnz.com)
Monitoring movements of Wallabies in Waimate with no cellular coverage:
Digimesh self-healing, self-organizing and sleeping wireless network was used to study movements of Wallabies in near real time in Waimate. Wallabies were fitted with GPS modules and Digimesh radios. Digimesh protocols were used to form self-healing, self-organizing, sleeping and moving wireless radio networks. Because there was no cellular coverage in the research area, a Yagi antenna was used to link the local network to a cellular tower over 40km away. The gateway is installed at the highest point in the catchment to connect the network to the cellular tower.
Measuring water retention properties of soil:
Water retention properties of soil are essential to estimate hydraulic properties of soil which help to configure efficient irrigation scheduling. Manual methods of measuring water retention properties of soil are destructive and labour intensive. EQ-PF was designed to obtain water retention properties for both drying and wetting cycles automatically without touching the sample after setting it up. It was demonstrated at AGU conference in USA, and they used to call it "Touchless water retention curve apparatus"
Testing Swarm cellular network for remote data logging:
Landcare Research (MWLR) is custodian of Te Kohinga Harakeke o Aotearoa, comprising three Phormium (flax) collections: the Māori Weaving Collection, the Provenance Collection, and the Plant Variety Rights Reference Collection. They are managed by Katarina Tawiri (shown above). These important collections require irrigation during the dry Canterbury summer months, when their transpiration is higher, and so the opportunity to have a near-real-time soil moisture monitoring system for the three Phormium collections is of great significance.
Multi sampler which could sample water drain under gravity from eight locations and 72 samples was designed for University of Oregon State University USA.
Install many infiltrometers in a catchment at different soil type locations and monitor and control all of them from one location by cell phone or web dashboard over the internet. Veronica Penny is demonstrating functionalities of the infiltrometer. Kirstin Deuss used 3 infiltrometers in Southland. Water reservoir automatically refills when it is closer to empty. Smart phone app allows one to monitor and upload data to the cloud. (below)
Completed lab-based Raman spectrometer Novis N sensor < $2000
MWLR Science Den funded - Cloud connected smartphone driven drainage fluxmeter network. (commercialized)
It was great honour to be able to design the graphical user interface for very popular Dr. Rick Jackson's Watyield water balance model.
Jagath the Sant Claus
Thank you all for your contributions to make them happen: Jagath Ekanayake
