A method and system for irrigating a field adjacent a watercourse is disclosed comprising a plurality of pumps along the watercourse and measuring from time to time at a plurality of measuring locations the salinity, the pH, the temperature and the turbidity of the water. The measuring locations are different from the pumping locations. A real time salinity, pH, temperature and turbidity at the pumping locations is predicted from the measured values and the pumps selectively disabled or enabled on the predicted salinity, pH, temperature and/or the turbidity.

Additionally, there is disclosed an Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method/system for irrigating a field using a pump comprising an outlet supplying water to the field and an inlet connected to a water source. The method/system comprises a sensor placed at a location in the field for sensing a water depth below a surface of the field and transmitting the water depth to a controller located remotely from the sensing location using a wireless connection. The controller enables the pump when the sensed water depth is below a threshold depth and disables the pump when the sensed water depth is above a threshold depth.

In some embodiments, provide an irrigation sensor system, comprising: a rain funnel comprising an upper opening and at least one wall tapering from the upper opening to a lower aperture; and a tipping bucket positioned to receive water falling from the lower aperture while the tipping bucket is positioned such that a central longitudinal axis of the tipping bucket is not aligned with an axis extending through the lower aperture of the funnel.

Several embodiments provide wireless irrigation control and related methods. In one implementation, an irrigation control system includes a transmitter unit including a controller and a connector to be coupled to an irrigation controller having station actuation output connectors. The controller is can receive an indication that the irrigation controller has activated an irrigation station, and can cause the transmitter unit to transmit a wireless activation signal responsive to the indication. A receiver unit is coupled to an actuator coupled to an actuatable device, such as an irrigation valve, the actuator configured to actuate the irrigation valve to control the flow of water therethrough. The receiver unit receives the wireless activation signal and in response, causes the actuator to actuate the actuatable device.

Several embodiments provide wireless irrigation control and related methods. In one implementation, an irrigation control system includes a transmitter unit including a controller and a connector to be coupled to an irrigation controller having station actuation output connectors. The controller is can receive an indication that the irrigation controller has activated an irrigation station, and can cause the transmitter unit to transmit a wireless activation signal responsive to the indication. A receiver unit is coupled to an actuator coupled to an actuatable device, such as an irrigation valve, the actuator configured to actuate the irrigation valve to control the flow of water therethrough. The receiver unit receives the wireless activation signal and in response, causes the actuator to actuate the actuatable device.

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of farm irrigation, and particularly relates to a novel pressureless irrigation device. The novel pressureless irrigation device of the present disclosure uniformly conveys irrigation water to crop plant root systems on the basis of a connector principle; and the size of a flow cross-section necessarily satisfies the extremely-low flowing speed requirement of lossless conveyance for the connector in a static pressure dominant operating state, thereby eliminating a problem of irrigator blockage which accompanies energy dissipation. Water enters the atmosphere via transpiration of crop plants, and a water supply water level control pool at a head portion is triggered to replenish the water. The water consumption and water replenishment are adaptive, and human intervention and additional energy are not required, thereby realizing low-cost and fool-proof automatic irrigation and true sense of uniform irrigation.

The present disclosure belongs to the technical field of farm irrigation, and particularly relates to a novel pressureless irrigation device. The novel pressureless irrigation device of the present disclosure uniformly conveys irrigation water to crop plant root systems on the basis of a connector principle; and the size of a flow cross-section necessarily satisfies the extremely-low flowing speed requirement of lossless conveyance for the connector in a static pressure dominant operating state, thereby eliminating a problem of irrigator blockage which accompanies energy dissipation. Water enters the atmosphere via transpiration of crop plants, and a water supply water level control pool at a head portion is triggered to replenish the water. The water consumption and water replenishment are adaptive, and human intervention and additional energy are not required, thereby realizing low-cost and fool-proof automatic irrigation and true sense of uniform irrigation.

In some embodiments, provide an irrigation sensor system, comprising: a rain funnel comprising an upper opening and at least one wall tapering from the upper opening to a lower aperture; and a tipping bucket positioned to receive water falling from the lower aperture while the tipping bucket is positioned such that a central longitudinal axis of the tipping bucket is not aligned with an axis extending through the lower aperture of the funnel.

In some embodiments, provide an irrigation sensor system, comprising: a rain funnel comprising an upper opening and at least one wall tapering from the upper opening to a lower aperture; and a tipping bucket positioned to receive water falling from the lower aperture while the tipping bucket is positioned such that a central longitudinal axis of the tipping bucket is not aligned with an axis extending through the lower aperture of the funnel.