| In order for irrigation water conservation technology to be effective, the equipment must be properly installed and irrigation principles must be understood for correct setup. There are two aspects that affect the watering efficiency of the "smart" irrigation technology: the technology itself and users interaction with the technology. These technologies include sensor-based irrigation bypass devices as well as weather based controllers. There are fundamental behavioral barriers to irrigation conservation potential when considering the use of "smart" technologies. The behavioral barriers include how to use the equipment, when, and how long to water. Even if these barriers are overcome, a properly set irrigation controller cannot make up for poor irrigation system functionality.;The research presented in this dissertation aims to understand both the effectiveness of irrigation conservation technology and the practices and behavior of the domestic irrigator. These aims are satisfied by meeting the following objectives: (1) Intensively monitor the irrigation water use practices of homes with different levels of irrigation technology and scheduling education. (2) Survey the irrigation practices and level of community knowledge of water source, conservation technologies, and policy. (3) Identify areas of need for increased public awareness and misunderstanding of irrigation water use principles. (4) Assess an irrigation water conservation campaign where compliance is compared at the household level.;Upon observation of homes with different technology levels, the soil moisture sensor treatment yielded the greatest savings; with 65% less water applied or irrigation than the meter only treatment. In addition to volume of water use, irrigation frequency was determined; again the soil moisture sensor treatment resulted in the lowest number of irrigation events, which were half to a third less than the other study homes. Surveying the irrigation water use practices and level of community knowledge of water source, conservation, technologies, and policy provided the following conclusions: misunderstanding of plant water needs, influence of watering restrictions water source, and property value and size. Efficient irrigation practices cannot only rely on the intelligence of a "smart" controller. The impact of human behavior is a major factor: a controller irrigates, a person waters. (Full text of this dissertation may be available via the University of Florida Libraries web site. Please check http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/etd.html)... |
