1. Guy Fipps, PhD, Principal Investigator Chris Braden, PhD, Project Coordinator Texas Cooperative Extension Irrigation Technology Center http://itc.tamu.edu/ Rio Grande Basin Initiatives Task 2 Texas Accomplishments 2005-2006

2. Irrigation Technology Center  Tied to Texas A&M – San Antonio campus  Legislature must approve $80 million in tuition revenue bonds in a special session  Special session to convene April 17, 2006  The city must purchase the land for the proposed site

3. New Landscape Irrigation Short Course  Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for Landscape Irrigation Course Overview Course Overview Covers general use of GPS and how GPS can be applied to landscape irrigation systemsCovers general use of GPS and how GPS can be applied to landscape irrigation systems Students will gain knowledge in general GPS use and site mappingStudents will gain knowledge in general GPS use and site mapping 8 hour course offered in a computer classroom setting with outdoor experience8 hour course offered in a computer classroom setting with outdoor experience Course offering Summer 2006 in College Station, TX Course offering Summer 2006 in College Station, TX

4. Short Courses Offered  Landscape Irrigation Auditing and Management Course (16 hour course) El Paso, TX- November 3-4, 2005 El Paso, TX- November 3-4, 2005 19 students19 students 13 new certified landscape auditors13 new certified landscape auditors

5. Short Courses Offered  Electrical Wiring and Safety for Landscape Irrigation Course (8 hour course) Weslaco, TX- August 25, 2005 Weslaco, TX- August 25, 2005 4 students4 students El Paso, TX- offered course, no student enrollment El Paso, TX- offered course, no student enrollment

6. Texas ET Website http://texaset.tamu.edu/ http://texaset.tamu.edu/  Recalculated average ETo (PET) and rainfall rates for 21 cities in Texas http://texaset.tamu.edu/pet.php http://texaset.tamu.edu/rainfall.php  Website uses Irrigation scheduling by irrigators Irrigation scheduling by irrigators Water budgeting and planning by state agencies Water budgeting and planning by state agencies City water conservation departments City water conservation departments

7. Texas ET Website http://texaset.tamu.edu/ http://texaset.tamu.edu/  Customized Texas ET Website to allow users to enter their profile and receive customized irrigation watering recommendations via email  User can set up profiles for Landscape sites Landscape sites Agriculture sites Agriculture sites http://texaset.tamu.edu/date.php?stn=sagc2&s pread=14 http://texaset.tamu.edu/date.php?stn=sagc2&s pread=14

8. Rainout Shelter   Design and build a retractable 5,000 ft 2 shelter as a barrier to rain to maintain a continual 60-day drought recovery for turf cultivars on two soil profiles   Purpose is to have sound scientific research supporting new San Antonio ordinances Plant grasses to survive a 60-day drought Requires at least 4 in of soil where they plant grasses at residential or commercial sites

9. This is the research site for the rainout shelter with 2 parallel concrete beams to support the future roof structure.

10. Illustration of rainout shelter tracking system:  I-beam  Welding tabs  Angle iron  Caster wheels  C-channel For more information on the ITC Rainout Shelter, see my poster.

11. Evapotranspiration (ET) Smart Controllers  ET Controllers installed into residential sites to compare how effectively they operate and set up irrigation schedules  Action plan, participation screening, surveys, and evaluation forms have been created

12. Turf Irrigation and Nutrient Management Reference Manual  Reference manual B-6165 published December 2005 by Texas Cooperative Extension  Irrigation Water Management (Dr. Fipps, author) Predicting turf water requirements Predicting turf water requirements Accounting for rainfall Accounting for rainfall Determining irrigation frequency Determining irrigation frequency Determining station runtimes Determining station runtimes Determining precipitation rate Determining precipitation rate

13. Thank You