How do I go about determining (with some level of accuracy) how much water, in inches, that I am applying to my yard with the sprinkler system?

I've heard of setting cans over the area & timing how long it takes to collect 1", but that doesn't seem very practical since I have 9 separate zones in my system.

Any tips or ideas?

Thanks,
Kevin

That is the only way that I have ever heard of doing it. You will probably have to do it for each zone as they will each be different. It is a lot of work, but I think it is the only way to get the results you are looking for.

Well, they're talking about restricting watering this summer, due to drought, to 1"/week. I wonder how they intend to enforce that though. I can guarantee my neighbors will not be going to the trouble of adjusting their watering habits.

I want to start "prepping" my lawn now since the restrictions appear to be almost a certainty at this point.

Seems like there should be a way of calculating it based on water flow, but I haven't figured it out yet.

Seems you could measure the surface area that gets water in terms of square feet. Then run your system for the regular amount of time taking a meter read before and after the watering occurs. Now you have the area watered, the gallons used, and the period of time elapsed. It should be simple math to determine the inches of water your system puts out in a specific period of time.

Another good reason to have trees, shrubs and gardens instead of just grass!

Applying about a half inch of good, composted animal manure over your entire lawn will drastically reduce the need for water.

Now would be a perfect time for HG to contact ALL the suburbs as well as Dallas/Ft Worth (like he doesn't have enough to do!) and simply explain the "Natural Way" and how it can conserve water. What about a 'press relaese'? Or at the very least, if enough of us sent letters to the editor in local papers, maybe that would work.
Kbrew wrote a good one a while back, to the Morning News. Good advice!
Patty

Now would be a great time for everyone to write to the city and the newspapers (letters to the editor, etc.) and just spreading the news word of mouth.

Just an update. I did try the "can method" with limited results. I basically just used the cans to double check some other info I found online at a water conservation website. It said that the average popup sprinkler head puts out 1.6" of water per hour. The average rotor head puts out 0.8" per hour. I used the cans to double check those figures & they appear to be reasonably accurate. Then, I just calculated how long to water for each zone to get 1" of water/week. I also created multiple run times per zone to minimize runoff.

Thanks to all for your help.
Kevin

The can method is the best way I know to determine coverage. For drip systems, (in clay soil) a screwdriver may be used. Best to use a fiberglass probe. Remember that the texture of your soil will determine your watering needs. This can vary from place to place within your yard. Your water needs will change over time as mulch breaks down and as your soil improves. It is a good idea to keep a check on it at least once a year.