Classes > Landscape

Landscape Irrigation Classes

ITRC Online Courses through the Irrigation Association

ITRC has partnered with the Irrigation Association to offer nine online "modules" for CEU credit that cover the basics of Landscape Sprinkler System Design and Landscape System Auditing. Registration is available through the Irrigation Association. Descriptions of the available modules and registration links are listed below. Click on the icon in each description to view a screenshot of each course's main page.

Want to learn more?

Create a FREE account to login to our Online Courses and Content site. You can view the course format, and view a few free sample tutorials in the public "Introduction to Landscape Irrigation" course.

COURSES

Basic Hydraulics

Advanced | Landscape (3 CEUs)
This module details the core principles of how and why water moves in an irrigation system. In this module you will learn some of the basic terms as you study static and dynamic conditions. You will also learn about the equation that is used to account for the energy in a system and some basic design considerations.

Cost: IA Member: $90.00; Nonmember: $135.00

Basic Soil-Plant-Water Relationships

Intermediate | Landscape (2 CEUs)
This module explains the basic relationships between water, plants and soil. Topics include: soil moisture content terms, available water holding capacity, management allowable depletion, soil moisture depletion and soil water potential.
Cost: IA Member: $65.00; Nonmember: $100.00

Distribution Uniformity & Precipitation Rate

Intermediate | Landscape (1.5 CEUs)
Two of the most important concepts in landscape irrigation are distribution uniformity and precipitation rate. DU refers to how evenly water is applied to a landscape. DU is used to measure the performance of an existing irrigation system and is determined through a catch can test. Precipitation rate identifies the rate at which irrigation water reaches the ground surface, and is affected by sprinkler flow rate and area of coverage. PR is an important value that is used in both system design and irrigation scheduling.
Cost: IA Member: $55.00; Nonmember: $90.00

Evapotranspiration

Intermediate | Landscape (1 CEU)
A plant’s evapotranspiration rate defines how quickly water is transpired through the plant and evaporated from the soil surface. The ET rate varies based on a variety of different factors and is an important component of a good irrigation schedule.
Cost: IA Member: $40.00; Nonmember: $70.00

Irrigation System Components

Beginner | Landscape (3 CEUs)
The success of an irrigation system design depends on an understanding of the components of an irrigation system and how they work within the system. Irrigation systems vary by location, size and type, but there are several general categories of components that you will need to be familiar with before designing a system.
Cost: IA Member: $90.00; Nonmember: $135.00

Landscape Irrigation Auditor

Intermediate | Landscape (4 CEUs)
Irrigation auditing is a method for inspecting and measuring how effectively sprinklers are working to apply water evenly within an irrigated area. This module goes over the five basic steps of preparing for and performing an audit on a landscape irrigation system.

Cost: IA Member: $125.00; Nonmember: $180.00

Scheduling for Auditors

Intermediate | Landscape (2 CEUs)
The Irrigation Association provides three simple worksheets to help an auditor create an irrigation schedule: the simple schedule worksheet, the designated watering days schedule worksheet, and the soil moisture irrigation schedule worksheet. This module goes over each of the three worksheets and gives an overview of what to expect from the system controller.

Cost: IA Member: $65.00; Nonmember: $100.00

Landscape Sprinkler Design

Advanced | Landscape (8 CEUs)
This module outlines the nine basic steps of creating a workable landscape irrigation system design. The program begins with collecting site data and covers computing component sizes, choosing locations for components and calculating runtimes.

Cost: IA Member: $250.00; Nonmember: $340.00

Scheduling for Sprinkler Design

Advanced | Landscape (1.5 CEUs)
This module contains four tutorials that discuss scheduling irrigations after you have designed a system. The course teaches when to water, how much to water and what to expect from a system controller.

Cost: IA Member: $55.00; Nonmember: $90.00

Landscape Water Management

Sponsored by the Irrigation Association, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and Fred and Ginny Hamisch, ITRC has developed a hybrid online/classroom course for Landscape Irrigation.

Landscape Sprinkler Design TBD
$295

Hybrid course covers irrigation system components, soil/plant/water relationships, distribution uniformity, application rates, sprinkler placement & selection, and irrigation scheduling. Online portion will cover necessary prerequisites in preparation of a 2-day design example in class. The 2-day class at Cal Poly is optional.

Landscape Irrigation Auditor TBD
$295

(Suggested prerequisites: Basic Soil, Plant, & Water Relationships, Basic Pipeline Hydraulics I & II)
Steps performed in an audit to determine distribution uniformity (DU) including site inspection and tune-up, system test, calculating system performance and using performance values to schedule irrigations. An irrigation audit will be conducted in class.

Landscape Irrigation Audit Equipment

Catch cans and ring stands can be purchased directly from ITRC - call to place your order using a MasterCard or Visa, or print out this form and send with payment. Ring stands are a form of scholarship fund for the students at the university. The income from the construction of the stands goes directly to the student club to help fund their activities. ITRC has purchased about $35,000 in equipment from the student club since 1996. Please expect about 4 weeks for delivery. Note: The average catch can catchment area for the ITRC catch can cups is 16.25 in².

Complete Landscape Auditor Toolkits (catch cans, steel stands, soil probe, pressure gauge, measuring tape, marking flags, toolbox) can be purchased from The Toolkit Company, (661) 587-9854.