When the irrigation dashboard reports that a valve has opened, how do you confirm that water reached the intended plot? Tracking valve position, flow and pressure together helps operators verify that irrigation started and that the target volume was delivered.
How does remote irrigation work?
An irrigation district, municipal landscaping team or farm divides the site into independent irrigation zones. Each zone is associated with a valve and a measurement point that can distinguish its water use. Soil moisture and rainfall help determine when to irrigate. A water meter or flow meter shows how much water was applied.
Compatible LoRaWAN field devices send measurements to the LoRaWAN network server through a gateway such as the ATLAS LR-1 gateway. With the appropriate integration, measurements can be monitored in AtlasServer. Specify remote command support and, where needed, valve position feedback when selecting the controller.
-
Send the command.
Record the target zone, valve and time of the command. -
Read the valve position.
Read the open or closed position where feedback hardware is available. -
Measure water flow.
Measure flow and volume. Use pressure to interpret the readings. -
Evaluate the result.
Compare readings with the expected range. Flag deviations or missing data.
What do valve position, flow and pressure tell you?
A communications acknowledgement can show that a message reached the device. Actuator feedback reports the valve position, while the flow measurement shows water passing the measurement point. Matching each record to the zone and its measurement time helps operators decide what to inspect first.
| Field observation | What to check first |
|---|---|
| The valve is open and flow is within range. | Check the increase in the zone meter reading and the total volume delivered. |
| The valve is open and flow is low or absent. | Check supply pressure, pump status, the filter and the measurement point. |
| The valve is closed and flow continues in the zone line. | Confirm the measurement belongs to that zone. Then inspect the valve seal and any bypass line. |
| Recent position or measurement data is unavailable. | Check the last reporting time, device power and communications. Mark the status as awaiting verification if a required measurement is missing. |
This assessment assumes that the measurement point represents the relevant zone and that the data is current.
Example irrigation cycle with a 120 m³ target
Suppose a plot requires 120 m³. If the zone meter reads 1,250 m³ at the start and 1,342 m³ at the end, the delivered volume is 92 m³, a shortfall of 28 m³. The operator can compare the valve status, flow trend and pressure over the same interval to see whether irrigation stopped early or flow stayed low throughout the cycle. The figures are illustrative.
What should an irrigation pilot test?
- Measurement point. Select the meter or flow meter for the expected flow range. If zones share a metered line, determine how you will distinguish water use when several zones run at the same time.
- Coverage and command latency. Test devices in their actual installation locations. With LoRaWAN Class A devices, a downlink command may wait until the device’s next uplink. Measure the time from command submission to valve position feedback.
- Communications outage. Define local control behaviour and the valve’s timeout position according to the hydraulic design.
- Field acceptance. Define measurable acceptance criteria for completed cycles, missing data and deviation from the target volume. Record irrigated area, rainfall and operating conditions when comparing water use.
Choosing project components with Atlas
Depending on the application, consider agricultural irrigation meters, ATLAS USM ultrasonic water meters, battery-powered LoRaWAN pressure sensors and AtlasServer monitoring and zone-based valve control. Select measurement points, communications options and automation scope to suit the site.
Related solution. Agricultural Irrigation Solutions
Discuss your irrigation project
Share the site plan, number of zones, pipe diameters and expected flow range. Work with Atlas to define measurement points, valve control options and the scope of the pilot. Contact Atlas.
Technical references. LoRa Alliance · LoRaWAN device classes · HashStudioz · Smart Water Management Using IoT