irrigating from stream

[mudhole]

i have approximately 20 acres of low land pasture with a river/stream that runs the border of the property, from the river to the pasture is about 150 feet, all flat.

I planted wrangler Bermuda seed about 3 weeks ago on 9 acres, and Alamo switch grass on 1 acre (as an experiment) it all sprouted about 4 days ago..., anyway I am worried because it is suppose to be just under 100 degrees for the next week and it has been pretty dry for june...(at least for me...it seems all the thunderstorms keep getting my neighbors..).

long story short, I am wondering if I could just buy a 5 or 6 hp semi trash pump and a long distance sprinkler, from river to pump run 2 inch pvc, and then run pvc to a central location in the pasture, then find flexible tubing to run to the sprinkler head.

first will a long distance sprinkler run well from a semi trash pump that has a max psi of around 45-50 psi, if I reduce the 2inch to 1-1/2 sprinkler head would I get more pressure?

second, would I be better off using several smaller sprinklers?

any help would be MUCH appreciated.

 

[Kingfisher]

Do it!

 

[Shanghai]

The weak link on a centrifugal pump like your talking about is the pressure on the water seal
I'd try it but I'd try not to restrict the flow and put pressure on the seal
I'd think more sprinklers instead of bigger sprinklers
Worst case you blow the seal, the new ones are designed not to allow water from the blown seal into the motor

 

[B&M Farms]

Don't reduce the pipe size for pressure. The sprinkler nozzles will do that and volume of water is important. With a 2" header you could run about 6 Rainbird type ag sprinklers at the same time with the right pump.

 

[mudhole]

should I use a semi trash pump or just a water pump...or the high pressure water pump?, what size rain bird? 3/4 inches?

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Where is this property located mudhole?

 

[bmcdonald]

Do it!

Be careful
You may need a permit to pump
Surface water

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Do it!

Be careful
You may need a permit to pump
Surface water

That's along the lines of what I was thinking Kingfisher.

 

[skyhightree1]

Its just an oversized yard sprinkler

 

[mudhole]

I am located in georgia

 

[mudhole]

Skyhightree-what sprnkler size is that and what kind of pump?

 

[skyhightree1]

Mudhole that was my cousins unit he said it was a nelson big gun and he had a diesel 6 inch pump He was pumping the water in the pic out of my pond at my house when I snapped the pic. When we had a bad drought a few years back he bought it to save his cotton then sold it that following year when it rained almost every other day.

 

[mudhole]

Ahhh..way to big for a 400 dollar 2 inch trash pump...

 

[mudhole]

does anyone have experience in matching a pump (pressure and gpm), with sprinkers gpm and minimum pressure requirements?

should I try to match the number of sprinklers to account for about 80% of the total gpm of the pump?

should I go with a higher pressure pump (90 psi) as opposed to the semi trash (45 psi) even though the minimum requirement for the rainbird can be as low as 35-40psi.

also what is the cheapest way to run discharge distances of 1000+ feet of 2 inch diameter?

thanks for any help...this might just wind up being a field experiment that I just keep adding to until I see a drop off at the sprinkers