Soil Moisture Sensors

Purpose

Gainesville Regional Utilities, in partnership with the St. Johns River Water Management District, is conducting a trial of soil moisture sensors among residential customers who use large amounts of water for irrigation. Two groups of customers will have a soil moisture sensor and new controller installed with their automatic irrigation systems. Water usage before and after the installation will be monitored. Soil moisture sensors should help reduce water use, while maintaining healthy home landscapes.

Homeowner Education

If you use an in-ground, automatic irrigation system, you can use a soil moisture sensor to conserve water. This helps maintain our natural resources, and can also can keep your lawn and shrubs healthier, and save money on your water bill.

 

A soil moisture sensor is buried in the soil and measures how much moisture is in the root zone. It allows your irrigation system to better match the amount of water applied with the amount needed by the plants. It allows irrigation if more water is needed or prevents irrigation if the soil is already wet from rainfall.

 

By not watering when your soil has enough moisture, you can significantly reduce the amount of water used for irrigation. This saves you money, and as importantly, withdraws less fresh water from our aquifer, saving it for future Floridians.

 

 

 

A fact sheet from the University of Florida IFAS Extension and the modules below will help you understand more about soil moisture sensors.

Module 1 Introduction to Soil Moisture Sensors	Module 2 Operation and Installation	Module 3 Frequently Asked Questions

This video will give you detailed instruction on how to use your irrigation system controller. Watch the entire video below, or watch sections of the video about specific topics at Video Chapters:

 

To help you enjoy your yard and manage it responsibly, FloridaYards.org has developed interactive tutorials to answer questions on many related topics. Check out their tutorials from the links below:

Florida-Friendly Landscaping Tutorials

 

Links for More Information:

Research Results on Soil Moisture Sensors - http://news.ifas.ufl.edu/2007/11/13/soil-moisture-sensors-may-produce-big-water-savings-for-homeowners-uf-study-shows/

GRU, Water Conservation -https://www.gru.com/MyHome/LowerMyBill/SaveWater.aspx

GRU, Irrigation Rules -https://www.gru.com/TabID/3693/Default.aspx

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ - http://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/

Plant Selection and Landscape Design - http://fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/pdf/FYN_Plant_Selection_Guide_v090110.pdf

Waterwise Landscaping - http://www.sjrwmd.com/waterwiselandscapes/index.html

Florida's Springs - http://www.dep.state.fl.us/springs/

More on Water from St Johns River Water Management District - http://www.sjrwmd.com