Water testing helps determine whether your water is safe to use by measuring the pH, various components and the total salt content. Our turf irrigation water testing services provide data and guidance to help you form an action plan to improve the condition of your turf.
For more turf testing, check out the soil, soil health and plant tissue pages.
What’s in your water? Monitoring the quality of irrigation water is a vital component in managing plant health.
Irrigation Suitability Package – complete profile of water quality, including….
Additional Analysis Available – These tests can be selected individually for any sample.
Irrigation Water Sampling Guide
Sampling Supplies:
Amount Needed: At a minimum, 120 ml (about 4 oz or ½ cup) of water per sample.
Procedure:
Sampling Procedures
Your results are only as good as the sample taken! In order for a soil test to be an effective monitoring tool, sampling procedures need to be consistent. Maintain annual field histories to document your sampling routine.
Sample turnaround is three working days. Results are available online, via email or standard mail. Choose from Excel, PDF or CSV files or the Turf water report.
Analysis | Unit | Satisfactory Possible | Problem Probable | Problem |
Water Characteristics | ||||
Water pH | — | — | — | |
Hardness | 0 – 125 | 126 – 245 | >245 | |
Bicarbonate | ppm | 0 – 111 | 112 – 525 | >525 |
Carbonate | ppm | 0 – 12 | 13 – 62 | >62 |
Impact on General Plant Growth | ||||
Electrical Conductivity | mmhos/cm | 0 – 0.75 | 0.76 – 3.0 | >3.0 |
Total Soluble Salt | ppm | 0 – 480 | 481 – 1950 | >1950 |
Impact from Root Contact | ||||
Sodium | meq/l | 0 – 2.9 | 3.0 – 9.0 | >9.0 |
Chloride | ppm | 0 – 140 | 141 – 360 | >360 |
Boron | ppm | 0 – 0.5 | 0.6 – 2.0 | >2.0 |
Impact from Foliage Contact | ||||
Sodium | ppm | 0 – 70 | 71 – 210 | >210 |
Chloride | ppm | 0 – 100 | 101 – 350 | >350 |
Impact on Soil Structure | ||||
Sodium Absorption Ratio Adj. | meq/l | 0 – 6.0 | 6.1 – 9.0 | >9.0 |
Electrical Conductivity | mmhos/cm | >0.5 | <0.5 |
Water Sample Submission Form
Sampling Guide – Irrigation Water
Understanding Turf Irrigation Water Quality
Understanding a Turf Irrigation Water Analysis
Monitoring irrigation water for its salt content is an important component in an overall turf management program. Irrigation water can create saline and/or alkaline soil depending on the quality and type of salt dissolved in the water. Salt concentration in irrigation water reduces available soil moisture, which limits plant growth. The type of salt dissolved is detrimental to soil structure, which reduces water infiltration.
Total Dissolved Salts
Chemically pure water does not conduct electricity, but water with dissolved salt does. The total salt content of a water sample is measured by electrical conductivity (ECw), reported as millimhos per centimeter (mmhos/cm). More tangible units of measurement are parts per million (ppm) or pounds of salt per acre foot. The ECw can be converted to these units as follows:
ECw x 640 = ppm
ppm x 2.72 = lbs/acre foot
For example: ECw of 2.0 mmhos/cm equals 1,280 ppm of dissolved salt or 3,481 pounds of salt for every foot of water applied. If over the irrigation season, 24 inches of water is applied the final annual total of salt is 6,962 pounds. From this example it is easy to understand how salts in irrigation water can quickly increase the salinity level in the soil.
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