Sprinkler Placement

Introduction
The importance of proper sprinkler placement can not be over-
emphasized. Once installed, if an irrigation system performs inefficiently,
changing the nozzles or even the sprinklers may not be sufficient to
correct the problem. And changing the sprinkler spacing after installation
requires a great deal of additional time and money.

This section is designed to give an overview of head placement. Because

design criteria and preferences vary from one geographical region to the
next, no two designers will arrive at exactly the same placement pattern.
The design criteria on some projects may emphasize sprinkler uniformity
with minimal overspray while other projects may not be as concerned with
uniformity and overspray as with system installation cost. Because of the
varying design criteria and designer preferences, this section will provide
a starting point for learning the art and science of head placement.

Key Factors
While there are different approaches to sprinkler head layout and spacing,
certain factors must be considered for any placement plan. Key among
these is the type and size of the planting areas (also called hydrozones),
the manufacturer’s maximum spacing ratings and the designers choice of
spacing methods, and the effect of wind on those spacing values.
Hydrozones
A hydrozone is a portion of the landscape that has similar plants and/or
water requirements. The hydrozone is irrigated by one or more valves
using a common irrigation schedule. Before head placement can begin the
designer must establish hydrozones, or areas with plants that would
logically be watered on a similar irrigation schedule. Examples of
hydrozones include an area of turf grass, a shrub bed, or a slope with
ground cover.

The purpose of establishing hydrozones is to divide the landscape into

areas that would use similar sprinkler equipment and can later be
subdivided into circuits or zones. These circuits or zones are areas with the
identical irrigation requirements. Subdividing the hydrozone into circuits
or zones is presented later in the System Layout section. Once the
hydrozones are established, the process of head spacing and layout begins.

Maximum Spacing Ratings

Traditional head spacing methods try to balance the need for uniform
coverage and sufficient sprinkler overlap with the financial advantage
gained by installing the fewest number of heads possible. This usually
means installing the sprinkler with largest radius possible. (Large area
rotors are typically used in areas that are larger than 15 feet, while small
area sprays are usually placed in areas smaller than 15 feet.) The
recommended sprinkler radius information is found in the Hunter
Irrigation Products Catalog.

The traditional spacing methods are based on either square or triangular

spacing patterns. The distance between sprinklers in a row and the
distance between rows of sprinklers is based on the sprinkler’s radius of
throw. The distance is reduced as the average wind speed increases or as
required by the distribution pattern of the sprinkler.
Square Spacing Patterns
In a square spacing pattern the sprinklers in a row are the same distance
apart as the rows of sprinklers. It is sometimes considered that square
spacing provides less uniform coverage than equilateral triangle spacing.
However, in many small landscape areas it provides the best protection
against overspray, and therefore is the preferred spacing pattern.

Figure 26

Triangular Spacing Patterns

In a triangular spacing pattern, the heads are placed at the corners of an
equilateral triangle as shown. With triangular head spacing, the uniformity
of coverage will be slightly higher than with square spacing patterns.

Figure 27
Triangular spacing is usually the preferred spacing pattern for large
landscape areas. The major drawback to triangular head spacing is the
tendency for more overspray along the perimeter, therefore it is seldom
used in residential or other small area systems.

Square Spacing:

Triangle Spacing:

Figure 28

In both the square and the triangular methods, a minimum of head-to-

head spacing is recommended (Figure 29).

Figure 29
The Effects of Wind
Sprinkler manufacturers recommend no more than head-to-head spacing in
most situations. Additionally, manufacturers recommend watering in the
early morning hours when the wind speed is at its lowest. The reality
however, is that avoiding the wind may not be an option in all cases, and
the spacing may have to be reduced to achieve even coverage.

Generally speaking, spacing at the manufacturer’s recommended radius

will provide even water distribution in light breezes of up to about 5 miles
per hour. In areas where the wind is stronger than that, the spray pattern
becomes distorted. A general rule of thumb is that for prevailing winds of
more than 5 miles per hour, reduce the spacing by 1% for every 1 mile per
hour.

In many areas where wind is a concern, low angle nozzles help to reduce
wind drift and the resulting waste of water and uneven distribution.

Initial Sprinkler Layout

Whether based on square or triangular spacing methods, nearly every
irrigated area will need some modification to the head and/or row spacing
patterns. Achieving final head placement is the result of a process that
includes:
A) initial head layout based on the traditional head spacing
methods and manufacturer recommendations.
B) compression of head and/or row spacing as necessary to
conform to site conditions
C) placement of fill-in or supplemental heads, or heads with a
larger or smaller radius

Sprinkler Placement Considerations

A) Consider the size of the hydrozone to find a placement pattern
that provides uniform coverage while limiting the number of rows of
sprinklers so that the cost of the installation is not prohibitive. For
example, there may be sufficient pressure available to utilize a sprinkler
that would cover the area with a single row placed in the middle of the
area, but single row spacing results in poor water distribution uniformity
and excessive overspray.

Distribution uniformity increases when two or more rows of sprinklers are

used, but system installation cost increases with the additional rows. A
good design will provide a balance of uniform coverage without an
excessive number of sprinklers.
B) The flow and pressure available for the system will restrict the
options available for sprinkler spacing. The lower the available pressure
and flow rate, the smaller the sprinkler radius. A smaller sprinkler radius
results in shorter head and row spacing.
C) Selection of the sprinkler pattern that provides minimal
overspray increases in importance if the irrigated area is bounded by public
walkways, roadways, or parking areas, or if water conservation is an
important consideration.

Placing the Sprinklers

Begin placing the sprinklers by locating appropriate part-circle sprinklers
at all of the critical points of the area to be irrigated. Critical points are the
corners of the area. For example, a relatively small square area has four
critical points, where four quarter-circle heads would be located (see
Figure 30).

Figure 30
The next step is to measure the distance between adjacent critical points. If
the distance between two sprinklers is within the spacing criteria
established by the manufacturer, then no additional heads are necessary
(head-to-head coverage). If the distance exceeds these spacing criteria,
place a head within the recommended distance of one of the critical points
(see Figure 31). Repeat this process around the edge of the entire area until
there are enough part-circle heads to satisfy the spacing criteria.

Figure 31

Now, if the coverage of the part-circle heads across the width of the area
also does not meet the spacing criteria, then full-circle sprinklers need to
be added along the length of the area. Locate these points by drawing a
perpendicular line from each part-circle head, across the area, to the
opposite head. Place full-circle sprinklers at the intersections of these grid
lines (see Figure 32). Be sure to check the spacing along both the vertical
and horizontal grid lines to ensure the spacing criteria are met in both
directions.

Draw perpendicular lines from a

half-circle head to the one across
from it to easily determine the
location of the full-circle head.

Figure 32
This method can be used to produce triangular spacing patterns as well.
However, in this case, the grid lines will be diagonal instead of
perpendicular (see Figure 33). Many designers believe that triangular
layouts provide better uniformity, but this may not always be the case. For
example, a triangular pattern used in a rectangular area can reduce
uniformity at the boundaries of the area.

So, a good rule of thumb when selecting a shape pattern is to use

rectangular patterns for areas with right-angle corners, and triangular
patterns for areas with odd-angle corners.

Note in Figure 33 that heads are placed at the intersection of two arcs.

Figure 33
Curved Landscapes
The previous placing method is good for achieving uniformity in areas
with definite corners. However, standard geometrical spacing is not
suitable for all landscaped areas, especially those with curved shapes. In
these cases, the critical points are the edges.

To design an irrigation system in a curved area, begin by placing

sprinklers at the edges of the area, and then move inward toward its center.
To determine these locations, convert the curved edge to a series of
straight lines (see Figure 34); the length of the lines is determined by the
sprinkler radius.

Figure 34
Next, place part-circle heads at each intersection of two lines. When this is
done, full-circle heads are placed inside the area, from the perimeter
toward the center of the area. Instead of using grid lines to place these
interior heads, draw the circular spray pattern of each edge sprinkler, and
evaluate its position using the spacing criteria of the manufacturer.
Continue this process while moving toward the center of the area (see Figure
35).

Figure 35
Most of the sprinklers placed inside the edges of the area will be full
circles. If this does not provide adequate coverage, “back-up” heads may
be required to achieve uniformity. These heads are not part of a
“symmetrical” layout, and they are placed to water areas that do not
receive sufficient overlapping coverage from the other sprinklers.

Square, rectangular, and slightly curving landscape areas with no

obstructions are the exception rather than the rule. Most landscape areas
contain curves, obstructions, or size variations that make head placement
more challenging. No two designers approach head placement for an area
in the same way. With that in mind, the following are some typical
problems faced by irrigation designers.

Solutions to the Design Problems

There are many solutions to every design problem. All of the solutions,
however, will be undesirable to some degree depending on the design
criteria.
 When designing for minimum cost, uniformity is jeopardized.
 When trying to reduce head count, overspray becomes a
concern.
 Designing for maximum coverage with minimal overspray
results in additional sprinklers and higher installation cost
(lower operating costs may offset higher installation costs
where water rates are high).

Sprinkler head layout is a process of selecting between conflicting design

criteria and reaching a compromise. The following design solutions
emphasize minimal overspray and maximum uniformity at the expense of
additional sprinklers and higher initial expense.

Special Situations
Shrub Beds - Shrub beds where plants are spaced close together present
the designer with the problem of dense foliage which blocks spray
patterns.

With dense shrub beds the design options include: 1) shrub heads on tall
risers to spray top of the foliage, 2) low angle trajectory nozzles to spray
under the foliage, 3) bubblers in level areas with contained borders, or 4)
drip irrigation. All of these solutions have their own limitations but
represent possible options.
Protected Areas - Protected areas include: walks, patios, low windows,
fences and walls.

For walks and patios the object is to minimize water onto these surfaces to
limit safety hazards and reduce water waste. Depending on the size of the
area, in general, smaller radius heads will result in less overspray than
larger radius heads. In some cases where there are irregular boundaries on
large landscape areas, small radius heads are used at the perimeter to
protect the walks or other surfaces.

Windows that extend to the floor line present a special problem for
designers. The window must be protected from spray drift or excessive
maintenance will be required to remove accumulation or water spots. To
minimize drift, 180° low angle spray heads are placed against the wall,
spraying away from the window. This minimizes the drift of water back
onto the window. If this is not sufficient, drip or bubbler irrigation in these
areas is another option.

Fences and walls should be protected from direct spray to prevent fading
or discoloration. Placing sprinklers 6 to 12 inches away from the fence or
wall, and adjusting the sprinkler's pattern to spray out into the landscape
will minimize the amount of water that comes into direct contact with
them, and will reduce the amount of discoloration.

The Narrow Planter - A designer may be faced with a narrow planter

that is smaller than the radius of most sprinklers. These areas are typical of
planting strips around buildings and walkways where overspray can be a
problem.

In a narrow area of turf, head placement can be difficult because of the

number of heads that must be used in a small area to achieve uniform
coverage. Because of the large number of heads in this small area the
precipitation rate will be very high, which will require multiple short
irrigation cycles to prevent runoff.

In shrub or ground cover areas, the number of heads needed can be

reduced from the same sized turf area. This reduced-head layout may not
provide adequate coverage for turf, but it can be appropriate for some
ground covers and shrub beds.
Head spacing in narrow areas is determined by the size of the narrow area.
Measure both areas, then divide the length of the narrow area into the
length of the long area. This is the number of spaces between heads.
Simply add 1 to the number of spaces to establish the number of heads
needed for the area. When placing heads on the plan, place the first
sprinkler along one side of the planter and place every other head on the
opposite side of the planter.

A Wider Planter - A planting area of 15 to 20 ft. along the narrow side is

more in line with the radius of throw for small rotors. The head layout
would be similar to the narrow planter except that you can use small rotors
(Hunter PGM). With this larger area the head count and precipitation rate
would be acceptable.

The Curved Strip - A narrow curved area similar to a median area along
a curving roadway can present a problem because the distance along the
inside of the curve is less than the distance along the outside of the curve.

In a curved strip the head layout would be approached similar to the wider
planter discussed above. The difference is the curve’s inside radius is
shorter than the outside radius. The designer would start by selecting a
head that could cover the dimension across the narrow side of the area.
The heads would then be placed along the inside curve at the appropriate
spacing as determined by manufacturers recommendation, or by
traditional spacing distances. The opposing row of heads placed along the
outside edge of the curve would be placed using the same spacing (or
compressed if necessary) without any attempt to keep the inside and
outside heads aligned in a square or triangular pattern. Because of the
difference in length of the inside and outside radii there may be fewer
heads along the inside than along the outside of the curve. This type of
placement provides for head-to-head coverage even though it is neither a
true square or triangular pattern.

Figure 36
The Radius Edge - This type of area presents a problem because only one
side is a radius. Normal head spacing must be adjusted or sprinklers with
larger or smaller radius must be used.

Head placement in an area with a radius does not represent a true square or
rectangular area either. Head placement must be adjusted to fit the curved
edge while still maintaining head-to-head coverage.

Figure 37

Short Radius Corner - This problem represents a portion of a larger turf

area. The problem area is the corner that has a short radius.

Figure 38
Head placement is complicated because the corner of this area is rounded
instead of square. The designer must make a decision to either place a
head outside of the planting area in a normal corner area position, center
the head on the radius, or eliminate the sprinkler head.

A larger radius sprinkler can be very successful in a tight radius situation.

Simply place an adjustable arc head in the corner, centered on the radius.
While this does not provide perfect coverage, it delivers acceptable
coverage for turf with minimal overspray. If the area is planted with
shrubs, the head in the corner could be eliminated.

The Angled Border - In this situation the area starts out as a rectangle but
the border on one side angles in to a narrower dimension. The challenge
here is to use reduced radius heads to complete the head layout.

The head layout in this type of area can use rotor heads such as the PGP or
I-20, with the radius reduced in the narrow end. Smaller nozzles can be
used to obtain the reduced radius while maintaining a relatively uniform
precipitation rate. If the area is too small for a reduced radius nozzle, a
PGJ may be used on the same system. In order to maintain uniform
application rates, the sprinklers along the perimeter may be placed on a
separate valve(s) from the sprinklers in the middle of the area. Separate
valves allow for longer sprinkler run-times for the heads in the middle
which can contribute to an even distribution of water throughout the entire
planting area.

Figure 39

In a smaller angled landscape area, spray nozzles with a shorter radius can
be installed in the narrower end.
The Curved Border - This problem includes a curving border that
requires changing radius and/or types of heads in order to provide uniform
coverage minimal overspray.
A possible solution for this problem would be to use fixed spray heads
(Hunter PS or SRS) to provide uniform coverage with minimal overspray.

Another solution if the area is large with a tight curved border would be to
use a combination of Hunter PGP or I-20 rotors and PGJ rotors on the
same zone, or even Pro-Spray or I-Spray spray heads on a separate zone
from the rotors. If you would need to use the spray heads, the use of the
rotor heads in the same area substantially reduced the overall cost for the
larger area even though the spray and rotor heads would have to be on
separate valves. The difficult portion of this solution is to decide where to
stop the spray heads and start the rotors.

PGP
 PGJ

Figure 40
The Irregular Border - In this problem the border is neither straight nor a
fixed radius. This wavy area forces the designer to make multiple nozzle
selections and adjustments to head placement to accommodate the
irregular boundary.

Figure 41

Like the Curved Border, because of the irregular boundary reduced radius
heads would be implemented using smaller nozzles to maintain uniform
precipitation rates. And, in order to maintain uniform application rates, the
sprinklers along the perimeter would be on a separate valve from the
sprinklers in the middle of the area. Separate valves allows for longer
sprinkler run-times for the heads in the middle.

The Slope - In most sloped areas there are two challenges: the slope of the
area and the fact the slope narrows at one end. This type of area is typical
where a driveway enters an elevated property from a roadway. The narrow
area requires an adjustment in the head spacing or radius of the heads.
Additionally, the slope increases the potential for run-off and erosion.

Normally, the designer would choose low precipitation rate rotors for use
on a slope. In some cases, a slope that is narrowed at one end makes the
use of rotors impractical. Small radius spray heads can be used on the
slope in order to accommodate those narrowing areas. Because spray
heads have a high precipitation rate, the system would need a controller
capable of watering using multiple short cycles to prevent excessive run-
off and erosion (such as a Hunter ICC).
On larger slopes, a combination of rotors in the larger areas and sprays in
the smaller areas with separate valves controlling the application of water
can be a possible solution.

In order to provide greater control, three separate valves would be

installed on the slope; one controlling the heads at the top of the slope, one
for the middle heads, and one for the heads at the bottom of the slope.

Obstructions in the Landscape - With obstructions in the landscape,

such as tree trunks, light poles or signs, care must be taken to prevent dry
spots behind the obstruction caused by a blocked spray pattern. When
obstructions are present, design options include: 1) adjusting head
placement so the obstruction is at equal distance between adjoining heads
or, 2) placing an additional fill-in head next to the obstruction spraying
into the area where the spray pattern is blocked or 3) selecting larger
radius heads where pattern is blocked in order to reach the dry spot.

Solutions to the problem of obstructions in the landscape require: 1)

adjusting head placement so the obstruction is at equal distance between
adjoining heads or, 2) placing additional fill-in heads near the obstruction
spraying into the area where the spray pattern is blocked or, 3) selecting
larger radius heads where pattern is blocked to reach the dry spot.

Residential Landscape: Adjoining Large and Small Areas - With this

residential yard the designer is presented with the typical problem of a
lawn area that has a small narrow area attached to a larger lawn area. In
these situations, the designer must either maintain uniform precipitation
rates in the large and small areas or separate valves must be used to
accommodate the different precipitation rates when using different types
of heads.

The small and large adjoining areas problem presents a difficult design
situation which is common on small residential areas. The designer is
faced with: 1) turf areas with east and west exposure which will require
different irrigation schedules, 2) large and small turf areas that require
different sprinkler types, 3) challenges to maintain uniform coverage with
minimal overspray.
One solution to these problems is to use spray heads and rotors. Pro-Spray
or I-Spray spray heads can be used in the smaller areas, while PGJ, PGP,
or I-20 rotors can be in the larger areas. Separate valves are required for
sprays and rotors.

If the smaller area is large enough (12 feet to 30 feet), PGJ rotors can be
placed in that area with the PGP and I-20 rotors designed into the larger
area. Because the two rotors have similar precipitation rates, both the
small area and the large area rotors can be installed on one valve.
20 ft
PGJ

20 ft

PGP

40 ft

40 ft

Figure 42
Summary
Sprinkler head placement is the most difficult and one of the most
important steps in sprinkler system design. System uniformity, and
installation and operating costs are determined by head placement plans.

Improved head placement will occur when:

1. manufacturer’s recommendations are followed
2. careful analysis of head layout is included in the design process
3. head placement plans are compared with field installations

While no head placement plan will result in perfect water distribution

uniformity, well thought out placement patterns will result in improved
system performance and plant health over the lifetime of the irrigation
system.

What You Need to Know

 Decide where you will be installing large area sprinklers and where you
will be installing small area sprinklers.
 Always design your sprinkler systems with head-to-head coverage.
 Design the system by placing sprinklers in one area at a time.
 The critical points are the corners. Mark the corners to receive
heads, then using a compass, draw an arc showing the
sprinkler’s pattern.
 If the quarter circle heads will not spray each other, place
sprinklers along the perimeters. Draw these sprinkler’s watering
patterns.
 If the perimeter heads will not spray across the area to the heads
on the other side, add full circle heads in the middle. Draw these
sprinkler’s watering patterns.
 Minimal overspray and maximum uniformity is achieved at the expense
of additional sprinklers and higher initial expense.

Sprinkler head layout is a process of selecting between conflicting design

criteria and reaching a compromise. Your design solutions will be driven
by the budget – with a higher the budget, your design can be more
efficient.
Exercise
Transfer following two areas to your Hunter graph paper. Then, using
Hunter PGJ rotors, place sprinklers in the appropriate locations.
Remember to start at the corners, then add heads as necessary. Assuming
the available dynamic pressure at the sprinkler is 40 PSI, use the catalog to
determine which nozzles to use.

Problem 1

15 ft.

30 ft.

Problem 2

15 ft.

30 ft.
15 ft.

15 ft.