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Tap Size vs. Turf Area Table#

This table is intended as an aid for irrigation design. The values are calculated assuming peak daily evapotranspiration rates of 0.25 inches for Kentucky Bluegrass and 0.20 inches for Turf-type Tall Fescue. For the purposes of the calculations, assume that the irrigation efficiency and tap utilization efficiency are equal to 100 percent, and the maximum time of irrigation is 8 hours. More realistically, however, this would be equivalent to irrigation and tap utilization efficiencies of 80 percent, and a maximum irrigation time of 12 hours.

These maximum discharges assume a disk-type meter. In certain cases irrigation-only taps that are 1-1/2 inches or larger, turbine meters are allowed, which have higher maximum discharge limits.

Tap
Size
Maximum
Discharge
(gpm)
Maximum
Bluegrass
Area
Maximum
Tall Fescue
Area
sq.ft. acres sq.ft. acres
3/4" 10 30,800 0.71 38,500 0.88
1" 25 77,000 1.77 96,000 2.20
1 1/2" 50 154,000 3.54 192,500 4.42
2" 80 246,500 5.66 308,000 7.07
3" 160 493,000 11.32 616,000 14.14

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