Water channel management system
Context - Problem
The “Canal del Medio” (as it is named), located in Cabildo, Petorca Province, provides irrigation water to 39 irrigators. Until now, the delivery of water was carried out in shifts that depended on a person who traveled the canal manually opening and closing valves.
The shifts were established with a defined duration but without keeping a record of the actual time in which the water was delivered. Likewise, there was no record of the volume of water delivered to each irrigator.
Additionally, the delivery of water depended on the person in charge of the operation. In the event of illness or unforeseen events, other measures had to be taken or the delivery schedule changed. In addition to all of the above, the channel did not have intermediate markers to identify losses or unauthorized withdrawals.
This system did not allow for precise administration. As the water delivered to each of the irrigators was unknown, the charge was pre-established per shift and based on a theoretical planning, but without the possibility of verifying that it was fulfilled in practice.
Solution
A radical change will be made to optimize channel management. The project will improve the efficiency of the water channel since it will be piped in its entirety, eliminating losses due to infiltration or evaporation.
39 flow meters will be installed to measure the water actually delivered to each irrigator. Likewise, the water delivery will be activated by solenoid valves controlled from our equipment.
To control the losses, three flow meters will be installed at different points of the canal that will check that the water is not lost along the canal.
The entire system will be powered by solar panels.
The scheduling of the deliveries will be carried out on a web platform which, in addition to being in charge of carrying out the operation of the solenoid valves, will collect the information from the flowmeters to generate information display panels and automatic reports useful for the management of the channel and the intake. decision making.
General data:
- CNR-Gore 114-2020 Contest
- 39 Deliveries
- 80 users benefited
- 90% Small agriculture
- 120 Hectares of Irrigation
- Maximum flow of 30 lts / sec
