Jason GrossEngineering Technician

University of Nebraska Extension

Automating Management for a Vegetative Treatment System

• Develop and demonstrate new alternative practices for un-regulated livestock producers though a small cost share program

• Design and build projects on small and medium livestock operations under real world conditions.

• Educate Producers and Consultants about using VTS

LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS ENVIRONMENTAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT

Nebraska Environmental Trust FundNDEQ (EPA) 319 Non-Point Pollution Program Grant

Sprinkler Vegetative Treatment Systems (VTS) Advantages

• They are flexible systems that can be economically designed to match desired application rates and soil infiltration rates

• Feeding area is down gradient of the possible VTA location• Soil intake rate is too high for a flood application system

(sandy / loess soils) or too low (very tight clay soils)• Topography challenges (rolling hills or short slopes)• Sensitive water table, low AWC of the soil, and many other

reasons• Uniform application may be a critical design constraint• Limited space available.

Why Electric Controls and Sensors?

• Proof of concept• Provide producer with feedback and information

to make informed decisions so that they can prevent or minimize deep percolation risks.

• For sensitive geologies or where there is concern about groundwater impact.

• Automated recordkeeping• System 1 – Washington County Sprinkler VTS• System 2 – Nuckolls County Sprinkler VTS

System 1 - Washington County VTS• Feedlot

• 4.3 acres of yard space• 580 head capacity

• VTA• 8.8 acres of VTA with additional cropland surrounding• single phase pump system with self priming centrifugal pump• 3 sediment basins that drain to pump station• VTA constructed northeast of feedlot with a terrace

deterring rain runoff from VTA• 80 pod K-line system on 4 risers• Variable Frequency Drive electric motor drive for an 80 series

Gorman Rupp self priming pump (10 hp @ 440 gpm)

Feedlot Layout

Basin 1

Basin 2Basin 3

VTA

Pipeline

Pump Station

Abandon Pen

Established Grass on VTA

K-Lines Applying Runoff Water

Pump, Motor, and Filter

Sensors and Controls for Human Machine Interface (HMI) with Simple Message System (SMS)

• WatermarkTM 200SS-V soil moisture sensors at 4 locations at depths of 1 foot and 5 foot.

• 2 SJ Rhombus water level indicators.• Davis Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge.• Touch screen PC based computer.• Wireless connection to HQ internet.• Variable Frequency Drive from Powercom

The Sprinkler “Talking VTS”

Underground Sensors in VTA are wired to a HMI at Pump Station

HMI uses SMS to Alert Producer of pump, basin, and VTA conditions

HMI

Float sensor

Soil moisture

WatermarkTM 200SS-V

The Sprinkler “Talking VTS”Sensor installation1 ft and 4-5 ft

Variable Frequency Drive Control Panel

Touch Screen HMI

System 2 – Nuckolls County VTS

• 250 head cow / calf with farm• 250 head feedlot• Feedlot 1.5 acres• VTA 3.0 ac with 24 K-Line Pods• Single phase electric motor with Berkley B series

end suction pump on a skid.• WatermarkTM 900M Data Collector with 200SS

sensors • Sensors are at 1,3, and 5 foot depths in the VTA

and a pasture.

System 2 – Nuckolls Sprinkler VTS

Pump with Dry Hydrant Suction Inlet

Pump, Motor, and Filter

WatermarkTM 900M Data Collector

3.2” 1.05” 0.62”

What Did We Find Out?• The 2012 drought didn’t help. Did not receive much data

without the rainfall.• We believe that the HMI unit at the Washington CO VTS

can be useful for record keeping and operation in a 30” rainfall area but not for drier climates in western Nebraksa.

• HMI - $4,500 for hardware and software development• 900M – Less than $1,000• The Nuckolls County lower cost sensors worked well but

with only instant read screen, there is not much information to make management decisions with extensive study.

ComingSoon

Questions?

Jason Gross

(308) 865-1594

jgross3@unl.edu