A 'bucket test' method is based on collecting irrigation water in strategically placed buckets and measuring water is collected over a certain period of time. Carrying out a 'bucket test' will help determine the application depth, rate, and how uniformly water is being applied during an irrigation event.
Check-It Bucket Test App
The Bucket Test App is available for Android and iOS. It can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store.
The App walks you through a simplified system check, provides the results instantly to your phone and e-mails a report to you. The App is now available for all irrigation system types except Drip-micro.
If you need a step by step explanation of how this App works, have a look at the 'How to' guide. The guide is designed to give users an understanding of the simplified bucket test process and how it varies from a performance assessment.
The guide is designed to give new users an insight into the questions and processes required to successfully complete a bucket test.
Start-up checks & Bucket Test methodologies
It is important that irrigators check their irrigation system(s) at the beginning of each irrigation season. Start-up checks must be performed before undertaking a Bucket Test. Click here to access the Start-up checks. The Bucket Test methodologies for all common irrigation systems are provided below -
Centre Pivot
Linear
Sprayline (pods, long lateral, solid set)
Travelling Irrigators (boom, gun, rotorainer)
Drip-Micro
IRRIG8Lite is a tool that can be used to assess the depth and uniformity of irrigation applications. It also contains simple energy assessments for pump and mainline efficiency.