RAIN BIRD® ET MANAGER
OFFERS WEATHER-BASED,
SMART IRRIGATION CONTROL
GLENDORA, Calif. (June
8, 2006) – Harnessing the power of local
precision weather stations, wireless technology and accurate
schedule software, Rain Bird® Corporation’s new
ET
Manager™ uses real-time weather conditions to
ensure that landscapes are kept at an optimum moisture
balance. With unmatched accuracy and simple installation,
Rain Bird’s ET Manager is a cost-effective solution
that offers users significant water savings, deeper root
systems and a healthier landscape.
The ET Manager works with virtually any irrigation controller
and irrigation configuration. From the smallest residential
yard to the largest commercial application, the ET Manager
converts a conventional irrigation system into a weather-smart
one that adjusts itself according to accurate, real-time
weather data.
Rather than relying on a time-based scheduling system, the
ET Manager uses current weather conditions to calculate the
evapotranspiration (ET) rate and allows the controller to
irrigate precise amounts of water only when the soil moisture
balance reaches user-set levels. ET is the amount of water
lost from the soil (evaporation) plus plant water loss (transpiration).
Using the Irrigation Association-endorsed American Society
of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) standardized ET equation,
the ET Manager is the most accurate product of its kind,
featuring hourly (not just daily) wireless updates from local
precision weather stations. This formula includes data from
all required climatic variables, including solar radiation,
temperature, wind and humidity to accurately calculate ET.
Because best horticultural practices recommend deep, less-frequent
watering for healthy landscapes, the ET Manager allows the
controller to water only when the landscape needs it. This
practice, called “Managed Allowed Depletion,” lets
the soil’s moisture balance reach a user-set moisture
level that encourages increased oxygen levels and promotes
deeper, healthier root systems.
“With its real-time, precise ET data, the ET Manager
assures turf professionals their landscapes are getting the
exact amount of water they need to maintain optimum turf
health,” said Kraig Wilson, Associate Product Manager
for Rain Bird’s Commercial Division. “This technology
ensures maximum water savings and is another example of promoting
Rain Bird’s Intelligent Use of Water philosophy.”
Rain Bird is proud to present its ET Manager as an example
of the types of products that typify the spirit of the Irrigation
Association’s designation of July as “Smart Irrigation
Month.” With its rich history of manufacturing products
that promote water conservation, Rain Bird is pleased to
offer the ET Manager and its numerous other “smart
irrigation” products that help conserve water resources
through efficient water use.
ABOUT RAIN BIRD CORPORATION
Based in Glendora, CA, Rain Bird Corporation is the leading
manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services.
Since its beginnings in 1933, Rain Bird has offered the industry’s
broadest range of irrigation products for farms, golf courses,
sports arenas, commercial developments and homes in more
than 130 countries around the world. Rain Bird has been awarded
more than 130 patents, including the first in 1935 for the
impact sprinkler. Rain Bird and The Intelligent Use of Water™ is
about using water wisely. Its commitment extends beyond products
to education, training and services for the industry and
the community. Rain Bird maintains state-of-the-art manufacturing
assembly facilities in the United States, France, Sweden
and Mexico. www.rainbird.com
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For More Information Contact:
Media Contact:
Lynette Petersen
Swanson Russell Associates
(402) 437-6457
lynettep@swansonrussell.com
