This means that more water is applied near the sprinkler, with less applied as the distance from the sprinkler increases. Obviously, if we place one sprinkler on the ground alone and operate it, we will have a green area right around the sprinkler with plenty of water and then progressively lighter shades of green as we move away from the sprinkler until we get to the brown area near the edge of the sprinkler's throw. Proper initial design will certainly prevent many later problems and headaches. There are many different types of irrigation equipment. The following list provides some general ideas of the capacities and uses of the various types.
Sprinklers shoot a single stream of water and rotate that stream in a circle.
They can be set to cover a full circle or a portion of a circle. Application rates of sprinklers can be 1 inch per hour or more depending on nozzle size and pressure. Sprinklers are typically used for large lawn or shrubbery areas. Typical spray heads cover an approximately 30-foot circle and have flows of from 0.3 to 3.7 gallons per minute depending on size and pattern. Application rates of spray heads can exceed 1 inches per hour.