Patent ID: 8311786

Claim:
A method for predicting surface and three-dimensional precipitation and water delivery rate spatial distributions for landscapes irrigated by sprinklers comprising: identifying at least one sprinkler head; determining a pressure at said at least one sprinkler head; determining a nozzle on said at least one sprinkler head; determining a range of arc operation of said at least one sprinkler head; determining a head tilt of said at least one sprinkler head; determining a head tilt direction of said at least one sprinkler head; determining a throw distance of said at least one sprinkler head; determining a run time of said at least one sprinkler head; determining a sprinkler location of said at least one sprinkler head; determining at least one environmental variable of said at least one sprinkler head, and predicting a local distribution uniformity as represented by a following equation 5 DU i = Minimum ⁢ ⁢ amount ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ water ⁢ ⁢ delivered ⁢ within ⁢ ⁢ local ⁢ ⁢ ⁢ area ⁢ ⁢ by ⁢ ⁢ i th ⁢ sprinkler ⁢ Average ⁢ ⁢ amount ⁢ ⁢ of ⁢ ⁢ water ⁢ ⁢ delivered ⁢ over ⁢ ⁢ Irrigated ⁢ ⁢ Area . ( Equation ⁢ ⁢ 5 ) where DU i is the local distribution uniformity; and using said local distribution uniformity to predict optimal sprinkler placement to improve distribution uniformity over said irrigated area.