Central Irrigation Control

A central control irrigation system is a technological advancement that allows separate areas of turf irrigation to be controlled from one location via computer. Landscape Services uses the Sentinel™ system by Toro. Each area of turf is monitored by its own outpost located across campus. These outposts communicate with the central computer located in the Landscape Services office. The Sentinel™ monitors weather conditions and relays these conditions to the satellites. Sentinel™ also monitors wind speed, senses rain, and tests the moisture of the soil, then regulates irrigation accordingly. If the soil is still wet from previous rain or irrigation, Sentinel™ delays irrigation until it senses the soil is dry. In turn, if an area is putting out more water than usual, the outposts relay that information to the central location so the valves and sprinklers can be checked for damage. The result is a highly coordinated effort to conserve water while maintaining the beauty of the University of Mississippi campus.