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Toro irrigation Efficient use of water in sports irrigation
Autumn 2025

Efficient use of water in sports irrigation

. minute read

Sports facilities such as football fields, cricket grounds, and golf courses are highly water intensive. Irrigation often accounts for more than 70 percent of total water consumption in these facilities*. With increasing water scarcity and concerns over the effects of long-term climate change, efficient irrigation strategies are essential to balance turf quality with resource conservation.

Middlesbrough football ground irrigation

First let’s consider the principles of efficient irrigation in sports: 

  • Precision irrigation: Matching water application to the grass’ requirements
  • Demand-driven scheduling: Working to real-time climatic and soil data instead of fixed time or ad hoc schedules
  • Resource optimisation: Applying pinpoint water use and incorporating recycled or alternative water sources.

So, how can technology help? Smart irrigation controllers with real-time data from weather-based and evapotranspiration models can reduce water use by up to 40 percent compared to traditional schedules**, while soil moisture sensors allow site-specific adjustments to prevent overwatering.

This is a route Middlesbrough Football Club has recently applied to its training grounds at Rockliffe Park with Toro irrigation. The winning combination of products – Toro Lynx LAC, Toro Infinity and Toro B Series sprinklers with Turf Cups – has brought about improved accuracy, full coverage and powerful control for a level of consistency it has never seen before. 

This is because the irrigation is essentially personalised to suit the grass in that environment and its specific requirements. Being a windy site no longer affects irrigation. The B series sprinklers with trajectory settings are easily altered to counteract the wind and achieve consistent coverage, while the LAC controls water application with pinpoint accuracy. Operational via a mobile device or laptop means watering levels can be adjusted according to the weather in real time. It is, according to the club, an actual “game changer.”

 

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