Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Through hands-on labs students will install a zone or more of sprinkler and drip irrigation.

Upon completion of the course students will be able to:

• Identify commonly used sprinkler heads and explain how they operate.
• Explain how an automatic valve works.
• Understand how hydraulics affect an irrigation system's performance and be able to perform friction loss calculations.
• Identify and appropriately apply irrigation fittings.
• Understand the steps involved in installing an underground sprinkler system.
•  Program digital and electromechanical controllers.
• Identify drip components.

The Instructor prepares hands-on labs before class (e.g. find sites, order and stage equipment and materials, prep site). During the lab period, the Instructor teaches landscape irrigation construction skills through active demonstrations in real time. Students then build irrigation projects with the Instructor's guidance and receive verbal feedback as they work. Students monitor and record the development of the project and assigned lab exercises with written assignments and with photographs and videos). Students compile and submit lab exercises documenting their completion. The reports are submitted and the Instructor evaluates the reports outside of class time - providing a score and feedback on technical accuracy and completeness.

• Written mid-term and final exams.
• Completion of skill competencies.

• Basic hydraulics
• Irrigation components
• Pipes and fittings
• Backflow prevention
• Irrigation installation
• Irrigation troubleshooting 
• Microirrigation
• Water conservation strategies