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To determine how long to run your sprinklers, place several empty, straight-sided cans or cups at different distances within one zone. (Uniform coffee mugs work well.) Run the sprinklers for 15 minutes and measure the amount of water collected in each can. Calculate an average water depth and determine how long it will take to apply a Â½ to Â¾ inch of water. Example: Â· Â¼â average depth of water after 15 minutes â water 35-50 minutes in that zone. Â· Â½â average depth of water after 15 minutes â water 20-30 minutes in that zone.
To measure how much water your sprinkler system puts out in a set amount of time, place tuna cans, rain gauges or straight-sided coffee cans around your lawn. Turn on your sprinkler and let it run for 15 minutes. After turning off the sprinkler, use a ruler to measure the depth of the water collected in your cans.If it's 1/4 inch, you need to run the sprinkler twice as long, or 30 minutes, to spread 1/2 inch of water on your lawn.ost lawns need at least 1 inch of water per week, so if you plan to water twice a week, you must know how long it takes to spread 1/2 inch of water over your lawn.