The purpose of this tool is to provide users with the ability to test different ways of scheduling irrigation for their lawn (or turf) without the cost of doing it in real life. By trying new technologies such as smart irrigation soil moisture sensors or evapotranspiration (ET) controllers in a virtual environment, users can determine which system would be best for their lawn as well as implement practices that will result in water conservation, a healthier lawn, and lower water bills.
The tool is based on a simple weekly water balance method that considers rainfall, infiltration, runoff, percolation, evapotranspiration, irrigation, and soil water content. The tool combines user input, the simple water balance calculations, and real-time FAWN data to provide the user with information on either how much excess water the lawn received - as a combination of irrigation and rainfall - or how many days the lawn experienced water stress, i.e., too little water. All results of the tool are provided to the user via a weekly email, with results based on calculations from the previous week.