Senix, creator of ToughSonic® ultrasonic sensors, announced their presence in the continued expansion of Murray Irrigation's historic irrigation automation project.
Murray Irrigation, Australia’s largest privately owned irrigation company, is automating 3,000 kilometers of gravity-fed irrigation channels in New South Wales. The project utilizes over 2,200 Senix ToughSonic-100.14 liquid level and distance sensors to provide real-time level measurements that monitor water inventory and drive distribution through irrigation gates.
The Beginning of Automated Irrigation Systems
In 2013, Murray Irrigation began their Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators Program (PIIOP) with a goal to significantly reduce water distribution losses.
Described as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernize irrigation infrastructure and supply system,” the $169.2 million AUD project is intended “for the benefit of all irrigation customers and to provide improved water efficiency and productivity for our customers’ farm businesses.”
The project required upgrading approximately 2,200 water meters and more than 1,300 regulatory channel structures, then integrating those devices through an enhanced telemetry and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system.
In the phase of the project, approximately 1,500 channel control points will be replaced with sensor-driven, automated gates using water level sensors. ToughSonic-100.14 ultrasonic sensors provide real-time water level measurements to guide autonomous and semi-autonomous channel control structures. More than 1,000 irrigation control points have already been replaced since 2013.
Senix & Murray Irrigation's Long-Running Collaboration
Murray Irrigation was among the first users of ToughSonic-100.14 sensors. Senix modified this model to reduce energy consumption and improve surge protection to defend against damage from lightning storms in remote locations.
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