LEPA (Low Energy Precision Application) technology brought key benefits to pivot irrigation in the mid-1980s, when center pivot irrigators primarily used top-of-pipe impact sprinklers operating at high pressures. 

Researchers from Texas A&M University, in cooperation with Senninger Irrigation, developed the first LEPA bubbler in the western high plains of the United States, where high energy costs and declining water availability were of great concern to irrigators. 

Growers needed to reduce pumping requirements with sprinklers that could irrigate at lower pressures. Also, they needed to combat wind-drift and evaporative loss through more efficient technologies and practices.

In the early LEPA systems, applicators were spaced far apart to irrigate every other furrow. This helped reduce the effects of evaporation. 

Today, LEPA has evolved into the method known as LEPA Close Spacing, where the sprinklers are placed 1 meter or less between hose drops. LEPA Close Spacing combines the use of Low Drift Nozzle (LDN®) Bubbler Pads or LDN Shrouds with conservation tillage. These sprinklers gently deposit water from a height of 20 to 46 cm above the ground. They operate at low pressures ranging from 0,41 to 1,38 bar. Typically, LEPA Close Spacing achieves application efficiencies exceeding 95%. 

LEPA is now gaining interest outside the USA in many areas worldwide among growers looking to produce good yields with significantly less water and energy.  

Benefits of LEPA Close Spacing Irrigation 

• More Uniform Root Zone Coverage
  Bubble application prevents wind-drift and evaporation losses due to high temperatures or strong winds.
• Reduced Pumping Costs
  Lower operating pressures from 0,41 to 1,38 bar help reduce energy costs.
• Avoid Wetting Plant Canopy in Row Crops
  It makes it possible to use pivot irrigation on crops susceptible to foliar disease.
• Reduced Wear and Tear on Center Pivots
  LEPA fills the soil profile quicker, so fewer passes are needed.
• Can Increase Yield Using Less Water
  Many farmers believe LEPA irrigation is directly correlated to increased yields.
• Less Maintenance
  Bubblers can keep the water completely off the towers and reduce wheel track issues. The water application can also reduce potential rodent damage to the crop, field, and equipment over drip systems.

The Latest LEPA Innovation: LDN® Wide Spray Bubbler

Over the years, Senninger Irrigation worked closely with researchers, dealers, and growers to develop bubbler inserts and pads used for LEPA Close Spacing. LDN pads include Beige or Red Bubble Inserts with a Shroud to deflect water down in a gentle dome; and a cascading Bubbler that distributes water as a narrow stream.

The new LDN Wide Spray Bubbler is a cost-effective solution designed for a large diameter of coverage from 0,76 to 1,5 m spacing. It produces a wide gentle aerated pattern suitable for most crops and soils. With the LDN Wide Spray Bubbler, growers can take advantage of the low-pressure water-saving efficiencies of LEPA application while achieving total coverage.

About Senninger

As a member of the Hunter Industries family of companies, Senninger Irrigation is a leading designer and manufacturer of premier irrigation solutions for agricultural, horticultural, and

industrial applications. With more than 59 years of experience in dozens of countries worldwide, Senninger is one of the most trusted names in the agricultural irrigation industry.

Contact Gerhardus Bouwer at 079-557-0512,  gerhardus.bouwer@senninger.com or visit their website at: www.senninger.com

Physical address of the company:  Senninger Irrigation, 13505 Granville Avenue, Clermont, FL 34711, USA