The Rhetoric of the Uninformed

But it gets press.
As did this Black Press story by Judi Steeves entitled "Automated watering systems spur debate".

As an engineer who graduated with distinction you would think that Tom Siddon, longtime politician and current director with the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen--and founding chair of the Okanagan Water Stewardship Council--would know what other local engineers know.
But that's not a given, obviously.

He recently spoke at the Okanagan Basin Water Board meeting where discussion centered on modern automatic irrigation systems.

"I suspect automated systems are wasting water by coming on whether they're needed or not."

Tom Siddon, Area "D" Director

Anna Warwick Sears, OBWB executive director explained there are now "smart" irrigation systems as well as "stupid" ones.

The Hunter I-Core, one of three "smart" irrigation controllers at Highlands Golf in Coldstream, BC

 
Another director, Gerry Zimmermann said he was under the impression that automated systems saved water. 

OBWB Chair Stu Wells added "most systems are set to run for the same length of time in April as in July, and that most people don't know how to operate their systems, never changing the settings.
(Sheesh...wonder who participated in that poll!)

The uninformed leading the misinformed.
And it gets even better.

Mr. Zimmermann then offered:  "Most people also don't turn off their systems during rainy periods when irrigation is not needed."

At this point, engineer Tom Siddon--distinguished engineer Tom Siddon--should have relied on his education to inform the uninformed. 

So I'll now back up to a different meeting six years ago and quote what another engineer told me--when he agreed with my comment at a water meeting of commercial water users:  "On my golf course--with its southslope and exposure to wind--I turn the irrigation system on half an hour after rain has started, and I use less metered water that way!" 
The engineer beside me nodded in agreement.

Others at the table looked puzzled, so the engineer added (on my behalf, because I'm not an engineer), "your south aspect, rocky substrate and high winds--when combined with the light dark soils of that area--actually evaporate irrigation water when applied to the dry and hot landscape.  Rainfall--besides being free from the sky--softens the soil and acts as a wetting agent to better accept the metered irrigation water she then applies with the irrigation system.  Rainfall allows the irrigation water to penetrate, versus x-number of litres of metered water evaporating as irrigation begins.  So less metered water is used in the golf course's case while raining because less metered water is used." 

One by one, the meeting attendees nodded and one added:  "makes sense."
Yes it did.
And still does today.

The engineer at that years-ago meeting?
Owner of Tekmar Controls on Silver Star Road, Don Gibbs.
Engineer Don Gibbs.
Common sense Engineer Don Gibbs.

Now back to the OBWB meeting, whose press item concluded with Gerry Zimmermann's comment that "some education is needed".

That's an understatement.

"Maybe Siddon's years as a politician made him forget his engineering knowledge," offers Kia.

Thank goodness Don Gibbs didn't become a politician.