How many cycles per day should be implemented if the daily run time is 15 minutes and time to runoff is 5 minutes?

• A. 2 Cycles
• B. 1 Cycle
• C. 3 Cycles
• D. 4 Cycles

Answer: (B)

To determine the appropriate number of irrigation cycles, it's essential to consider the total daily runtime and the time it takes for water to run off. In this scenario, if the total daily runtime for irrigation is 15 minutes and the time to runoff is 5 minutes, it’s important to prevent runoff during the irrigation process.

In irrigation management, the general guideline is to split the daily run time into cycles that allow for water infiltration into the soil without exceeding the soil's absorption capacity. Since the runoff time (5 minutes) is less than the daily run time (15 minutes), you can effectively implement one cycle of irrigation that runs for the full 15 minutes.

If you were to implement additional cycles, there would not be enough time within the daily runtime to account for those cycles, which would lead to either runoff or inefficient watering practices. Thus, implementing a single cycle of 15 minutes is adequate and effective for ensuring proper watering without causing runoff, making one cycle the optimal choice in this scenario.