WATERING CALCULATOR
Build your weekly watering schedule.
Use the rainfall measured at your property and your sprinkler output to estimate how long each zone should run.
TRY THE SAMPLE CALCULATOR
Build a weekly watering schedule
Choose the lawn conditions, enter rainfall at the property, and use the sprinkler output measured with rain-gauge cups.
Need last week’s rainfall? Open TexMesonet and select “1 Week Precipitation” in the upper-left part of the screen. Then use the location search feature inside the map to look up your address or city. Rainfall can vary by location, so use your own rain gauge when available.
Look up rainfall on TexMesonet ↗Don’t know the output? Common Rain Bird and Hunter rotors often measure near 0.6 inch per hour. A rain-gauge cup test gives the best result.
Shop rain gauge cups on Amazon ↗YOUR STARTING SCHEDULE
5 × 30-minute cycles
Space the watering days two or three days apart. If runoff starts, shorten each cycle and add more cycles while keeping the same total minutes.
Large sprinkler systems: If your sprinkler system has a large number of zones, you may not be able to follow the suggested schedule exactly. Spread the watering passes across multiple consecutive days as needed, keeping the same total watering time per zone and following local watering rules. The goal is still to complete multiple consecutive passes through the system, allowing each zone to soak while the others run so water reaches deeper into the soil.
This is a starting estimate. Follow local watering rules and adjust for soil moisture, sprinkler coverage, and visible lawn stress.
QUICK REFERENCE
Sprinkler types & output
Output means inches of water applied per hour over the watered area. These examples help you identify your system; use a rain-gauge cup test for your calculator entry.
| Sprinkler type | How to recognize it | Output (in./hour) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard rotor—Rain Bird or Hunter Most common | Pops up and sends one main stream of water that slowly rotates back and forth. Common on medium and large lawns. Common models: Rain Bird 5004 / 5004 Plus · Hunter PGP-ADJ / PGP-04 (PGP Ultra) | About 0.4–0.6 |
| Fixed spray pop-up | Pops up but stays stationary, spraying a continuous fan of water. | About 1.6 |
| Rain Bird R-VAN rotary nozzle | Pops up and sends several thin rotating streams across the lawn. It applies water faster than a standard Hunter MP Rotator. | About 0.6 |
| Hunter MP Rotator | Pops up and sends several thin streams of water that slowly rotate across the lawn. It applies water more slowly than the Rain Bird R-VAN. | About 0.4 |
Pressure, nozzle size, spacing, and coverage change actual output. To measure it, average the water collected in several cups, then multiply by 60 ÷ test minutes to get inches per hour.
See the main watering guide for these same sprinkler types, estimated runtimes, and manufacturer references.
NEED HELP DIALING IN YOUR WATERING SYSTEM?
Have questions about your watering schedule? Contact our office and we’ll help you find the right routine for your lawn.