When planning a zone layout, which is a primary objective?

• A. Match irrigation supply to plant water needs while minimizing water waste.
• B. Maximize number of valves.
• C. Minimize the electrical usage by turning off pumps.
• D. Eliminate all use of storage.

Answer: (A)

The main concept behind planning a zone layout is to match irrigation supply to plant water needs while minimizing water waste. When zones are designed around plants with similar water requirements, soil types, and exposure, you can tailor run times, sprinkler types, and spacing to deliver the right amount of water to each area. This leads to uniform moisture, reduces the chances of both dry spots and overwatering, and makes overall water use more efficient. While energy use and hardware counts matter, they follow from this core goal: you don’t want to add valves or overly aggressive energy-saving tactics if they prevent delivering what the plants actually need. Similarly, relying on storage to alter pressure or supply can be important for reliability, but eliminating storage would undermine consistent performance. In short, the best zone layout focuses on meeting plant demand accurately while cutting waste.