Which statement about spray heads and zone placement is true?

• A. They require less maintenance than rotors
• B. They should be placed on the same zone as rotors for efficiency
• C. They discharge more water, so it’s usually not a good idea to place them on the same zone as rotors
• D. They have higher precipitation uniformity

Answer: (C)

Spray heads push water out at a higher rate than rotor heads and cover a smaller area, so they deliver a lot of water quickly to a compact footprint. When a spray head and a rotor share the same zone, the zone’s run time must satisfy both head types, which is difficult because the spray head finishes watering much sooner and the rotor continues longer over a much larger area. This imbalance makes it hard to achieve uniform soil-moisture throughout the zone, often leading to soggy spots near the spray heads and dry spots farther away. To maintain even application, spray heads are typically placed on their own zones (or designed with matched precipitation rates and runtimes) so every head in a zone has a similar output and can be controlled together.

The other statements aren’t aligned with how zone design works: spray heads generally require more maintenance than rotors due to clogging and nozzle issues; mixing head types on one zone reduces efficiency because of differing water delivery; and precipitation uniformity isn’t inherently higher for spray heads in general—uniformity depends on spacing, head type, and run times, which are easier to manage when heads with similar characteristics are grouped.