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Case Study: Optimizing Irrigation Efficiency at Northwest High School

     Client:      Central Washington School District
     Location: Columbia Basin, Washington
     Scope:      System Assessment, Programming Overhaul, Training & Support
     System:    23-acre site, multi-sport high school complex, Baseline BL-3200 controller

THE CHALLANGE

The growing community invested in a beautiful - newly constructed high school and grounds with multiple sports fields. The site had all the makings of a high-performance irrigation system with a thoughtful design, quality components, and a capable irrigation control system all installed and ready to use - But something wasn’t working.

Despite the systems capabilities the on-site team struggled to make the system function effectively. Turf areas were struggling, water was being wasted, and managing irrigation around intensive athletic field use was chaotic and largely manual. The root problem? The system wasn’t broken — it was unmanageable. Programming was incomplete, training nearly non-existent, and none of the flow management tools were being used. The system's powerful features were sitting dormant.

THE LAKE CITY CONSULTING SOLUTION

Lake City Consulting was brought in to evaluate the entire system - not just the hardware, but the real-world functionality.

Assessment & Diagnostics - Our first step was a thorough system evaluation, including on-site inspections and stakeholder interviews. We identified key performance limitations:

· No controller-level flow management or monitoring in place.

· Unaccounted flow due to filtration set up and manually operated zones.

· Zones were not grouped effectively for site allow efficient scheduling.

· Run times where not tied to plant water demand

Reprogramming for Performance
Leveraging over 20 years of commercial irrigation control experience - LCC overhauled the systems programming:

· Created intelligent, modular program groups aligned to field use (baseball, soccer, football, practice).

· Calibrated flow meters and set flow thresholds to enable dynamic flow management.

· Enabled system monitoring and real-time alerts.

· Optimized the controller interface for clarity and ease of use, including map-based visuals and mobile access.

Training & Support
We provided customized training in multiple online sessions, equipping district personnel to manage schedules confidently while the system handled technical complexity in the background. We then provided ongoing support throughout the irrigation season to answer questions and give the on-site crew the confidence they needed.

THE RESULTS

Water Window Reduced: Full system optimization now maximizes pump capacity while minimizing watering time.
Hands-On Control: Operators can easily adjust schedules to accommodate site use from their phones.
Reliability & Confidence: Issues are flagged automatically, and the team has the knowledge and support they need.
Savings & Sustainability: Reduced water waste, improved energy efficiency, and better turf health.



Lake City Consulting combines deep irrigation knowledge with hands-on troubleshooting and operator-first solutions. Whether it’s optimizing existing systems or helping your team take control of complex controls, we’re here to make irrigation work — simply and effectively.