Debris-Free Irrigation has Madison Ranches Pumped

Madison Ranches is a fourth-generation family farm founded more than a century ago. Its irrigation system depends on water pumps at the dead end of a canal. These pumps draw 18,000 gallons of water per minute over 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for 9 months. A set of trash racks protecting the pumps were a source of pain, as they routinely clogged with stringy debris and required constant manual cleaning.

Madison Ranches partnered with IRZ Consulting, a leading water resource engineering consultant, to find a solution that would eliminate its cleaning and manpower issues. Preventing pump cavitation and screen damage were also chief concerns. Based on previous successes, IRZ recommended Hydrolox Series 1800 Engineered Vertical Traveling Water Screens with debris flights. The Hydrolox screens’ engineered polymer material helps eliminate debris cling, while its chainless design greatly reduces maintenance. Hydrolox screens also come backed with an industry-leading three-year warranty.

In the year since the angled traveling water screens were installed, Madison Ranches has realized huge gains in productivity and profitability. The Hydrolox system, which operates continuously while facilitating self-cleaning of the screen, has dramatically reduced maintenance while enabling effective debris removal. Madison Ranches has experienced no cavitation or screen damage, and has eliminated the 42 hours of weekly manpower it previously dedicated to manual screen cleaning.