Senix Sensors Drive Large Irrigation Project

Automated irrigation channel control structure with remote power and communications.

Automated irrigation channel control structure with remote power and communications. A ToughSonic REMOTE 14 ultrasonic sensor is mounted on the top of the stilling tube beside the gate.

HINESBURG, VT (USA) November 29, 2016 — Senix Corporation, maker of ToughSonic® ultrasonic level and distance sensors, announces the continued expansion of Murray Irrigation’s historic irrigation automation project. Murray Irrigation, Australia’s largest privately owned irrigation company, is automating its 3,000 kilometers of gravity-fed irrigation channels in New South Wales with over 2,200 Senix ToughSonic REMOTE 14 ultrasonic sensors to provide the level measurements that monitor water inventory and drive water distribution through irrigation gates.

In 2013, Murray Irrigation began their Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators Program (PIIOP) with a goal to significantly reduce water distribution losses. Described as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernize our irrigation infrastructure and supply system,” the A$169.2 million PIIOP is intended “for the benefit of all our irrigation customers and to provide improved water efficiency and productivity for our customers’ farm businesses.” With a target completion date of October 2017, the project calls for upgrading approximately 2,200 water meters and more than 1,300 regulatory channel structures and integrating those devices through an enhanced telemetry and SCADA system.

The ToughSonic REMOTE brand name is discontinued but the associated features are now available in all ToughSonic product series. Please contact Senix for details.

Senix ToughSonic 14 Ultrasonic Sensor

Senix ToughSonic 14 sensors are installed in irrigation automation systems and other remote monitoring systems around the world.

Senix ToughSonic REMOTE 14 ultrasonic sensors provide real-time water level measurements to guide autonomous and semi-autonomous channel control structures. More than 1,000 irrigation control points have been replaced since work began in 2013. In this next phase of the project, approximately 1,500 more channel control points will be replaced with sensor-driven, automated gates using ToughSonic ultrasonic water level sensors.

Murray Irrigation was among the first buyers of the ToughSonic REMOTE 14 sensors. Senix modified the ToughSonic 14 sensor to reduce energy consumption and improve surge protection to defend against damage from lightning storms in remote locations.  “Murray Irrigation has been using our ToughSonic 14 sensors for years, and we worked with them to take advantage of the new REMOTE sensor technology for this important automation project,” says Doug Boehm, Founder and CTO of Senix. “Surge protection was added and special product features were utilized to optimize measurement performance in this application.”

For more information on Murray Irrigation and the innovative irrigation work being done in the Murray-Darling watershed in Australia, please read our article at senix.com.

About Senix Distance and Level Sensors

Senix designs and manufactures advanced ultrasonic sensors for liquid level measurement, distance measurement and object detection. Senix ToughSonic® sensors are used in a wide range of automation, research and remote monitoring applications worldwide. The company transformed non-contact distance measurement in 1990 with the world’s first computer-configurable ultrasonic sensor and has been pushing the boundaries of sensor intelligence and ruggedness ever since. Senix Corporation is a privately held company located in Hinesburg, VT, USA.

For more information on how Senix can help with your application contact us at info@senix.com or click here!