Water management, a specialty of Greenwood International, is the linchpin of any successful landscape. Plants perish as surely from too much water as from too little. Our dramatic seasonal fluctuations in rainfall – featuring notoriously wet winters followed by summers drier than those of Arizona – pose unique water management problems in the Puget Sound area – problems that we have solved time and again.
Irrigation
Electronically controlled, largely underground irrigation systems not only conserve both energy and water, but also invisibly automate one of the most onerous groundskeeping chores. Our creation of such systems begins with a detailed investigation, noting the contours and characteristics of the site and, of course, the owner’s intentions and desires. Then, using such computer programs as AUTOCAD, IRRICALC-PRO and RAINCAD to help manage the complexities, we design, refine, install and test the optimal system for the site. It might include:
- Traditional, permanent or “pop-up” sprinklers
- Maintenance-free, water-miserly drip irrigation networks
- Mini-sprinkler and drip units to serve planters or garden structures
- Rainfall/moisture sensors that automate system performance
Drainage
Locally, drainage often poses a greater and more urgent need than irrigation. After examining the site and marshaling our in-depth knowledge of hydrology, local regulations and available products, we address the problems and realities. Here, too, we employ computer aided design to complement our real-world experience. The resulting solution – permanent, automatic and trouble-free – might incorporate:
- Footing drains or protective swales to conduct water around buildings
- Pop-up drainage emitters, channel drains, and catch basins
- Trench and curtain-wall drainage systems for areas large or small
- Dispersal trenches, drywells and sump pumps for chronic problems
- Sheet drains and wick drainage networks
- Filter fabric to prevent clogging drainage gravel or pipes
- Engineered “capillary breaks” that can lift water 30 feet
Greenwood’s ingenuity keeps resources where they’re needed...and nowhere else.