The purpose of this Standard is to define a method for characterizing the uniformity of water distribution of sprinkler packages installed on center pivots and lateral move irrigation machines. This test produces data to be used in computing the coefficient of uniformity, which can assist in system design and/or selection, and can be used to quantify certain aspects of system performance in the field. The coefficient of uniformity is only one factor in evaluating total system performance. Application rates, runoff, wind, amount of water applied, pump performance, and overall system management can greatly affect the total performance of irrigation systems.

This Standard specifies a method for measuring water application depths in the field and calculating a coefficient of uniformity from the data. The Standard covers evaluation of water distribution from center pivots and lateral move irrigation machines equipped with sprinklers or spray devices. The Standard does not apply to systems in which the water application device is less than 1.5 m above the soil surface, or in which the water distribution from adjacent devices does not overlap.