Types of Irrigation Pumps

The most common type of irrigation pump, a surface centrifugal pump, must be filled with water prior to use. These pumps have an impeller that spins water within the housing, chamber or casing. The water can be drawn from reservoirs, lakes, streams and wells. These are most often used as a sprinkler pump and placed on the shore of a water source with a pipe running from the pump to the water. A surface centrifugal pump is more limited in capacity and efficiency in comparison with other types of pumps.

Self-priming centrifugal pumps work the same as a standard centrifugal pump, but the pump casing acts as a tank and keeps the impeller submerged so the pump doesn’t have to be manually primed.

Booster pumps, which increase water pressure, are usually centrifugal pumps. These are often installed in municipal water lines.

As the name suggests, submersible water pumps are fully immersed in their water source, so they don’t need to be primped like surface centrifugal pumps. These are great if the property you're looking to irrigate is on the waterfront or has a water feature. The pump is run by an electric motor that's either dry or wet. Dry motors are encased so that water doesn't reach them, and wet motors function normally despite water running through. Submersible pumps tend to work more efficiently than other irrigation pumps, regardless of their motor type.

A jet pump is another type of centrifugal pump. It uses a jet device to lift water far below the level of the pump, which is usually an issue for typical centrifugal pumps. However, jet pumps have a lower flow capacity than what you'd need for most sprinkler systems. Jet pumps are commonly used in areas like Florida, where the groundwater is shallow. You may need to install your pump above the high water line, but the actual water level you’re drawing from will vary.