The Water NetDog

The PRG at Fresno State officially connected its water network replica in the heart of the Fresno State Farms, southeast of the intersection between Willow and Bullard Avenue. This experimental space within the agricultural labs was obtained thanks to the coordination of our Civil Engineering department, the Lyles College of Engineering (LCOE), and the Jordan College of Agricultural Science and Technology (JCAST).

In 2023, Dr. Pesantez brought the initiative to build a network that allows students to have hands-on experience and opportunities to experiment with real-size pipelines. This system aims to experiment with changes in pressure and demand by creating leaks and operating outlets.

Figure 1. First-Stage Design of the PRG's Water NetDog

In 2024, this PRG-designed network was constructed with the full volunteer support of Floyd Johnston Construction Co., Inc., Fresno State Technicians, and our research group members. The first step of construction included the arrangement of a rectangular grid of interconnected pipes. This 30'x20' grid contains 170 feet of 6-inch PVC pipelines with cast iron flanged connections. Later in 2025, external connections, sensors, and service lines were installed for experiments with a recirculating system to reduce water wastage.

Figure 2. Construction Crew for the Grid NetDog

Figure 3. Sensor and Service Line Connections