PISA-CA review
A free orchard water-budget tool that turns seasonal estimates into sprinkler run times.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
PISA-CA is a web-based research tool for orchard growers who want to plan seasonal irrigation. It estimates water budgets using satellite-derived canopy size alongside rainfall, evapotranspiration, and soil water-holding capacity. Its crop settings cover almond, pistachio, walnut, and other temperate deciduous crops, making it oriented toward orchard planning rather than general-purpose irrigation control.
The planning workflow centers on a monthly irrigation budget table and chart. Users can adjust rain, winter and summer irrigation, and season timing, and can model an optional pre-harvest dry-down. PISA-CA then converts water amounts into weekly sprinkler run-time schedules. Its estimates draw on Sentinel-2 NDVI and datasets including TerraClimate, GRIDMET, CHIRPS, ERA5-Land, and OpenLandMap. That combination supports budget planning, but it is not a system for operating irrigation equipment: remote control, automated scheduling, and water-use tracking are not provided.
PISA-CA is free and runs in a web browser. It is a research project from UC Davis and ARO-Volcani, is in active development, and offers email support. The vendor cautions that its model-based estimates are not certified irrigation recommendations and that the tool is calibrated for mature orchards. Growers seeking a free seasonal budget and a starting point for sprinkler run times may find its scope appropriate; those needing certified recommendations, live control, or automated irrigation should look for a different type of system.
PISA-CA pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Combines satellite canopy estimates with rainfall, evapotranspiration, and soil capacity
- Adjustable seasonal budgets include optional pre-harvest dry-down
- Converts water amounts into weekly sprinkler run-time schedules
- Where it doesn't
- Does not provide remote control or automated scheduling
- Estimates are not certified irrigation recommendations
- Calibrated for mature orchards, not all orchard stages
PISA-CA fact sheet, pricing and score →
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