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How does a traveling sprinkler irrigation system move across a field?

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Large wheeled irrigation sprinkler sprays water over green crops in a field, with mountains and cloudy sky in the background. — Irrigation Specialized irrigation equipment watering crops in a field.

A traveling sprinkler system is a mobile unit mounted on a trailer that moves across a field within a designated lane left unplanted for that purpose.1

The unit is propelled along this lane while dragging a flexible hose that remains connected to the main water supply line. Once the sprinkler reaches the end of its path, it is designed to shut off automatically, allowing it to be relocated to the next lane to continue the irrigation process. This method, along with other sprinkler irrigation systems, allows for the application of a controlled amount of water with high efficiency and minimal labor requirements.1