I've put in several systems. The best way to do it is to draw out your lawn and let one of the sprinkler supply vendors design it for you. Rainbird will do it for you or sometimes the local vendors will.

You might also look at some of the subsurface systems. Lots less water loss and rationing won't affect you since no one will know when you are watering.

Leaky Pipe has systems. In that case, the design is easy. Ditch every 12" and lay Leakey Pipe in the ground. The good thing is you don't have to be very deep (3-6"). The bad thing about subsurface systems is you have to filter the water.

Subsurface irrigation is all the rage on commercial irrigation now. Lift costs for irrigation water is high and the cost of subsurface compared to normal circular irrigaition systems is easily paid out by fuel and electricity savings. DSI is a company that has done a lot of agricultural, commercial and residential.