Effect of Irrigation Methods and System Management on Water Application Efficiency

Pair, Claude H. (1963) Effect of Irrigation Methods and System Management on Water Application Efficiency. pp. 16.145-16.159. In: Int. Comm. on Irrig. and Drain., 5th Congr. 1963.

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Abstract

Efficient use of water in irrigated agriculture is as important in
areas of plentiful water supply as it is in water-short areas. Much
of the water delivered to the farm for irrigation is lost while applying
it to the land because of the system management practices followed.

Field-water application efficiency is the precentage of water
delivered to a field that is stored in the soil within the root zone of
the growing crop. Factors affecting field-water application efficiency
in irrigation are climate, soil, crop, water supply, topography, method
of irrigation, irrigation system design, and irrigation system operation.

Water is applied to the land by four general methods: flooding,
furrows, sprinkler, and subirrigation. Each of these methods has
charactersitic water losses, but all losses can be classified under
evaporation, deep percolation, or runoff.

Water-application efficiency studies have been conducted at a
number of locations in the United States. This paper summarizes a
study conducted near Boise, Idaho to compare the field-water application
efficiencies of the furrow, border, contour border, and sprinkler
methods of irrigation of crops in a grain-legume rotation on 3 to 5
per cent slopes.

The contour border method of irrigation gave the highest water
application efficiency for the greater depth of soil moisture, replacement
each irrigation, whereas the, sprinkler method gave the highest
efficiency for shallow depths of soil moisture replacement.

The water application efficiency obtained in the Boise study was
higher than those measured on farmer irrrigated fields with similar
soils, slopes, and crops. This was because more control equipment,
more labor, and better land preparation were used in the detailed
study.

Maximum water application efficiency requires good water control
equipment, proper land preparation, correct irrigation system
designs, and proper management of the irrigation system.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
NWISRL Publication Number:	0005
Additional Information:	Question 16, R. 10,
Subjects:	Practical farm efficiency Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:57
Last Modified:	16 Mar 2017 15:59
Item ID:	1038
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/1038