Furrow Erosion and Sediment Losses on Irrigated Cropland

Berg, R.D. and Carter, D.L. (1980) Furrow Erosion and Sediment Losses on Irrigated Cropland. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 35(6):267-270.

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Abstract

Sediment losses from furrow erosion on irrigated cropland ranged from 0.5
to 142 metric tons per hectare (0.2 to 63.0 tons/acre) on 49 Idaho fields during one irrigation
season. Field slope varied from 1.0 to 5.0 percent and furrow stream size from 11.3
to 49.9 liters per minute (3.0 to 13.2 gal/min). Erosion increased sharply on row-cropped
fields when slopes exceeded 1.0 percent. Furrow erosion can be reduced by: (a) reducing
furrow stream size when water reaches the furrow ends, (b) avoiding irrigation of row
crops on slopes that are too steep, (c) keeping the tailwater ditch shallow and the water in
it moving slowly, (d) installing tailwater control systems, and (e) alternate-furrow irrigation.
Sediment losses from irrigated lands can also be reduced markedly by planting
vegetative filter strips and using sediment retention basins. Total phosphorus losses were
reduced in proportion to the reduction in sediment losses.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0454
Subjects:	Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Erosion Irrigation > Furrow irrigation > Runoff losses > Sediment Soil > Erosion Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:52
Last Modified:	31 Jan 2017 18:24
Item ID:	369
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/369