CHAPTER 4

IRRIGATION APPLICATION
IRRIGATION METHOD SELECTION
CRITERIAS
CONT’D
CONT’D
CONT’D
CONT’D
CONT’D
CONT’D
HYDRAULIC PHASES IN SUSRFACE IRRIGATION SYSTEM
1. Advance phase: the time interval between the start of irrigation and arrival of the
advancing (wetting) front at the lower end of the field.
2. Ponding (wetting storage or continuing) phase: the irrigation time extending between
the end of advance and inflow cutoff. The term “Wetting” phase is usually used for
furrow and border where tail water runoff can occur, whereas ponding is the preferred
term for basin irrigation (no tail water runoff).
3. Depletion (vertical recession) phase: the time interval between supply cut-off and the
time that water dries up at the inlet boundary.
4. Recession (horizontal recession) phase: the time required for the water to recede from all
points in the channel, starting from the end of the depletion phase. The time difference at
each measuring station between the clock time or cumulative time for advance and
recession is the opportunity time, T, infiltration to occur.
CONT’D
It is good for water loving crops such as rice, cotton, ground nuts
favored by moderate to slow intake soils, deep-rooted and closely spaced crops
Basin irrigation has a number of limitations
For crops that cannot accommodate inundation(overflowing).
 Precision land levelling is very important to achieving high uniformities and
efficiencies.
Many basins are so small that precision equipment cannot work effectively.
The perimeter dykes need to be well maintained to eliminate breaching
and waste, and must be higher for basins than other surface irrigation
methods.
To reach maximum levels of efficiency, the flow per unit width must be as
high as possible without causing erosion of the soil.
BORDER IRRIGATION
Definition:
 Borders are very similar to basins. Border irrigation can be viewed as an extension
of basin irrigation to sloping, long rectangular or contoured field shapes, with free
draining conditions at the lower end.
 Here, the land is divided into strips (border) by parallel small earth bunds called border
ridges.
 In a border irrigation, each strip is irrigated separately by introducing water upstream
and it progressively covers the entire strip.
Field application efficiency is good to excellent if the border strips are designed and
installed properly and good water management practice are followed.
Border irrigation is suited for crops that can withstand flooding for a short time e.g.
wheat.
Cont’d
Advantages
you can irrigate beans or other crops much earlier without the fear of submergence.
It takes less labor to install borders than it does a conventional flood irrigation system.
Row direction is not a factor in how well the borders work, so rows can run with the
slope or cross the slope and not impede the water movement or uniformity of water
distribution.
Disadvantages
It does not work as well with a field that has side slopes (contour levees) because the
borders must be narrower, and the border levees need to be taller to contain the water
on the low side of the border.
Distribution is not as good on fields with side slope because of the tendency for water
to stack up on the low side of the irrigated bay.
Irrigation set times can vary, depending on soil type, stage of growth of the plant, and
soil moisture levels.
FURROW IRRIGATION
Definition:
Furrow irrigation is the most widely used method worldwide for irrigating row crops.
In furrow irrigation, water no longer flows over the entire soil surface but is confined to small
channels (furrows) between the crop rows. It is then gradually absorbed into the bottom and
sides of the furrow to wet the soil.
The discharge per unit width of the field is substantially reduced and topographical
variations can be more severe
A smaller wetted area reduces evaporation losses
furrow irrigation enjoys higher application efficiencies than borders and basins.
The following crops can be Irrigated by furrow irrigation:
- row crops such as maize, sunflower, sugarcane, soybean;
- crops that would be damaged by inundation, such as tomatoes, vegetables, potatoes, beans;
- fruit trees such as citrus, grape;
- broadcast crops (corrugation method) such as wheat.
There are several disadvantages with furrow irrigation. These may include:
(1) an accumulation of salinity between furrows;
(2) an increased level of tail water losses;
(3) the difficulty of moving farm equipment across the furrows;
(4) the added expense and time to make extra tillage practice (furrow construction);
(5) an increase in the erosive potential of the flow;
(6) a higher commitment of labour to operate efficiently; and
(7) generally furrow systems are more difficult to automate, particularly with regard to
regulating an equal discharge in each furrow
4.2 SPRINKLER IRRIGATION SYSTEM
Sprinkler Irrigation –
It is a system by which water is applied above the ground in the form of spray some what
resembling rainfall.
A sprinkler system conveys water under pressure through pipes network and applies it with a
minimum amount of losses.
These systems were expensive to install but often fairly inexpensive to operate
Water is distributed through a system of pipes usually by pumping.
 It is then sprayed into the air through sprinklers so that it breaks up into small water drops
which fall to the ground.
The pump supply system, sprinklers and operating conditions must be designed to enable a
uniform application of water.
 It is used to lightly wet the soil surface after seeding to improve germination.
 Fertilizers may be applied to a crop through a sprinkler system if the uniformity of the
application system is sufficient.
CONT’D
Cont’d
Some of the conditions which favor sprinkler irrigation are as follows.
 Soils too porous for good distribution by surface methods.
Shallow soils the topography of which prevents proper leveling for surface irrigation methods.
Land having steep slopes and easily erodible soils.
Irrigation stream too small to distribute water efficiently by surface irrigation.
Undulating land too costly too level sufficiently for good surface irrigation.
Land needs to be brought in to top production quality. Sprinkler systems can be designed and
installed quickly.
Soils with low water holding capacities and shallow rooted crops which require frequent
irrigation.
Automation and mechanization are practical.
Labor available for irrigation is either not experienced in surface methods of irrigation or is
unreliable, good surface irrigation requires trained reliable labor.
Higher application efficiency can be achieved by properly designed and operated systems.
Advantages –
Accurate water distribution and high water application efficiency
No contamination of water due to use of closed conveyance system
Sloping lands and Land with irregular topography can be irrigated
Do not require field channels
When domestic and Irrigation water come from the same source, a common distribution line can be
frequently used.
 For areas requiring in frequent irrigation, sprinkler irrigation can be provided at a lower capital investment per
acre of land irrigated than can surface irrigation.
Disadvantages –
High initial investment
High energy cost.
Design and operation needs technical know-how
Sensitivity to wind conditions
Water losses by evaporation from soil surface and plant canopy
 Washout of pesticides from the foliage(LEAVES)
Water must be clean and free of sand, debris and large amount of dissolved salts.
Ripened soft fruits may be affected by spraying water.
COMPONENTS OF SPRINKLER IRRIGATION:
Pumps: the system requires fairly high pressure pumps for supplying water
to the supply or main lines. Centrifugal pump is generally used if the water
source is from irrigation ditches, lakes ponds, river channels or shallow
wells.

Pipe network – supply lines, mains, sub mains, laterals

 Supply lines: to convey water from the pump to the main line.
 Main lines: to convey water from supply lines to sub main lines
 Sub main lines: to convey water from main lines to laterals.
 Laterals: aluminum pipe lines to convey the water from the main line to
the sprinklers.

Permanent pipe lines are normally made of steel. They are commonly
buried 45 to 60cm below ground level to be out of farming operations.
Portable pipe lines are usually made of aluminum or plastic (HDPE) and
are generally equipped with quick coupling devices. This is to enable
shifting of the pipes very quickly.
 Sprinklers head: with a nozzle to spray water onto the land. They may be rotating or
fixed type
Other Accessories: valves, bends plugs, risers and fittings

Risers: short vertical pipes which are placed at a regular spacing on

laterals on top of which sprinklers are connected. They supply water
from lateral to the sprinklers. Sprinkler heads could be fixed or revolving
head sprinklers, and also single nozzle or two-nozzle head.

Couplers: provides connection between two pipes and between pipes

and fittings. Normally a coupler should:
i) Provide flexible connection
ii) Not leak the joint under pressure
iii) Automatically drain at no pressure
iv) Be simple and easy to couple and uncouple
v) Be light, non-corrosive and durable
Water meters: to measure volume of water delivered.
Pressure gauge: to measure and monitor the pressure under which the
sprinkler is working.
Connectors: Flanges, couplings, etc. for facilitating proper connections to the
pump and pipes.
Fertilizer Applicators: to inject fertilizers in liquid form to the system.
In a typical sprinkler system, the breakup of
costing is:
 Pipe network = 70%
 Couplers = 15%
 Sprinkler heads = 7%
 Other accessories = 8%
 In addition the pumping and control unit costs about 40% of this total cost.
Components of a Sprinkler Irrigation System
 TYPES OF SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
i) Based on Portability

Fully portable system: The laterals, mains, sub-mains and the pumping plant are
all portable.
The system is designed to be moved from one field to another or other pumping
sites that are in the same field.

Semi-portable system: Water source and pumping plant are fixed in locations.
Other components can be moved.
The system cannot be moved from field to field or from farm to farm except when
more than one fixed pumping plant is used.
Fully permanent system/solid set: Permanent laterals, mains,
sub-mains as well as fixed pumping plant.
Sometimes laterals and mainlines may be buried.
The sprinkler may be permanently located or moved along the
lateral.
It can be used on permanent irrigation fields and for relatively
high value crops e.g. Orchards and vineyards.
Labour savings throughout the life of the system may later offset
high installation cost.
 II) BASED ON ARRANGEMENT OF SPRAYING

a) Rotating or revolving system

Conventional system/small rotary sprinklers

Rain gun: A mobile machine with a big sprinkler.
The speed of the machine determines the application rate. The sprinkler has a powerful jet system.
The working pressure is high (4-8bar).
The sprinkler discharge ranges from 6-60m3/hr
They are used for irrigation of forage and field crops.
Lateral Move: A mobile long boom with many sprinklers attached to them.
As the machine moves, it collects water from a canal into the sprinklers connected to the long boom.
Centre Pivot: The source of water is stationary e.g. a bore hole. The boom with many sprinklers
rotates about the water source.
Rain Gun system
Linear Move system
Center Pivot system
b) Perforated pipe system

This method consists of systematically placed drilled holes along the

length of the lateral pipe through which water is sprayed under
pressure.
It is usually designed for relatively low operating pressures.
The application rate ranges from 1.25 to 5cm/hr for various
pressures and spacings.