Methods of Irrigation

Arizona farmers are resistant to drip irrigation and prefer flood or rainwater-propelled irrigation, which is used on about 95 percent of Arizona crops. “Farmers have a hard time justifying drip irrigation because water is relatively cheap and drip systems can cost from $500 to $2,000 per acre to install” (U.S. Water News Online). Unfortunately cost is a prohibition not only for farmers but for private residents as well. Many residents have migrated to Arizona due to the region's affordable prices. One of the major problems our towns are facing is the conversion of homes to a more environmentally sound energy models that currently are extremely expensive.

After intense search we were able to find different types of irrigation systems that represent different forms of irrigation which are also the most commonly used in their category and generally here in the central valley. There are three categories that form the irrigation system: flood, sprinkler, and drip. Flood irrigation providing us with furrow irrigation, sprinkler irrigation having the center pivot irrigation, and drip irrigation having its own beneficial water conservation uses, each which waters our crops but not all in the most effective way possible. Furrow irrigation for example tends to flood the crops with water in order to water them, which is not good for the crops as they will be taking in too much water and drowning. When farmers use furrow irrigation they use as much water at once in

There are six different types of water erosion: splash erosion, sheet erosion, rill erosion, gully erosion, valley or stream erosion, and bank erosion. Splash erosion is when raindrops hit soil and small soil particles are displaced. Sheet erosion is when raindrops remove soil in thin layers. During rill erosion, small concentrated flow paths are created. “These paths create a sediment source and delivery system for hillslope erosion. Areas where precipitation rates exceed soil infiltration rates are more prone to this type of erosion. During gully erosion, water flows in narrow channels during or after heavy rains or melting snow. The gullies can erode to considerable depths. Valley or stream erosion is created by water flowing alongside land. It extends downward, deepening a valley, and extending the valley into the hillside. This occurs more frequently

2. Statements (1) and (2) refer to water volumes. Are these Net or Gross volumes? (1) Crop water use (cu-ft) = Seasonal ET (ft) x Crop area (acres) x 43,560 sq-ft/acre (2) Volume applied by system (ac-in) = Application rate (in/hr) x Irrigation time (hr) x Area (acres)

Surface Irrigation - Basins or trenches with water flowing - due to gravity - in between rows of crops. [17]

As we all understand, the Earth has many landmarks and it is these physical features that create an abundant and organized system within which we thrive. One of the most abundant natural resources on the planet is water and the importance of this element is as crucial as any other. For the fortunate few who get to utilize it, this amazing reserve provides us with our necessity for daily consumption as well as our ability to grow just about anything we please. Common irrigation practices are essential for gathering water into a contained area to grow crops that would not typically survive in areas without heavy rainfall. As a matter of fact, “irrigation is an ancient practice that originated along the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in what is now Iraq” and is now the result of an estimated 40 percent of all crops grown around the world (Water Encyclopedia). This tactic has provided many different cultures with numerous varieties of crops as well as growth in crop yield which in turn dramatically advances human civilization. As we develop into a more progressive society, the tools and systems used to grow our crops also become more intelligent as well as sustainable

There are multiple reasons why the practice of flooding crop furrows continues. The practice of flooding crop furrows produces two to three harvests per year with a higher crop yield. Sprinklers and drop system technology have been much

California employs various irrigation systems. These irrigation systems are condensed into four different groups- sub-surface irrigation, surface irrigation (gravity), sprinkler irrigation, and drip/mico sprinkler irrigation (Orang, Snyder and Matyac). Sub-surface irrigation is when there is a pipe or open ditch that is blocked in order to force the water back to the crop root zone. Approximately two percent of the irrigation in California is done this way in 2001. There are six different type so surface (gravity) irrigation- wild flood, border, basin, furrow irrigation without sprinklers, wheel line sprinklers followed by furrow irrigation, and hand move sprinklers followed by furrow irrigation. Surface (gravity) irrigation is the most common form of irrigation in California; in 2001 it accounted for about 50% of all irrigation in California. There are various types of sprinkler irrigation systems. A few of the ones mentioned in this report include solid set, hand move, linear move, wheel line, and hose pull. The final category of irrigation systems is drip/micro sprinkler irrigation. Drip/micro sprinkler irrigation systems consist of having mini sprinklers above and below ground. This irrigation system made up about 33% of the irrigation in 2001. This type of irrigation would drastically help with water shortages. It would help because it doesn’t flood the fields with water

However, many of the worlds irrigation systems are found in arid, semi arid environments, which climate change will alter significantly in the future (J. D, Connor, Schwabe, K. King, D. Knapp, K. 2011). Nearly one third of the worlds Nearly one-third of the irrigated land worldwide are affected by salinization (Schwabe et al., 2011e).

According to the Association of California Water Agencies, more than 50% of California's residential water use occurs outdoors, and a typical lawn consumes an average of 57 in. of rain a year (Koroma). A way to combat this is by offering the owners of homes with large lawns could be given subsidies in order to help implement desert plants into their gardens. Practices like these, called xeriscaping, help owners not only save water but also money. Artificial turf, or synthetic fibers put together to simulate grass, also stand as an option. This resolves the conflict of having to constantly water the lawn in order to keep it green. If these techniques are efficiently implemented and kept up, they could reduce as much as 30 percent of our daily water usage (EPA

(Hasan and Özay 2002, 73-74). As Albiac (2008) reports, development of pipe network distribution and drip irrigation methods in other countries led the farmers to have remarkable irrigation efficiency in drought (143). Such technologies have already been used in China, but they are not widely spread in China’s agriculture. One investigation in China on rice paddy irrigation systems development was performed and it revealed that using the fry-foot paddy irrigation (when no water flooded the field) instead of flooding irrigation (when the rice field is completely flooded) significantly (40-60%) reduces water consumption (Xiaoping, Qiangsheng and Bin 2004, 351). Furthermore, drip irrigation method was applied in arid Northern China and it raised the water usage efficiency (Du et al 2007). However, introduction of new irrigation technologies faced some difficulties in China. As Hodstedt (2010) noticed in his article, the water saved by these technologies such as drip irrigation systems was simply spent on more food production and, therefore, did not reduce the water shortage. Also, as he reported, this caused two other environmental problems. Firstly, the water, which was the supply for underground water and aquifers as it was lost by deep percolation and leakage, became unavailable after the water-saving technologies were introduced and this strengthened the aquifers depleting along with its overpumping. Secondly, after

Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the land. Farmers no longer have to rely on direct, and sometimes insufficient rainfall to water crops. Perennial irrigation was practiced in the Mesopotamian plain where crops were regularly watered throughout the growing season by water traveling through small channels that were dug in fields.

Paybacks can be establish done and with lesser water difficulties, converting into a lesser pressure loss, slighter diameter pipes and reduced installation costs when equated to traditional sprinkler systems. As the system uses only water, it produces no account adverse environmental impact; where excessive water damage could totally destroy the infrastructure and preserving property ("Army Safety Program," 2013).

Refers to reducing the usage of water and recycling of waste water for different purposes such as cleaning, manufacturing, and agricultural irrigation.

The Task was to design an irrigation system,since the football field needed a new one. Then determine the best route for the water pipes The areas of the field the sprinkler waters, the location of sprinklers,and how much of the field the sprinkler waters.The whole field has to be covered and not overwatered. Adobe illustrator was used to create a scale design for the system that the students selected,layers had to be included to represent the different parts of the irrigation system.The cost of the materials for the system also had to be determined.