BOARD REVIEW NOTES IN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

August 14, 1984

IRRIGATION (PRINCIPLES & SYSTEMS)

By: RC Undan
Member, PSAE Board of Directors

Basic Soil-Water Relations

The engineer should have a broad understanding of the soil and water
relationships including its influence on irrigation and drainage. Two much or too little
water in the soil would be detrimental to crop. The concern is to know the optimum
range of soil moisture that will provide favorable condition for crop growth and
development.

Soil Texture. Texture is determined by the size of soil particles. Most soils are
cropped of the mixture of sand (0.01 to 1.00 mm), silt (0.002 to 0.05), and clay
(smaller than 0.002 mm). Soil texture determines to a large extent the depth of water
that can be stored in a given depth of soil.

Soil Structure. The size and shape of the groups of soil particles clinging together,
and the resistance to breaking down is called the structure. Soil structure can be
pnismatic, columnar, granular, crumb, blocky and platy. Structure plays important
part in water intake rate, water movement in soil and its resistant to soil erosion.
Granular and crumb structures are the most desirable for plants.

Real Specific Gravity. (See attached definition of terms). Some irrigated soils with
large organic matter have a real specific gravity of 1.5 to 2.0. Soils with low organic
matter have an average real specific gravity of 2.65.

Apparent Specific Gravity. (See attached definition of terms). This is used in

accounting the amount of water applied in irrigation.

Pore Space. (See definition). This has a direct bearing upon productive value of
soils due to its influence upon water-holding capacity and upon the movement of air,
water and root through the soil. It can be determine from the values of the real and
apparent specific gravity.

Infiltration Rate. (See definition) Infiltration decrease with time after wetting a soil. It
is important in rainfall runoff studies and irrigation.

Intake rate. (see definition). It is infiltration occurring under a particular soil surface
configuration. It is very important in irrigation through furrows.

Permeability (see definition). Important in irrigation using wells and sub-surface

drainage.

Soil Moisture Content. This is expressed in moisture percentage litter dry-weight

basis, Pw or an a volume basis, Pv on dry weight basis.

Pw = Ww x 100
Ws
On volume basis

Pv = PwAs

Where: Ww = weight of water in the soil

 Ws = dry weight of soil
As = apparent specific gravity

Available Water – There are three classifications:

1. Hygroscopic water – on the surface of the soil grains and not capable of
action by gravity or capillary forces.
2. Capillary water – part in excess of the hygroscopic water which is retained
against the force of gravity.
3. Gravitational water – part in excess of hygroscopic and capillary water,
which will move out of the soil of favorable drainage, is provided.

Saturation
Gravitational water
Rapid drainage
Field Capacity

Capillary water
Slow drainage

Permanent Wilting Hygroscopic water

point Essentially no drainage
Unavailable Moisture

Classes of Soil-Water Availability to Plants

(For representative physical properties of soils refer to Israelses; p. 168)

Evapotranspiration and Water Requirement

1. Soil Sampling
- the change in moisture content per unit time is the root zone is
determining through over dried soil samples.
-
2. Lysimetry
- lusimeters either the weighing or the non-weighing type are used to
measure the amount of water used.
-
3. Water balance techniques
- changes in moisture content is determined by taking into account the
inflows and outflows over a project area; this is generally used in large areas.

4. Energy balance
- the procedure is to determine net radiation; heat absorbed by or leased
from the soil, and the power ration.
-
5. Estimating ET using climatic data
 Methods use in Estimating Evapotranspiration Using Climatic Data
Methods Features Limitations/Disadvantages
1. Penman -most complete Requires sufficient weather
theoretical approach measurements
- reliable
- applicable for humid area
with growing vegetation
2. Throntwaite - simples ezxpression - not applicable to low
utilizing readily available humidity regions
climatological data, - no allowance has been
based on temperature, made for different crops or
and latitude. other land use
- Applies well to humid,
well vegetated areas
3. Lowry-Johnson -Applies to a valley, not
- nou--not developed to estimate
an individual farm monthly use limited climate
-Utilizes effective heat in data used
terms of maximum daily
growing seasons
temperatures above 32ºF
4. Blanney-Criddle and – fits avid conditions only
-Utilizes temperature -firfits
day time hours
5. Jensen and Haise - an empirical - -requires accounts
approximation of the evapotranspiration data for
energy balance equation calibration
using solar radiation and
mean air temperature

WATER REQUIREMENTS OF SOME CROPS DURING THE CRITICAL GROWTH

STAGES
From PCARRD Phil. Recommends for Irrigation Water Management V.2)

Water Depth per Average

Crops year or per Growing Period Critical Period
Season (days)
Banana 15-30 annual Early growth stages
Flowering and pod
Bean 30-50 60-90
development
Cabbage 30 70-90 Head formation and
enlargement
Cacao 45-200 perennial -
Cassava 100-150 annual -
Cauliflower - - No critical moisture sensitive
stage; frequent irrigation
required from planting to
harvest.
Citrus 9-120 perennial During flushes of new growth,
fruit setting and rapid increase
of fruit size.
60 90-120 Silking and ear development
Cotton 70-130 150-180 Flowering period
Cowpea 35-30 110-120 -
Cucumber 30 60-70 -
Eggplant 50 90-120 -
Garlic 36-40 90-120 -
Grapes 50-120 180-270 Shoot elongation and flowering,
fruit filling
Lettuce 30 40-50 Just before the harvest when
the ground cover is complete
Mungo 40 90-100 Germination and at flowering
stage
Onion 35-55 90-100 During the period of root and
bulb formation
Papaya 120
Peanut 58 140-160 Peak of flowering to early
fruiting
Peas 35-30 65-100 fresh Start of flowering and when the
pods are swelling
85-120 dry
Pechay 30 40-60
Pili - - -
Potato 50-70 100-150 Period of stolonization and
tuber initiation
Radish 30 40-60 Period of rooting and bulb
formation
Soybean 45-70 100-120 Germination and pod
development
Squash 45-70 100 -130 -
Sugarcane 150-250 270-365 Vegetative period, particularly
during period of tilering and
stem elongation.
Sweet potato 46 60-120 After formation of tubers
Sweet pepper 58 90-120 Throughout the growth period
but particularly just prior and at
start of flowering.
Taro 250
Tobacco 40-60 40-60 Period of rapid growth; knee
high to blossoming
Tomato 40-60 90-140 Vegetative period, particularly
during and just after
transplanting, yield formation,
flowering.
Yam 115 or more Requires adequate moisture
throughout growing period.

WATER, SOIL AND CLIMATIC REQUIREMENTS OF SOME UPLAND CROPS

(From: PCARRD Phil. Recommends for irrigation-Water Management V-2)
Characteristics and Water Needs Soil Requirement Climatic
Average Seasonal
Growing Consump
Depth of Water
Crop Period tive use Soil Texture
Root Zone Requirement
(day) (mm/day)
(cm) (cm)
Corn 90-120 80-100 4-7 60 Silt loam to loam
Rice 100-130 15-35 4-6 100 Clay loam
Sugarcane 270-365 100-120 4-8 150-250 Fine sandy loam
Tobacco 90-120 90 5-8 40-60 Silt loam to clay loam
Cotton 150-180 120-125 5-8 70-130 Sandy loam to clay
Cassava 180-200 50-75 4-6 100-150 Sandy loam to sandy
Sweet 60-120 100-150 3-6 46 Sandy loam to clay
Potato
Irish potato 100-150 40-60 - 40-50 Loam to sandy loam
Fruit trees 240-365 100-500 7 90-120 Loam to sandy loam
Vegetables 30-60 40-50 4-6 30-50 Sandy loam to loam
Method of Water Application

There are seven basic techniques or methods of irrigation water application

most of which have several variations. Each technique and variation has
characteristics that are adaptable and operation for each of the seven techniques
are:

1. Basin : A level of any size or shape bounded by borders or ridges retains

all the applied water until it infiltrates. Any loss of water results from either
deep percolation or surface evaporation.

2. Basin Check: A fairly level area of any size or shape bounded by borders
and with no depressions which cannot be readily drained. The borders (or
ridges) retain all the applied water for a sufficient time to obtain a relatively
uniform depth of infiltration over the area and then the remaining water is
drained off the surface and use to irrigate an adjacent border-check.
Water is lost chiefly by deep percolation and evaporation.

3. Border-strip: A sloping area, usually rectangular, is bounded by borders or

ridges that guide a moving sheet of water as it flows down the bordered
strip. There should be little or no slope at right angles to the direction of
flow. The inflow of water is usually cut off when the advancing sheet has
flowed six to nine tenths of the distance down the strip. Water is lost
chiefly by deep percolation and run-off.

4. Furrow or corrugation : A small sloping channel is scraped out of or

pressed into the soil surface. For high uniformity of wetting, the irrigation
stream should reach the end of the channel in about one-fourth of the time
allotted for the irrigation; but the stream is not shut off until the root zone
soil at the lower end of the furrow is adequately irrigated. Water in the soil
moves both laterally and downward from the channel. Water is lost briefly
by deep percolation and runoff.

5. Sprinkler: Any of numerous devices for spraying water over the soil
surface. Water discharged from a sprinkler into the air should infiltrate the
soil where it falls, but it should not saturate the soil surface. For high
uniformity of wetting, the spray patterns from adjacent sprinklers must be
properly overlapped. Evaporation, wind drift, an deep percolation are chief
causes of loss water.

6. Trickle (or dip) emitter: A device used in trickle (or drip) irrigation for
discharging water at some very low rate (less than 3 gallons per hour)
through small holes in tubing placed near the soil surface. Water moves
through the soil both sideways and downward away from the point of
application to form a “bulb+ of wet soil. Typically, only a portion of the soil
mass is kept quite moist by very frequent or continuous application. Water
is loss is mainly by deep percolation.

7. Sub-irrigation: In certain areas the water table can be adequately

controlled and periodically raised to sub irrigate the crop’s root zone.
Precise control of the water table requires certain natural conditions;
previous soil, level soil surface, naturally high water table, and low salinity
of water.

Table I-1 summarizes and compares the major physical characteristics that
affect the adaptability of each of the seven basic irrigation techniques.
 Major physical requirements and potential application efficiencies of the low
quarter for the basic irrigation techniques.
Physical Requirements at site
Irrigation Soil Infiltration Ground Water Labor PLLQ
method Uniformity Rate Slope Supply Intensity percent
Basin Inform Any Level, or Large High at 60-85
within graded to intermitte infrequent
each basin level nt intervals

Basin Uniform All but Fairly High at 60-80

Check within extremes smooth Large infrequent
each basin with no intermitte intervals
depression nt

Border Uniform All but Mild and High at 70-85

Strip within extremes smooth infrequent
each strip Large intervals
intermitte
Furrow or Uniform All but Mild or nt High at 70-75
corrugation along very “contour” infrequent
each rapid intervals
furrow Medium
Sprinkle Any to large High to 65-85
Soils may All but farmable intermitte very low dependi
be very slope nt daily ng on
intermixed rapid var.
Trickle Any Small Very low
(drip or Soils may farmable continuou daily 75-90
subsurface be Any slope s
) intermixed
Level or Very low
Sub- Uniform graded to Small 50-80
irriagtion within level continuou
each field s

Large
relative to
area

1. Values of 90% can be attained under ideal conditions if runoff water is re

used.
2. Except for center pivot and traveling sprinklers, which are best suited to use
on soils that have medium and high infiltration rates.
3. Labor inputs range from high intensity for hand move, moderate for
mechanical move, to low for automatic sprinkle irrigation system.
4. Surface soils with medium capillarity must be underlain with previous
subsoils.

(Based on Meriams and Keller, Farm Irrigation Systems Evaluation)

 SPRINKLE IRRIGATION
- This is used on areas where use of surface irrigation systems is inefficient or
impossible.
- Applicable to areas with excessive slopes, irregular topography, easily eroded
soil and/or in favorable intake rates and soil profiles.

Planning/Developing the System

Step 1: Make a farm resource inventory

a. Size and shape of design area
b. Topography
c. Type of soils
d. Available/potential water supplies
e. Climatic conditions
f. Other physical features that would influence operation
g. Power facilities and costs

Step 2: Determine present and future farm operations

a. Present and future cropping practices
b. Cultural and harvesting operations
c. Labor utilization
d. Soil and water conservation needs

Step 3: Design of the Sprinkler System

Two Major Parts

A. Preliminary steps for systems design
1. Determine steps for systems design
2. Determine irrigation interval at peak moisture use rate

Interval in days = net water applied

Peak use rate
3. Determine the basis system capacity requirement at peak use
rate using gross depth of water application
AD
Q= 453 _____

FH
Where Q = sprinkler systems capacity in gpm
A = design area in acres
D = gross depth of application in acre-in- per area
F = no. of days allowed for completion of one irrigation,
usually the irrigation interval
H = No. of hours the system is operated per day

For multiple crops, compute the capacity requirements for each crop and
average.

4. Determine the range of safe water application rates

5. Determine the rate of application, sprinkler type, spacing,
operating pressure and nozzle size or sizes.

B. Adjustment of final design procedure

1. Determine the required no. of sprinklers operating

a. from required capacity
 b. from sprinkler selection

2. Determine nearest number of interval to operate required

capacity of system by one of more of the following:
a. increasing or decreasing sprinkler discharge
b. increasing or decreasing total operating time
c. adding another full lateral with some discharge
d. final adjustments and selection of sprinkler discharge and
operating pressure.

3. Design of lateral
4. Design of mains
5. Pipe size economy check where required
6. Determine systems operating conditions
a. maximum head-discharge requirements
b. minimum head-discharge requirements
7. Select pump and power unit to efficiently meet head-discharge
requirements
8. Determine operation, automation, and protection control
equipment required
9. Check on or cost of water application
10. Prepare alternate design where required

Some key points to consider in layout of distribution pipelines, lateral and

pumping locations.

1. Lateral should be across slopes where possible.

2. Lateral should be at an angle to prevailing wind.
3. Distribution pipelines should be up and down the hills.
4. Lateral lengths should be kept to practical minimum for pipe size
reduction.
5. As much as possible, system should serve square or rectangular
fields.
6. Laterals should be rotated for minimum hauling back to starting
positions.
7. Piping and pipe sizes layout should have minimum arrival cost.

Determination of Sprinkler Irrigation System Capacity

1. Determine the net amount of water to apply per irrigation based on mature
crop root zone and soil types.
2. Determine the applicable peak moisture use rate for the crop and climatic
zone in question. Correct for additional evaporation if the apparent interval is
less than 10 days.
3. Find the peak use irrigation interval, i.e.,

Irrigation interval = net water applied (m)

Peak use rate (m/day)
4. Determine from users operations and labor schedule the practical irrigation
period. Modify, whenever necessary to allow a safe margin against
wilting/interruption of schedule.

Frequency of irrig, F = irrigation period in days = adjusted irrig. interval

5. Determine the gross amount of water to apply each irrigation by using

appropriate water application efficiency for the design. Give allowance for
leaching of salts if required.
 Gross amount of water to apply (D) = Net water applied (in.)
Water application efficiency (in decimal)

6. Determine the total hours of operation per day, H, based on the number of
lateral settings per day, the time of setting in hours, and required moving time.
7. Compute the required system capacity, using formula

Q (gpm) = 453 AD
FH
(Note : where A = area to be irrigated in acres; for diversified irrigated farm
adjust above calculations)

Sprinkler System Components

1. Sprinklers
a. Rotating head sprinklers – for rapidly whirling sprinkler,
operating pressure range from 15-30 psi; water discharge
varies from ½ to 10 gpm per sprinkler; used in orchard
and groves.
b. High pressure large volume sprinkler – operating
pressure are 80 – 130 psi; capacity of 80 to 1000 gpm.
operating pressures for intermediate sprinklers ranges 30
to 80 psi with individual sprinkler capacities varying from
3 to 100 gpm; used for bananas and sugarcane.
c. Stationary or fixed sprinklers – used in lawns, shrubbery
and greenhouse system.

- For the most field crop irrigation intermediate pressure sprinklers (30 to 60
psi) are used.

2. Nozzles – the discharge opening or orifice used on a sprinkler to control the

volume of discharge, distribution pattern, diameter and drop size.

a. perforated sprinkler lines

b. nozzle lines
3. Riser – pipe that connects the rotating or fixed sprinkler head to the sprinkler
lateral.
4. Pipe lines

a. Pipe or tubing- either made of steel, asbestos-cement, aluminum, or

plastic, used as either main lines or laterals.
b. Couple- needed to connect the tubing to make the main or lateral
pipelines
c. Rise supports
d. Reducers
e. End plugs or caps
f. Elbow, valve-operating elbow
g. Tees: valve opening tees, end tees, side outlet tees
h. Crosses

5. Sprinkler Lateral
a. Hand-moved
b. Mechanically-moved
c. Continuously moving
d. Solid set sprinkler system

6. Main Pipelines
 7. Valves
a. automatic drain valves
b. hand-operated drain valve
c. flushing type drain valve
d. pressure relief valve
e. vacuum relief valve
f. check valve- if pump stopped water will be maintained in the pipeline
above the pump.
g. discharge valve – for priming
h. foot valve
i. mainline riser outlet valve
j. tee valve and y – valve
k. line valve for shutting off the flow in the line

8. Regulators and Gauges

a. pressure regulators
b. flow regulators
c. pressure gauges
d. vacuum gauge – used on the section inlet of the pump.

The important factors in the success of sprinkler irrigation system are:

1. The correct design
2. The efficient operation of the designed system.
SOME COMMONLY USED TERMS IN IRRIGATION

1. Irrigation – the application of water to soil for the purpose of supplying the
moisture essential to plant growth.
Basic Soil water Relations

2. Real Specific gravity – the ratio of the weight of a single soil particle to the
weight of a volume of water equal to the volume of the particle of soil.
3. Apparent specific gravity – the ratio of the weight of a given volume of dry
soil, air space included, to the weight of an equal volume of water.
4. Porosity – the ratio of the volume of voids ( air and water filled space
included) to the total volume occupied by soil, water and air.
Pore space- the percentage of volume of the soil not occupied by soil
particles but occupied by water and air.
5. Infiltration rate – the time rate at which water will percolate into soil.
6. Intake rate – the rate of infiltration from a furrow into the soil.
7. Permeability (of soil) – the velocity of flow into the soil caused by a unit
hydraulic gradient in which the driving force is one pound per pound of water.
8. Field capacity – the amount of water a soil profile will hold against drainage
by gravity at a specified time (usually from 24 to 48 hours) after a through
wetting.
- the moisture content of the soil when gravitational water has been removed
(after irrigation by flooding). It is usually determined two days after irrigation.
The soil moisture tension at this point is normally between 1/10 to 1/3
atmospheres.
9. Permanent Wilting Point (or Wilting Coefficient) – the soil moisture content
when plants permanently wilt. The soil moisture tension at this point is about
15 atmospheres. Permanent wilting percentage can be estimated by dividing
the field capacity by a fractor ranging from 2.0 to 2.4, with the value higher for
soils with higher silt content.
10. Available moisture – the difference in moisture content of the soil between
field capacity and permanent wilting point.
11. Readily available moisture (RAM) – that portion of the available moisture that
is most easily extracted by plants; this is approximately 75% of the available
moisture.
12. Leaching requirement – the fraction of the irrigation water that must be
leached through the root zone to control soil salinity at specified level.
13. Evatranspiration – is the sum of transpiration and water evaporated from the
soil, or exterior portions of the plants where water may have accumulated
from irrigations, rainfall, dew or exudation from the interior of the plant.
Consumptive use is identical with evatranspiration, for practical purposes.
Consumptive use only includes water retained in the plant tissue.
14. Transpiration – the processs by which water vapor escapes from living plant
principally the leaves, and enters the atmosphere.
15. Crop water requirement – the sum of evapotranspiration and percolation
losses.
16. Irrigation water requirement – the quantity of water, exclusive of precipitation,
required to maintain desired soil moisture and salinity level during the crop
season. (Crop water requirement + farm waste – effective rainfall)
17. Effective rainfall – the total rainfall minus that amount which cannot be stored
or used in the paddy field.
18. Farm turnout requirement – the sum of irrigation requirement and farm ditch
losses.
19. Diversion requirement – farm turnout requirement plus conveyance losses in
the main canal and lateral up to farm turnout.
Irrigation Efficiencies

20. Water conveyance efficiency – the ratio between the water delivered to the
farm to the water diverted from a river or reservoir expressed in percent.
21. Water application efficiency – the ratio between water stored in the soil root
zone during irrigation to the water delivered to the farm, expressed in percent.
22. Water-use efficiency – the ratio of water beneficially used on the project, farm
or field to the amount of water delivered to the farm, expressed in percent.
23. Water-storage efficiency – the ratio of water stored in the root zone during the
irrigation to the water needed in the root zone prior to irrigation, expressed in
percent.
24. Consumptive use efficiency – the ratio of the normal consumptive use of
water to the net amount of water depleted from the root zone soil.

Pump Irrigation

25. Water horsepower – the power theoretically required to lift a given quantity of
water each second to a specified height.

or WHP = 62.5 Qh = Qh
550 8.8
where Q = discharge in cfs h= vertical lift in ft.

26. Brake horsepower – water horsepower divided by pump efficiency, in

decimal.
27. Static head – the difference in elevation of the water surface in a pond, lake,
or river from which pumped water is taken, and the water surface of the
discharge canal into which water flows from a submerged discharged pipe.

In pumping from groundwater source

Static head – the difference in elevating between the water surface in
the well and the water surface of the discharge canal.

28. Total dynamic head – the sum of the total static head, pressure head, velocity
head and friction head.
29. Draw down – ( in a well) is the difference in elevation between the
groundwater table and the water surface at the well when pumping.
30. Characteristic curves – graphs that show interrelations between speed, head,
discharge, and horsepower of a pump.
31. Specific seed – expresses the relationship between speed in rpm, discharge
in gpm and head in fee.
Some Useful Conversion Factors

GIVEN MUTLPLY BY TO OBTAIN

Inch 2.54 Centimeter
Meter 3.281 Foot
Mile 1.609 Kilometer
Hectare 2.471 Acre
Acre 43,560 Square feet
US gallon 3.785 Liter
Imperial Gallon 4,546 Liter
Cubic meter 1000 Liter
US Gallon 0.003785 Cubic meter
Imperial Gallon 0.004546 Cubic meter
Cubic Foot 0.0283 Cubic meter
Cubic Foot 28.32 Liter
Cubic Foot 264.20 Us gallon
Cubic Foot 35.32 Cubic foot
Cubic Foot 7.48 Us gallon
Acre-in 1.028 Hectare-cm
Acre-foot 1233.5 Cubic meter
Ton (SI) 1000 Kilogram
Horsepower 550 Foot-pound per second
Horsepower 746 Watt
Atmosphere 1.0132 Bar
Atmosphere 14.7 Psi (gauge)
Psi 70.45 Grams per sq.cm.
Cubic meter per second 35.32 Cubic feet per second
Liter per second 15.85 Gallons per minute
Cubic feet per second 28.32 Liters per second
448.8 Gallons per minute
23.802 Acre-in per day
244.7 Hectare-millimeter/day
US gpm 0.00228 Cfs
0.06308 Liters per second
0.0630 Acre-in per day
0.545 Ha-mm per day
Millimeter per day 0.1157 Liter/sec/ha

REVIEW PROBLEMS

Irrigation Scheduling

1. Given : Corn on a loam soil

Depth of root zone = 90 cm
Average evapotranspiration during peak use = 6 mm/day
Field capacity = 22 %
Permanent wilting point = 10%
Apparent specific gravity = 1.40%
Furrow irrigation efficiency = 65%

Determine:
1. Depth of available soil moisture (AM) and readily available moisture
(RAM).
2. Amount and frequency of irrigation assuming
a. 80% depletion of the readily available moisture
b. 50% depletion of the available soil moisture
Solution:
1. Available soil moisture (AM) = FC – PWP x Ds x As
100
= 22-10 x 90 x 1.4 = 15.12 cm
100
Readily available moisture, (RAM) = 0.75 AM
= 0/75 (15.12) = 11.34 cm
2. a. Net amount of water to be applied at 80% depletion of RAM
= 0.8 (11.34) = 9.07 cm

Gross amount of units to be applied = 9.07 = 13.95 cm

0.65
Irrigation interval = net amount of water to be applied
Peak ET
= 9.07 cm = 15.12 days
0.60 cm
or irrigation frequency should be every 15 days

c. Net amount to be applied at 50 AM depletion = 0.5 (15.12) = 7.56

cm
Gross amount to be applied at 50% depletion = 7.56 = 11.63
0.65

Irrigation interval = 7.56 = 12.6

0.60

Use in 12 days interval.

A.E. BOARD – SEPTEMBER 13, 1982

II- 1. A farmer collected a soil sample two days after irrigation. The sampler has the
following dimensions:
Diameter - 5 inches
Height - 8 inches
The sample weighed 3000 grams before drying and 2340 grams after drying.

Estimate the following.

Field capacity, inches per foot depth of soil
Readily available moisture, inches per foot depth of soil

Solution:
Volume of Soil sample = II (5x2.54)2 (8 x 2.54) = 2574.08 cc
4
Apparent Specific gravity, As = 2340
2574.08 x 1.0 g/cc = 0.909
Field capacity, Fc = soil moisture content two days after irrigation
= 3000 –2340 x 100% =28.21%
2340
= 28.21 x 0.909 x 12 = 3.08 in/ft soil
100
Permanent wilting point, PW =28.21 = 12.82%
2.2
Available moisture, AN = 28.21 –12.82 x 0.909 x 12 =1.68 in/ft soil
100
Readily available moisture, RAM = 0.75 (1.68) = 1.26 in/ft soil
II-2. Estimate the required depth of flow over a straight-drop spillway 14 ft. in length
to carry runoff of 40,000 gallons per minute.

Solution:
Q= CLH3/2
Use C =3.1

H = Q2/3 = 40,000/448.812/3 =1.62

CL 3.1 x 14

Estimating Irrigation Diversion Requirement

1. Give: An area shown in the figure;
a. Length of canal and area showed:

Turnout Length of ditch Area covered

(m) (ha)
1 500 12.5
2 400 10
3 350 8.5
4 400 10 FD = farm ditch
5 600 15 T.O = turnout
6 500 13

2. Average size of farm ditch (FD)

Width = 35 cm depth= 16 cm (water depth is 75% this depth)
3. Average dimensions of the lateral
Length = 1.8 km
Width = 80 cm
Depth = 60 cm (water depth is 50% of this depth)
4. Losses:
a. Conveyance and farm ditch see page losses =0.06 cu.m/sq. m/day
b. Farm waste =25% of the water requirement
c. Leakages through gates = 5 % of farm delivery requirement
d. Leakages through canals =80% of see page losses through canals
5. Evapotranspiration = 5mm per day; percolation 2.5 mm day
6. Rainfall for the month of June =300 mm; effective rainfall is 60 %

Determine the irrigation diversion requirement.

Solution:
1. Crop water requirement = 5 + 2.5 =7.5 mm/day
2. Irrigation requirement = crop water requirement and farm waste
- effective rainfall = 7.5 + (0.25) (7.5) – (0.60 (300))
30
=7.5 + 1.875 – 6 = 3.375 mm/day = 0.390 L/se/ha
3. Total irrigation requirement = 0.390 x area

Turnout No. Area (ha) Irrigation Req (1/se)

1 12.5 4.875
2 10 3.900
3 8.5 3.315
4 10 3.900
5 15 5.850
6 13 5.070
TOTAL 26.910
4. Farm ditch loss = wetted perimeter and length of farm ditch and seepage rate.
Wetted perimeter =35 + 2 (.75 x 16 ) =59 cm = 0.59mm
 Turnout Length farm ditch Wetted area Farm ditch loss
(m) Sq m cu.m/day 1/sec
1 500 295.0 17.7 0.205
2 400 236.0 14.7 0.170
3 350 206.5 12.4 0.143
4 400 236.0 14.7 0.170
5 600 354.0 12.2 0.246
6 500 295.0 17.7 0.205
Total 98.4 1.139
5. Farm delivery requirement – irrigation requirement + farm ditch losses.

Turnout No. Irrig. Req (1/sec) Farm ditch losses(1/sec) Farm turnout
Req (1/sec)
1 4.875 0.205 5.080
2 3.900 0.700 4.070
3 3.315 0.143 3.458
4 3.900 0.170 4.070
5 5.850 0.246 6.096
6 5.070 0.205 5.275
26.910 1.139 28.048

6. Conveyance losses
a. seepage loss = 0.06 x 1,800 x 80 + 2 (.50 x 60)
100
= 0.60 x 1800 x 1.40 = 151.2 cu. m/day
= 1.749 1/sec
b. leakages through canals (80% of seepage losses)
= 0.8 (1.749) = 1.399 L/sec
c. leakages through gates = 0.05 x 28.05 = 1.402 L/sec

Conveyance losses =1.749 + 1.402 + 1.399 = 4.55 L/sec

7. Total diversion requirement
= Farm turnout requirement + conveyance losses
= 28.05 + 4.55 = 32.600 L/sec

Irrigation pumps

1. A centrifugal pump is delivery 450 gpm from a creek to a field 25 feet above
the creek. There is a free discharge. The total friction loss in the pipe is 5 feet.
Pump efficiency is 65%. Find the brake horsepower required to deliver the
flow.

Solution:
Total dynamic head = 25+5 = 30ft
Brake horsepower, BHP = QH = 500 x 30 = 5.83 hp
3960E 3960 (065)
2. Given a pump system shown in figure operating under these conditions:
1. Static lift: 16 ft
2. Pump discharge: 800 gpm
3. Suction pipe (smooth new iron) inside diameter: 6 inches
4. Suction pipe length ( A&B): 35 ft
5. Systems contains strainer, foot valve and one standard elbow
6. Pump efficiency: 70%

Determine the total dynamic head and the brake horsepower

Solution:
Water velocity in pipe,
V = Q = 800/448.8
A II 6 2
4 12
= 9.08 fps

Velocity head = V2 = (9.08)2 = 1.28 ft

2g 2(32.2)

From the table of equivalent pipe for 6 inch standard elbow : 16 ft

For foot valve and strainer 30 ft
46 ft
The table length of pipe = 46 + 35 = 81 ft
For smooth new iron pipe, head loss for 6 inch with 900 gpm flow
= 6 ft/100 ft length

Hence,
Friction loss = 0.06 (81) = 4.86 ft
Total dynamic head = 16 + 1.28 + 4.86 = 22.14 ft
BHP = 800 (22.14) = 6.39 hp
3960 (0.70)
 Summary of Orifice and Weir Formula

Measuring Device (all

Views Formula
sharp crested)

Orifice