ASSIGNMENT#2

Q#1. Define drainage and explain its objectives. (5pts)

Drainage is broadly defined as the removal of excess water and dissolved salts from
the surface and subsurface of the land in order to enhance crop growth.
Main Objectives of drainage
To bring soil moisture down from saturation to field capacity.
At field capacity, air is available to the soil.
Drainage helps to improve soil hydraulic conductivity

Soil structure can collapse under very wet conditions and so also engineering
structures.

In some areas with salt disposition, especially in arid regions,

Drainage is used to leach excess salt.
In irrigated areas, drainage is needed due to poor application Efficiency which means
that a lot of water is applied.
Drainage can shorten the number of occasions when cultivation is held up waiting for
soil to dry out.
Generally it controls water ponding, water logging and Salinization of soil.

Q# 2. What is water logging? Discuss its types and impacts. (5pts)

Waterlogging is the accumulation of excess water in the root zone of the soil.
Different Types of waterlogging

Riverine Flood Waterlogging: - Occurs during the rainy seasons, where floods come
to nearby lands from the river because it carries excess water and leads to the death of a
number of plants or crops.
Oceanic Flood Waterlogging: - is characterized by oceanic waters spreading onto
nearby lands and causing waterlogging.
Seasonal Waterlogging:- Sometimes during the rainy seasons, runoff water might
accumulate into the lowlands and depressions, leading to waterlogging
Perennial Waterlogging:- This happens when deep water or swamps get
rainwater and the runoff and seepage water spreads onto neighboring lands,
causing perennial waterlogging

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Sub-soil Waterlogging:- It is another type of waterlogging which occurs when

water tables rise up high, especially during the rainy seasons, causing
waterlogging
Impacts of water of waterlogging:-

Creation of Anaerobic Condition in the Crop Root-Zone

Growth of Water Loving Wild Plants

Impossibility of Tillage Operations

Accumulation of Harmful Salts

Lowering of Soil Temperature

Reduction in Time of Maturity

Q#3. Mention and explain clearly about the importance of on-farm water management
practices in a given irrigation scheme. (5Pts)

Conserve scarce water resource :- Water savings through improved on farm water
management of irrigation supplies are considered essential to meeting future water needs
Keeping Water Quality:- Irrigated agriculture affects water quality in several ways,
including higher chemical-use rates associated with irrigated crop production, increased field
salinity and erosion due to applied water, accelerated pollutant transport with drainage flows
and degradation due to increased deep percolation to saline formations
Improved On farm water management can help to minimize offsite water quality impacts
aforementioned.
Maintaining Farm returns: - Water savings at the farm level can help offset the
effect of rising water costs and restricted water supplies on producer income. Improved water
management may also reduce expenditures for energy, chemicals, and labor inputs, while
enhancing revenues through higher crop yields and improved crop quality
Enhance irrigation water application efficiency: - on farm water management practices,
such as irrigation scheduling, water-flow measurement and management of drainage flows
with combination of other farming practices such as conservation tillage and nutrient
management may lead to achieve maximum production potential and enhance efficiencies of
irrigation water.

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Q#4. Describe about the components of an irrigation and drainage system with help of
rough sketches. (5Pts)
Components of irrigation system
I. Water supply subsystems:- The sources of water for supply to the water supply subsystem
include both surface and subsurface water resources. Including reservoirs, river diversions,
ponds, tanks, open wells and pumping of groundwater.
II. Water delivery subsystem:- convey good quality water in adequate quantities from the
source to the fields through main canal, distributaries, minors and field channels and
designed to reduce seepage and erosion.
III. Water application subsystem:- deals with on farm irrigation Water available applied using
either surface or pressurized irrigation methods. Its main function is to distribute the desired
amount of water to field to provide favorable environment for crop production.
IV. Water removal subsystem :-is used for removal and disposal of surface and sub- surface
waters from the fields to facilitate agricultural operations and crop growth

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Components of drainage system

I. Field drains: - field drain drains or remove excess water from the field which is not
important to the crop and wanted to be disposed from the field.
II. Collector drains:- collect prepared water for removal from the field drains
III. Main drain :- accept drainage water from the collector drains and led to the out let point
IV. Outlet point:- point to release all the prepared water for removal at end point

Q#5. Mention some of important water delivery methods that applied in any irrigation
schemes and also briefly discuss each of them. (5Pts)
reasonable importance of water delivery methods are to reduce losses caused by
water seepage
for easiness of irrigation scheme management
and improve the utilization efficiency of irrigation water
Fair allocation of irrigation water among water user association and anyone else.
Water delivery methods could be included with in it.
1. The decision making procedure on water allocation to the tertiary units
1.1. On-demand allocation

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Water users or their representatives have direct access to the water and can divert
any amount at any time for any length.
The on-demand system can only be applied when there is no restriction on water
availability.
In general the canal capacities for on-demand schemes are bigger.
Measuring of the volume of water used and payment of fees accordingly is one of the
methods to limit the water use
1.2. On-request allocation
Water users or their representatives request the irrigation authority for a certain amount
of water for a certain time at a certain time.
The irrigation authority will evaluate the requests and balance these against the water
availability.
The request will be approved in more or less adjusted form and delivery will take place
after some time elapsed (after time lag)
This system is often used in areas with constraints in water availability, canal capacity
and/or capability of the flow control system
1.3. Imposed allocation
the irrigation authority draws up a delivery schedule which will be fixed for longer
periods (e.g. one season, one year or even for several years)
This system is extensively used in areas with a permanent security of water or
monoculture cropping pattern.
In case of on-request or imposed systems a scheduling system or irrigation schedule is to
be made. This schedule may be established by law.
Schedules consist of the delivery frequency to farm and/or to tertiary unit, delivery flow
rate, and the delivery duration.
The relation between these three factors control the capital cost and operating expenses
of the delivery system
2. The method of water allocation to the tertiary unit
2.1. Proportional flow
The flow will be diverted at a fixed ratio based on the width of the diverter
throughout the main system and to tertiary units.

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Un-gated diversion structures are required for this purpose

2.2. Intermittent flow
The flow into the tertiary unit will be intermittent and also called on/off flow.
A simple on/off gate is needed for intermittent flow.
2.3. Adjustable flow
Variable flow rates will be diverted to the tertiary units in this case.
The supply can be either: continuous or rotational.
Adjustable flow regulator is needed for the purpose.
3. The method of water distribution through the main system
Proportional;
Intermittent or The same with that of method
Adjustable of Allocation

Q#6. Discuss about the major tasks that could be undertaken by any irrigation scheme managers
in a given area. (5pts)
To provide an adequate level of service to water users
To optimize water distribution and minimize water losses
To avert or minimize waterlogging and salinization
To recover MOM costs
To maintain the irrigation and drainage infrastructure
To manage and motivate staff
To balance the accounts each year
Q#7. Discuss about the effects of over irrigation practices in any given area

==>Over irrigation practices have the following effects

Increase in Saline and Alkaline Elements in Soil or Increase in Salinity:- When irrigation
is done regularly with excessive water, groundwater level comes up and quantity of solvent
salts increases. Due to evaporation, salts from saline groundwater collect on the surface of
the soil.
Problem of Waterlogging:- led crops to suffer in Aeration
Shortage of Soil Nutritive Elements and Decrease in Productivity:- Due to over -
irrigation, nutritive elements of soil flow to sub-soil, resulting in decrease in soil productivity
and deficiency in crops.

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Reduces the exchange of air (oxygen) between the soil and atmosphere, and causes
reductions in root growth (especially in the upper soil layers) and less transport of water
and nutrients through the roots to the upper parts of the plant.
Increases microbial growth which can cause the formation of sulfides and butyric acid
that are toxic to plants.
Increases the potential for root diseases.
Causes a decrease in soil temperature, thus reducing root growth, which creates a shallow
root structure.
Leaches nutrients and pesticides from the root zone to groundwater. Negatively impacts
yield. Wastes water and energy resource

Q#8. A representative soil sample is taken in the root zone (Z = 0.6 m) of potatoes cultivated on
a loamy soil (ρb=1.40). The weight of the soil sample before and after drying is respectively 133
and 114 gram. Express the water content of the root zone as a depth of water

Given :

Root zone depth= 0.6m Bulk density (ρb)=1.4gram/cm3

Wet weight of the soil sample=133gram Dry weight of soil sample=114 gram

Required = depth water in the root zone ?

Solution

mass of water lost during drying( Mw)

Mass water content or gravimetric water content (θ m) =
mass of dry soil( Ms)

Mass of water = total mass of soil sample- dry mass of soil sample= 133g-114 g=19 g

Mwater 19 gram
m = M drysoil = 114 gram = 0.167

ρb× m 1.4 gram /cm 3 ×0.167

Volumetric soil moisture content (v) = = = 0.2338
ρw 1 gram/cm 3

Depth of water ion the root zone = droot zone ×v = 0.6m×0.2338=0.14m= 14cm/m

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Or in another way
weight of moist soil−oven dry weight of soil
Moisture content in the soil sample(%)= × 100
oven dry weight of soil

(133−114)× 100
= 16.67
114

Depth of water required at root zone =droot× mc ×bulk density= 0.6m×1.4gram×16.67=14cm/m

Q#9. Given the actual soil moisture content θi =17.5 vol%, calculate the net application depth
which replenish the soil up to field capacity. What is the maximum interval between
successive water applications? The net irrigation requirement: In = 65 mm/decade. Sandy
loam soil (θFC =21 vol%, θWP =9 vol%). Maize (Z = 0.8m, p = 0.50)

Given.
Actual soil moisture content (θi) =17.5 (vol%)

Net irrigation requirement (In) = 65mm/decade

Soil moisture @ field capacity (θFC) =21 vol%, and permanent wilting point (θWP) =9 vol%

Root depth of maize (dr.)=0.8m and depletion fraction friction=0.50

Required
 net application depth which replenish the soil up to field capacity(dnet)?
 Irrigation interval (II)?

Solution

Actual soil Moisture holding capacity = 17.5/100*0.8m=0.14m/m= 14cm/m

Depth water required at root zone

=(θfc-θpwp)*p* dr.= (21-9)/100*0.8m*0.5=0.048m/m=4.8cm/m

Net application depth which replenish the soil up to field capacity (dnet)

Net depth water to be applied = actual soil moisture holding capacity –moisture content in the
root zone = (14-4.8)cm/m=9.2cm/m net depth of water to be applied to refill field capacity of the
soil.

Irrigation interval = dnet/net irrigation requirement or crop water requirement

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Net irrigation requirement = 65mm/decade= 6.5mm/day

II =9.2cm/6.5mm/day=92mm/6.5mm/day= 14days

Q#10. A stream size of 150 lit/sec was released from the diversion headwork to irrigate a land of
area 1.8 hectares. The stream size when measured at the delivery to the field channels is
120lit/sec. The stream continued for 8 hours. The effective root zone depth is 1.80m. The
application losses in the field are estimated to be 440m3. The depth of water penetration was
1.80m and 1.20m at the head and tail of the run respectively. The available water holding
capacity of the soil is 21cm/m and irrigation was done at 60% depletion of Am. Find Ec, Ef,
Ea, Es and Ed. The stream size delivered to the plot was 100 lit/sec.

Given
Q diverted from the canal=150lit/sec Q delivered to the field channel =120 lit/sec

Irrigated area (A)=1.8ha , Time of irrigation (t) =8hrs

deffective =1.8m Runoff loss volume (VRunoff)=440m3

Penetration depth =1.80m at the head end and 1.20m at the tail end.

Available water holding capacity of the soil=21 cm/m&Qdiverted to the plot level=100 litter/sec.

Required:- Ec, Ef, Ea, Es and Ed??

solusion

 Water conveyance efficiency (Ec) = water delivered into the field channel/ water supplied in
120l / s
to the canal at the head Ec = 150l / s *100 = 80%
 Field Canal Efficiency(Ef) = water received at the field inlet / water delivered to the fields
channel
100l / s
Ec = 120l / s *100= 83.3%
 Water application Efficiency(Ea) = water stored in the root zone during irrigation/
water delivered in to the plot
Therefore, Water supplied to plot during 8 hours at 100 liters per second
Q=V/t => V=Qt= 100 liter/s*8hr*60min/hr*60sec/min=2880000 liters( convert into m3 )
1m3=1000 liter=>2880000/1000=2880m3  water delivered to the plot
Water stored in the root zone =water delivered to the plot – water lost during application

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=2880m3 -440m3 =2440 m3  water stored in the root zone

2440 m3
Ea = *100 =84.7%
2880 m3
 Water storage efficiency(Es) = water stored in the root zone during irrigation/ water
needed in the root zone prior to irrigation
=>Total available moisture (TAM)= Available water holding capacity of the soil* depth
of effective root zone = 21 cm/m*1.8m=37.8cm
Readily available moisture in the root zone at the time of irrigation (RAM)
60
RAM =60% TAM= ∗¿37.8cm = 22.68cm
100

But additional water required in the root zone =37.8-22.68= 15.12cm

The amount of water required in the root zone prior to the next irrigation= depth water required
in the root zone *plot area = 0.1512m*1.8ha*104m2 =2721.6m3

Actual volume of water stored in the root zone =2440 m3

2440 m3
Water storage efficiency (ηs) = 3 *100= 89.65% approximately 90%
2721.6 m

d
 Water distribution Uniformity or water distribution efficiency ( Ed) =(1- D )

where,
d = Average of the absolute values of deviations from the mean and D = Mean depth of
water stored during irrigation.

1.8 m+1.2 m
Mean depth of the water stored in the root zone (D) = = 1.5m
2

Average of the absolute values of deviations from the mean (d ) = ((1.8-1.5)+(1.2-1.5))/2= 0.6/2
=0.3m

0.3
Therefore, water distribution efficiency (Ed) = (1- ) *100%= 80%
1.5

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