Example 1:

Determine the frequency of irrigation from the following data if readily available moisture is 75% of
the available moisture (Hint: Readily available moisture is that portion of the available moisture which
is most easily extracted by the plants, and is approximately 75 to 80% of the available moisture).
(i) Field capacity of soil = 35%
(ii) Permanent wilting point = 18%
(iii) Density of soil = 1.5g/cm3
(iv) Depth of root zone = 70cm
(v) Daily consumptive use of water = 17mm
Relevant Equations:
The frequency of irrigation (fw) in days is given by
𝐷𝑤
fw = 𝐶𝑢
where, fw = Frequency of watering ;
Cu = Daily consumptive use of water
Dw = Depth of water to be applied in each watering
Also,
𝑊𝑠 × 𝑑
Dw = x [Fc - Mo]
𝑊𝑤
Where , Dw = Depth of water to be applied in each watering
d = Depth of root zone;
Ws = Unit weight of soil;
Ww = Unit weight of water
Fc = Field capacity;
Mo = Optimum moisture content.
Solution
Available moisture = Field capacity – Permanent wilting point = 35 – 18 = 17%
Readily available moisture = 17 × 0.75 = 12.75%
Optimum moisture content = 35 – 12.75 = 22.25%
Therefore, by applying irrigation water, the moisture content is to be raised from 22.25% to 35%
Ws × d
From Dw = × [Fc - Mo]
Ww
Here, Ws = 1.5g/cm3,
Ww = 1g/cm3,
d = 70cm (0.7m),
Fc = 35%,
Mo = 22.25% = 0.2225.

1.5 × 0.70
Dw = × [ 0.35 - 0.2225 ]
1
= 1.05 × 0.1275
= 0.133875 m
= 13.39 cm
Daily consumptive use of water (Cu) = 17mm = 1.7cm

Dw 13.39
(a) From, fw = , = = 7.78 = 8 days
Cu 1.7
Hence, the water should be applied in the field at an interval of 8 days.
Example 2
A stream of 140 l/s was diverted from a canal and 110 l/s were delivered to the field. An area of 1.65
ha was irrigated in 8 hours. The effective depth of root zone was 1.85 m. The runoff loss in the field
was 435 m3. The depth of water penetration varied linearly from 1.85 m at the head end of the field to
1.25 m at the tail end. Available moisture holding capacity of the soil is 20 cm/m depth of soil.
Determine the water conveyance efficiency, water applicationefficiency, water storage efficiency and
water distribution efficiency,irrigation was started at a moisture extraction level of 50% of the available
moisture. (1 litre = 0.001 m3)

Solution:
𝑉𝑓
a. Water conveyance efficiency, Ec = (𝑉𝑑)×100 = (110/140) ×100 =78.5%
𝑉𝑠
b. Water application efficiency, Ea = ( )×100
𝑉𝑓

Water delivered to the field = (110 × 60 × 60 × 8)/1000 = 3168 m3

Water stored in the root zone = 3168 – 435 = 2733m3
In percentage, = (2733/3168) ×100 = 86.26%
c. Water storage efficiency (Es)
Es= (Vrz/)×100
Now, Water holding capacity of the root zone = 20 × 1.85 = 37 cm

Moisture required in the root zone =

Therefore, volume of water retained in the root zone over 1.6ha
=3052.5 m3

Water storage efficiency (Es) = = 96.3%

4. Water distribution efficiency

x 100

Numerical deviation from depth of penetration

At upper end = 1.85 – 1.55 = 0.3
At lower end = 1.55 – 1.25 = 0.3

Average numerical deviation = = 0.3

= 80.6%
Example 3
Design a sprinkler irrigation system to irrigate 5 ha Wheat crop based on the following assumptions:
Soil type = silt loam,
Infiltration rate at field capacity = 1.25 cm h-1,
Water holding capacity = 15 cm m-1,
Root zone depth = 1.5 m,
Daily consumptive use rate = 6 mm day-1,
Sprinkler type = Rotating head.
Solution:
Step I
Given infiltration capacity =1.25 cm h-1
Hence maximum water application rate = 1.25 cm/h
Step II
Total water holding capacity of the soil root zone = 15 x 1.5 = 22.5 cm
Let the water be applied at 50% depletion, hence the depth of water to be
applied = 0.50 x 22.5 = 11.25 cm
Let the water application efficiency be 90 per cent
Depth of water to be supplied = 11.25 / 0.9 = 12.5 cm
Step III
For daily consumptive use rate of 0.60 cm
Irrigation interval = 12.5 / 0.6 = 20.8 =21 days
In period of 21 days, 12.5 cm of water is to be applied on an area of 5 ha. Hence assuming 10 hrs. of
pumping per day in 2 shifts, the sprinkler system capacity would be
Where Q = system capacity, m3/h; A = area, ha; d = gross depth of water application, mm; I =
irrigation cycle, days; Ns = number of shifts per day; T = irrigation time per shift, h.
10×5×125
= 14.9 m3/h or 00041 m3/s
21×2×10

Step IV
Referring sprinkler manufacturer’s handbook, the nozzle specifications with this operating pressure
and application rate is:
Operating pressure: 3.5 kg/cm2 and
Application rate: 1.20 cm hr-1 (which is less than the maximum allowable application rate of 1.25 cm
h-1)
Diameter of coverage: 32m; use 30.0 m
Assuming a wind speed of 10 km/hr in the area, 50% of the water spread area (or coverage diameter)
is to be used in designing for sprinkler spacing based on design data from tables.
Therefore, Throw radius = sprinkler spacing = 30*0.5 =15 m for spacing both along lateral and main.
Discharge from the sprinkler =
q = required discharge of individual sprinkle, L/s
= spacing of sprinklers along the laterals, m
= spacing of laterals along the main, m
I = optimum application rate, mm/h
15×15×12.5
= 0.78125 L/s or 0.000781 m3/s
3600

Step V
𝑆𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑚 𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 (𝑄) 0.0041
Total no. of sprinkler required = 𝑠𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒 (𝑞) = 0.000781 = 5.2 ≈ 5 sprinklers on a lateral

Step VI (Spacing of Sprinklers)

Based of wind speed of the area, determine the spacing of risers on the laterals

Step VII: Calculate Head required to operate sprinkler system

Assuming that the 5 ha measures 100 by 500 m, if all the field would be watered at once, 16 laterals
and 5 risers per lateral would be needed.
Total length of each lateral = 100 m
Since pressure = 2.47 kg cm-2
If total allowable pressure variation in the pressure head is 20%, hence maximum allowable pressure
variation in pressure = 0.2 x 2.47 = 0.494 kg/cm2 = 4.94 m
If pressure variation due to elevation = 2 m, then
Permissible head loss due to friction = 4.94 – 2 = 2.94 m
Using Hazen Williams formula,
Head loss due to friction is:

Where H = head loss in pipe

L = length of pipe (m)
d = diameter of pipe (m)
Q = flow rate in pipe (m3/s)
C = Hazen-Williams roughness co-efficient (145 for new PVC pipes, PVC)
For main line, use 2 inch (0.0508 m) pipe
For lateral and riser, use 1 inch (0.0254 m) pipe
A readily available sprinkler (https://www.amazon.com/IrrigationKing-RK-55-Circle-Sprinkler-
Nozzles/dp/B075MTPDYV) requires a flow rate Q of 114 gal/min or 0.0072 m3/s
Hmain = (10.583*500*0.0041^1.85)/(145^1.85*0.0508^4.87)= 40.8 = 41 m
Hlat = (10.583*100*0.0041^1.85)/(145^1.85*0.0254^4.87) = 238.9 = 239 m
Total = 280 m

Pump selection

where,
= density of water
Q= pump discharge
H= Total head (m)
= efficiency of pump