Irrigation

Management
 Irrigation System efficiencies
Irrigation efficiency is generally defined as the ratio or percentage
of the irrigation water consumed by the crops of an irrigated farm,
field, or project, to the water diverted from the source of supply.
When measured at the farm headgates, it is called “farm irrigation
efficiency” or “farm delivery efficiency”; when measured at the field
or plot it is designated as “field irrigation efficiency”, and when
measured at the source of supply, it is called “overall efficiency”.
 Water Conveyance Efficiency, Ec

𝑊𝑑
Ec = 𝑥 100
𝑊𝑖

Wd = water delivered by a distribution system

Wi = water introduced into the distribution system
 Water application Efficiency, Ea

𝑊𝑠
Ea = 𝑥 100
𝑊𝑑

Wd = water delivered to the area being irrigated

Ws = water stored in the root zone by irrigation
 Water use Efficiency, Eu

𝑊𝑢
Eu = 𝑥 100
𝑊𝑑

Wd = water delivered to the area being irrigated

Wu = water beneficially used
 Water storage Efficiency, Es
𝑊𝑠
Es = 𝑥 100
𝑊𝑛

Ws = water stored in the root zone by irrigation

Wn = water needed in the root zone prior to the irrigation
 Example
If 42 m3/s is pumped into a distribution system and 38 m3/s is
delivered to a turnout 3 km from the pumps, what is the
conveyance efficiency of the portion of the distribution used for
conveying this water?
𝑊𝑑
Ec = 𝑥 100
𝑊𝑖
38
Ec = 𝑥 100
42
Ec = 90%
 Example
Delivery of 0.5 m3/s to a 30-ha field is continued for 40 h. Soil water
measurements before and after the irrigation indicate that 0.16 m
of water is stored in the root zone. Compute the application
efficiency.
𝑚3 3600𝑠
Wd = 0.5 40 ℎ = 72,000 𝑚3
𝑠 ℎ
Ws = 0.16 𝑚 30 ℎ𝑎 10,000 𝑚2/ℎ𝑎 = 48,000 𝑚3

48,000
E𝑎 = 100 = 67%
72,000
 Irrigation Requirement
The irrigation requirement is the total amount of water that must
be supplied over a growing season to a crop that is not limited
by water, fertilizer, salinity, or disease
(𝐸𝑇−𝑃𝑒)(1+𝐿𝑟)
IR =
𝐸𝑎
Where IR = irrigation requirement
ET = evapotranspiration
Pe = effective rainfall
Lr = leaching requirement
Ea = application efficiency
 Available moisture

AM = 𝐹𝐶 − 𝑃𝑊𝑃 𝐴𝑠𝑥𝐷𝑟𝑧
Where FC = field capacity
PWP = permanent wilting point
As = apparent specific gravity
Drz = crop root zone depth (mm)
 Readily Available moisture

RAM = 0.75 𝐹𝐶 − 𝑃𝑊𝑃 𝐴𝑠𝑥𝐷𝑟𝑧

Where FC = field capacity
PWP = permanent wilting point
As = apparent specific gravity
Drz = crop root zone depth (mm)
 Gross Application Depth

Dg = 𝑑𝑛 + 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑒𝑠
𝑑𝑛
Dg =
𝐸𝑎
Where FC = net application depth
Ea = application efficiency
Net Application Depth

dn = 𝑀𝐴𝐷 𝐹𝑐 − 𝑃𝑊𝑃 𝐴𝑠 Drz

dn = 𝑀𝐴𝐷 𝐴𝑊𝐻𝐶 Drz
 Irrigation Period
𝑑𝑔𝐴
t= , sec/hr
𝑄
Where dg = gross application depth, mm
A = area,mm2
Q = discharge, mm3/s
 Irrigation Interval
𝑑𝑛
II = , day
𝐸𝑇𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑝
Where dn = net application depth, mm
ETcrop = crop evapotranspiration
 Application Rate

𝑑𝑔
I=
𝑡
Where mm/hr
Crop Water Requirements (CWR)
CWR = ET + P – ER
CWR = ETc + P
 Land Soaking Requirement
𝑛 − 𝑅𝑀𝐶 ∗ 𝐴𝑠 𝑑𝑟𝑧
𝐿𝑆𝑅 =
∆𝑡
Where n = soil porosity
RMC = residual moisture content on a dry mass basis
As = Apparent specific gravity
Drz = rootzone depth
∆t = duration of land soaking (days)
 Land Preparation Water Requirement
𝐿𝑃𝑅 = 𝐿𝑆𝑅 + 𝐸 + 𝑃, mm/day

Where E = Evaporation
Percolation = percolation
Farm Water Requirements (FWR)

𝐹𝐼𝑅
FWR =
𝐸𝑎
𝐹𝑊𝑅
FWR =
𝐸𝑐
 Field Irrigation Requirements (FIR)
During Land Preparation:

FIR = LPR - R eff

During Land Preparation:

FIR = CWR - R eff