ARUSHA TECHNICAL COLLEGE

JUNCTION OF MOSHI-ARUSHA AND NAIROBI ROADS

P.O. BOX 296, ARUSHA-TANZANIA

TELEPHONE: +255-27-2503040/2502076, FAX: +255-27-2548337

WEBSITE: http://www.atc.ac.tz, E-MAIL: principal@atc.ac.tz

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

BACHELOR IN CIVIL&IRRIGATION ENGINEEERING
GROUP ASSIGNMENT 1
MODULE NAME: DESIGN OF PRESURIZED IRRIGATION SYSTEM

MODULE TUTOR: YONA ANDERSON

MODULE CODE: CIU 07419
REPORT: DETERMINATION OF DISTRIBUTION UNIFORMITY (DU) AND
CHRISTIANSEN’S UNIFORMITY COEFFICIENT (CU) IN
DRIP IRRIGATION AT ATC DEMO PLOT.
 GROUP MEMBERS

NO: NAMES REGISTRATION SIGNATURE

NUMBER

1 LUGANO EMMANUEL 18020413030

2 MUSA NGELIME 18020413036

3 RAMADHANI OMARY 18020413051

4 BENJAMIN KISIVAN 18020413010

5 ELIAS MSAFIRI 18020413014

6 ERICK BAZILIO 18020413017

7 STEPHEN STEPHEN 18020413045

8 DENIS KIHEDU 18020413012

9 SLYVESTER DOMINIC 18020413047

10 BALTAZAR MANDAKI 18020413008

 Table of Contents

1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………
1.1 Objectives………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Tools and Apparatus ………………………………………………………………………….
3. Data Collection procedures ……………………………………………………………………
4. Data Tabulation and Calculations……………………………………………………………..
5. Site Data Collection……………………………………………………………………………
6. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………….
7. Recommendation………………………………………………………………………………
1.0 INTRODUCTION.
DRIP IRRIGATION. Is a type of micro irrigation system that has the potential to save water
and nutrients by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants, either from above the
soil surface or buried water directly into the root zone and minimize evaporation.

Drip irrigation systems distribute water through a network of valves, pipe, tubing, and
emitters. Depending on how well designed, installed, maintained, and operated it is, a drip
irrigation system can be more efficient than other types of irrigation systems, such as surface
irrigation or sprinkler irrigation.

DISTRIBUTION UNIFORMITY AND CHRISTIANSEN’S UNIFORMITY

COEFFICIENT IN DRIP IRRIGATION
Distribution uniformity or Du in Irrigation. Is a measure of how uniformly water is applied to the
area being watered, expressed as a ratio and not to be confused with efficiency. The distribution
uniformity is often calculated when performing an irrigation audit. The DU should not be
confused with the coefficient of uniformity (CU) which is often preferred for describing the
performance of overhead pressurized systems.
The most common measure of DU is the low quarter DU expressed as DUIq, which is a
measure of the average of the lowest quarter of samples, divided by the average of all samples.
Distribution uniformity may be helpful as a starting point for irrigation scheduling.

DISTRIBUTION UNIFORMITY (DU) CAN BE OBTAINED BY USING THE

FOLLOWING EQUATION,
𝟏
DU = (𝟒 ∗ 𝑨𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒗𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔)/𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒐𝒃𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

An alternative is Christiansen’s uniformity coefficient (CU), defined as the average depth of

irrigation water applied minus the average absolute deviation from this depth, all divided by the
average depth applied. The Christiansen’s formula, when applied to drip irrigation system will
give only a broad indication of a uniformity of water application, as the emission characteristics
of droppers used in drip systems are significantly different from those of sprinkler nozzles.
The water application uniformity of emitters (except pressure compensating type emitters) is
influenced by the operating pressure, emitter spacing, land slope, size of the pipe line, emitter
discharge rate, emitter discharge variability.
The emitter discharge variability is due to the variations in operating pressure and temperature,
manufacturing variability (coefficient of variations, Cu), clogging and aging of the emitters.
CHRISTIANSEN’S UNIFORMITY COEFFICIENT (CU) CAN BE OBTAINED BY
USING THE FOLLOWING EQUATION,
[𝑿−𝑴𝑬𝑨𝑵]
CU = 𝟏𝟎𝟎(𝟏 − )
𝒎𝒏

Where by,
n- Number of observations
m- Mean of observation
X- Data or observation

1.1 OBJECTIVES
The main objective is to apply to the crop root zone the optimum amount of water
that the crop needs for development and also that cannot be provided by rains, also
aims at maximizing the use of water in agriculture by delivering water and nutrients
directly to the root of the crop through emitters. In this way the entire land doesn’t
have to receive water for the plants to have water at their root zone.
2. O TOOLS AND APPARATUS USED
The following are tools used for determination uniformity of drip irrigation system
1. Measuring cylinder
2. Stop watch
3. Catch cans
4. Recording book
5. Pen.

3.0 DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES

The following are procedures for determination of irrigation uniformity
1. Test the location of emitters by allowing water from advance to recession time.
2. Stop water from the source to the drip irrigation system and make sure there is no drop of
water from the emitter.
3. Set up a pattern of catch cans by locating catch cans under the emitter without disturbing
the system.
4. Set up clock for commencing the practical.
5. Allow water to flow to the system (advance) and start time recording.
6. Collect water in catch cans for one hour.
7. Remove catch cans under the emitter concurrently after one hour.
8. Stop water flowing from source to the system after one hour.
9. Measure and record the water collected from each catch cans.
10. Data analysis and interpretation.
4.0 DATA TABULATION AND CALCULATIONS

Calculation of coefficient of uniformity and distribution uniformity.

Tabulation
CAN NO VOLUME OF =[X-MEAN]
WATER (mm)
1 33.1 5.970588235
2 33.2 5.870588235
3 36.3 2.770588235
4 36.4 2.670588235
5 36.5 2.570588235
6 38 1.070588235
7 38.3 0.770588235
8 38.7 0.370588235
9 39 0.070588235
10 39.8 0.729411765
11 39.9 0.829411765
12 40.1 1.029411765
13 40.1 1.029411765
14 42.1 3.029411765
15 43.3 4.229411765
16 43.7 4.629411765
17 45.7 6.629411765
MEAN 39.07059 SUM = 44.27058824

a) COEFFICIENT OF UNIFORMITY (CU)

[𝑋−𝑀𝐸𝐴𝑁 ]
CU = 100(1 − )
𝑚𝑛

CU = 100(1-44.27/(39.07*17))
CU = 93.33%
Coefficient of uniformity (CU) = 93.33%
 b) DISTRIBUTION UNIFORMITY (DU)

1
DU = (4 ∗ 𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑠)/𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛
¼*17 = 4 variables
33.10 + 33.20 + 36.30 + 36.40 = 139
Average = 139/4 =34.75
DU = 34.75/39.07 = 88.94%
DU = 88.94%
Distribution uniformity (DU) = 88.94%
5.0 SITE DATA COLLECTION
The following are the photographs taken during data collection

MEASURING VOLUME OF WATER COLLECTED FROM CATCH CANS.

 DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM UNIT AT ATC DEMO PLOT

6.0 CONCLUSION
The following are the important issues have been emphasized
 Priority is placed on understanding what happens to applied irrigation water. Once that is
known, there are several ratios or terms that can be used to describe irrigation
performance.
 Efficiency terms, which relate terms in a water balance, are determined after the fact and
must consider changes in storage within specified boundaries over a specified interval of
time. The implication is that irrigation efficiency cannot be defined for an individual
event and that proper specification of the time interval is important for determining useful
values of irrigation efficiency.
7.0 RECOMMENDATION
A distribution uniformity goal for drip irrigation system designers is for systems to have a DU of
95% or better. According to our results at an Atc Demo Plot (DU is 88.94%) so it’s
acceptable. Drip irrigation systems operating with DUs of between: 85% to 95% are acceptable;
75% to 85% should be improved; and below 75% needs to be improved.
The high value of uniformity coefficient indicated the excellent performance of drip irrigation
in supplying water uniformly throughout the laterals.