Surge irrigation management

• Published in: Agricultural water management Vol. 11; no. 3; pp. 279 - 291
• Main Authors: Izuno, Forrest T., Podmore, Terence H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.1986; Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Series: Agricultural Water Management
• Subjects: Agricultural and forest climatology and meteorology. Irrigation. Drainage; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Irrigation. Drainage; Irrigation; Simulation model
• ISSN: 0378-3774; 1873-2283
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-3774(86)90044-2

A technique for managing surge irrigations on a particular field to achieve uniform and efficient applications was developed. The method derived uses a kinematic wave computer simulation model and knowledge of infiltration behavior under surge irrigation gained from field studies. For the field conditions used, uniform and efficient surge irrigations could be achieved by considering an irrigation in two parts, the advance and post advance phases. Simulation model results indicated that there appears to be an optimum number of surge cycles to complete the advance phase to irrigate uniformly using a desired volume of water. The optimum number of surges is dependent on the use of the maximum non-erosive inflow stream for the particular field and appropriate cycle on-times. The post advance phase can be conducted using a continuous application at a reduced instantaneous inflow rate. The inflow rate and application time for the post advance phase can be determined such that runoff is minimized. Appropriate cycle times and reduced inflow rates and application times can be determined using the computer model.