Types and methods of irrigation system with its suitability

Irrigation
Engineering
Pavan kumar
Ace engineering academy
8555982622

Irrigation may be defined as the process of
artificial supply of water to land for the purpose of
cultivation.
Irrigation Engineering

Name of the Subject 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
Irrigation Engineering 05 12 08 10 08
ESE weightage
PRELIMS: 8-10 questions
MAINS: 30-40 Marks

Utilization works :
1) Basics of water Resources Engineering.
2) Soil-Water-Plant Relationship.
3) Water Requirement of crops.
4) Quality of Irrigation Water.
Irrigation Engineering (ESE)

Distribution works
5) Design of Lined Canals.
6) Design of Unlined Canals.
7) Water logging & Drainage.
8) Canal regulation works.

Diversion works:
9) Diversion Head Works.
10)River Training Works.
Storage works:
11) Gravity Dams and Reservoirs.
12) Spillways and energy dissipaters.

Reference Books
1) Irrigation Water Resources & Water Power Engineering By
Dr. P N Modi.
2) Irrigation Engineering & Hydraulic Structures By Santosh
Kumar Garg.
3) Irrigation, Water Power & Water Resources Engineering By
Dr. K R Arora.
Introduction to Irrigation Engineering

Irrigation may be defined as the artificial supply of water
water to land for the purpose of cultivation.
Main concerns of irrigation:
1. How to apply – methods of irrigation
2. How much to apply – quantity
3. When to apply – frequency of irrigation
Basics of Water Resources Engineering

Necessity of Irrigation
1. Inadequate Rainfall.
2. Uneven distribution of Rainfall.
3. Growing a number of crops during a year.
4. Growing superior crops.
5. Growing perennial crops
6. Controlled water supply

Benefits of Irrigation :
 Increase in crop yield
 Protection from famine.
 Cultivation of superior crops.
 Elimination of mixed cropping–

 Generation of hydroelectric power.
 Domestic & industrial water supply.
 Increase in ground water storage.
 Overall development of the Country.

ILL effects of Irrigation :
1. Water Logging.
2. Unhealthy climate.
3. Breeding places for Mosquitos.
4. Pollution of river flows & groundwater.

Types of irrigation projects:
projects Irrigation
potential
Cost of project
Major irrigation
project
>10000 ha > 5 crores
Medium irrigation
project
2000-10000 ha 0.25– 5 crore
Small irrigation
project
<2000 ha 0.25 - 0.5 crore

Types of Irrigation Systems :
1. Surface irrigation:
• Group of water application techniques where water is applied
and distributed over the soil either by gravity or by pumping.
• Most suite to soils with low to medium infiltration capacity.
• Lands with relatively uniform terrain (slope less than 3%).

It can be further classified into
Flow Irrigation System.
Lift Irrigation System.

Flow Irrigation System :
 when the elevation level of SOURCE is at higher level than
the field to be irrigated.
 Flow Irrigation system can be further classified on the basis
of duration.
a) Inundation Irrigation
b) Perennial Irrigation

Inundation Irrigation System :
 Irrigation is carried out by deep flooding and thorough
saturation of the land to be cultivated.
 Excess water is drained off prior to planting of crop.
Also known as uncontrolled or flood irrigation.

Perennial Irrigation System :
 Water required for irrigation is supplied in accordance to
crop requirement throughout the crop period.
Classification of Irrigation system on the basis of the
source.
a) Direct Irrigation System.
b) Reservoir or tank or Storage irrigation system.

Types and methods of irrigation system with its suitability

Direct Irrigation System :
 water is delivered directly to canal without any storage.
Low diversion weir or Barrage is constructed across the
river to raise the water level on upstream.

Adopted in case of perennial river or water
required for crop is less than flow rate in the river.
Off taking canal is provided on upstream of weir.

Storage/ Tank / Reservoir Irrigation System :
 A solid barrier such as DAM is constructed across river to store
the water.
It is suitable for multi-purpose project.
Based on water requirement of crops and hydro power generation,
the volume of water to be stored in reservoir is decided.

Lift Irrigation System :
 If the irrigation water is available at a level lower than that
of the land to be irrigated.
 water is lifted up by pumps or other mechanical devices

Advantages of lift irrigation:
 Water can be applied to require depth.
 Cash crops can be grown.
 Irrigation is possible even during year of drought.
 Isolated patches can be easily irrigated where canal
water cannot reach.

2. Sub surface irrigation:
Water flows underground and nourishes the plant root by capillarity.
Natural sub-irrigation :
leakage of water from channels helps in irrigation of crops by
capillarity.
Artificial sub irrigation :
 open jointed drains are artificially laid below the soil.
 very costly process, adopted in small scale.

Methods of Irrigation :
 Surface Irrigation Methods.
 Sprinkler Irrigation Methods.
 Sub-surface irrigation Methods.

Methods of Irrigation
Surface Irrigation Methods
Flooding Methods Furrow Method Contour Farming
Uncontrolled (OR) Wild flooding Controlled flooding
Flooding from
field channels
Border strip
method
Check basin
method
Ring basin
method

Uncontrolled or Wild Flooding :
Water is applied by spreading it over the land to be irrigated
without any prior preparation of the land & without enforcing
any control.
Suitable for smooth & flat land.
More wastage of water.

Controlled Flooding :

Controlled Flooding :
 Water is applied on the land with control over
the quantity as well as direction of flow.
 Prior preparation of land is done.

Flooding from Field Channels:

Flooding from Field Channels:
 Land is divided in strips by series of field channels or laterals
& the strips are supplied water from these field channels.
 Suitable for flat as well as relatively steep slopes.

 Generally Spacing of laterals may vary from 15 – 60 m.
 Slopes in the range of 1 in 100 to 1 in 300.

Border strip method:
 Land is divided as long narrow strips of 10-20m wide
and 100 to 300 m in length.
 Water is supplied directly from supply channel to the
strip by providing slope along the length of strip.

 Suitable for loamy soil, clays with medium
infiltration capacity.
 Longitudinal slope should be 0.05% to 2%

 Size of supply ditch depends on infiltration capacity
of soil and width of strip.
 Coarse grain soils require large discharge rate, so
supply ditch should be large
 Fine grain soils require smaller supply ditch.

A
A
Bunds
Advancing Sheet of water
Field
Channel
Slope
Border
strip
Advancing Sheet of water
Section on A – A
Land surface
Border Strip Method:

t 2.3
Determination of time required to cover the area :
Where ,
Q – discharge through supply ditch.
y – average depth of water flowing over strip
I – rate of infiltration.
A – area of strip to be irrigated.
t – time required to irrigate the strip

Maximum area that can be irrigated:
𝐴𝑚𝑎𝑥=𝑄/𝐼

Check Basin Method :

Check Basin Method :
 Most common method.
 Also called method of irrigation by plots.
 Land is divided into small plots surrounded by
checks or levees.

 Preferred for close growing crops such as jowar or
paddy
 Suitable for both permeable and less permeable soils.
 Suitable for heavy soils i.e, soils with low water
absorption.

Ring Basin Method :
 It is special form of check basin method which
is used in the irrigation of orchards
(enclosures with fruit trees).
 Basin is created surrounding each tree & the
field channel supplies water to the basin.
 Not suitable for coarse sands.

 Water is applied to the land to be irrigated by a series of
long, narrow field channels called furrows.
 Reduces evaporation.
 Preferred on flat or gentle slopes not exceed 0.5% with
minimum grade of 0.05%.
 Suitable for row crops such as maize, tomato, cotton,
potatoes, sugarcane, groundnut, tobacco etc.
Furrow Method

 Practiced in Hilly Regions
where the land will be having
steep slopes.
 Also controls erosion due to
rain.
Contour Farming

 Water is applied in the form of spray by pipes & nozzle system.
 Can be used for all types of crops except rice & jute.
 Erosion of soil can be controlled and suitable for water scarce
areas.
Sprinkler Irrigation Method

 Uniform application of water is possible with an
efficiency of 80%.
 No land preparation is required.
 Wind may distort the application of water.
 Power requirement is high.

Drip Irrigation Method :
 Water is applied to the land surface near the base of the plants by a
network of PVC pipes & drip nozzles called emitters or drippers.
 Suitable for areas where there is water scarcity & salt problems
(saline lands).
 Has highest water application efficiency about 90 % or more.
Sub-Surface Irrigation Methods

 Can be used for any topography, land need not be level.
 Not suitable for closely planted crops.
 Suited for row crops and orchards such as tomatoes, grapes,
corn, citrus melons, cauliflower, cabbage and turnips.

Q. The system of irrigation practiced
on hill slopes is
(A) Contour farming
(B) Checks irrigation
(C) Border method of irrigation
(D) Sprinkler irrigation

Q. In an irrigation system, the land was divided
into large number of smaller size unit areas
having fairly level surface, by bunds and
cross ridges. The basins thus created were
filled with water to the desired depth and
the water was retained for some time, this
method of irrigation is known as
(A) border method (B) checks method
(C) sub irrigation (D) contour irrigation

Q. For growing irrigated paddy, the ideal water
application method is
(A) Furrow irrigation
(B) Check method
(C) Border method of irrigation
(D) Sprinkler irrigation

Q. For irrigation of orchards the best
method is
(A) free flowing method
(B) basin method
(C) furrow method
(D) sprinkling method

Q. Mixed cropping is defined as
(A) Two or more crops grown during any
year
(B) Two or more crops grown during the
same crop season in different fields
(C) Two or more crop seasons of the year
(D) Growing of two or more crops together
in the same field during the same crop
season.

Q. The maximum area that can be irrigated by a
stream of discharge of 50 lps, with the average
infiltration rate of 5cm/hour is ______ ha.

Q. Determine the time required to irrigate a strip
of area of the size 100 m x 10 m by a stream
of discharge of 0.03 m³/sec. Assume average
depth of water of 7.5 cm & average rate of
infiltration of 5 cm/hour. Also find maximum
area of the strip that can be irrigated by that
stream.

Q. A sprinkler irrigation is suitable when
(A) The land gradient is steep & the soil is
easily erodible
(B) The soil is having low permeability
(C) The water table is low
(D) The crops to be grown have deep roots
(GATE–04)

Q. Assertion (A): Sprinkler method of irrigation has a higher
water application/use efficiency.
Reason (R): Sprinkler system causes less interference in
cultivation and other farming operations.
(ESE – 2002)

Types and methods of irrigation system with its suitability

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