Introduction

Irrigation involves more than just getting the water to the crops efficiently, it includes a lot of other elements as well. A crop’s water requirements, soil type, and the financial requirements of various types of irrigation methods are key aspects of irrigation design and evaluation. The purpose of this article is to discuss the design, evaluation, and overall performance of various irrigation methods. Different types of irrigation necessitate different procedures for their design and evaluation, and only the widely accepted and well-defined methods of irrigation are discussed in this article. So let’s take a closer look at the various irrigation methods.

Types of irrigation methods

Initially, we will discuss the design of different types of irrigation methods. There are 5 methods of irrigation, namely drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, surface irrigation, trickle irrigation, and subsurface irrigation. The majority of irrigation methods are designed according to the root spread of the plants. In addition, they are designed to work with the soil condition in which they can grow, thus increasing irrigation benefits and reducing water and fertilizer consumption. The design of irrigation systems is important because they enable irrigation to be applied consistently and promptly. Moreover, it reduces soil and water damage due to the design being appropriate for the soil where crops are to be grown. Therefore, farmers can be certain of the water application rates.

The design of irrigation systems is important because they enable irrigation to be applied consistently and promptly. Moreover, it reduces soil and water damage due to the design being appropriate for the soil where crops are to be grown. Therefore, farmers can be certain of the water application rates. This means that they can provide the correct amount of water at the right time to their crops to allow their soil to absorb water without wasting any.

Secondly, we will discuss the process of evaluating various types of irrigation methods. During the evaluation of irrigation systems, care is taken to conserve water, utilize water efficiently, and reduce deep percolation losses. Evaluating the performance of a specific irrigation system is strongly object-oriented, which means the degree to which it improves. Evaluation of different types of irrigation systems comprises ergonomic along with engineering factors to determine the performance of irrigation systems. To determine the performance of irrigation systems, ergonomics, as well as engineering factors, need to be evaluated. The evaluation of an irrigation system will consider many practical factors, such as labor requirements, water availability, and many more, as these factors have a great deal to do with irrigation.

Design and evaluation of various irrigation methods

Drip Irrigation System (DIS): Drip irrigation method is designed to ensure that water reaches directly to the roots of the crops, thereby saving water and maximizing the benefits of fertilizers used for specific crops. DIS is aimed at keeping the cost down by designing the irrigation system so that all components work together to provide the crops only with the amount of water they need at a uniform rate. Drip irrigation method design is evaluated in terms of financial aspects such as initial investment, labor requirements, and viability. In addition, it incorporates other factors such as the rate of water flow and the desired uniformity of emissions.

Sprinkler Irrigation System: The location of the water source is an extremely significant factor in the sprinkler irrigation system design. Topography and the shape of the field also play a role. It will be a low-cost system if the pumping plant and water source are located as close as possible to the field, which will also result in a shorter pipe and lower costs. The sprinkler irrigation system is ideal for farming in areas that have steep foothills where the water can easily reach the crops since the water source is at a high elevation, thus avoiding the need for pumping for pressure.

Surface Irrigation System: Surface irrigation system is one of the oldest irrigation systems and one of the most successful. In this type of irrigation, water is applied evenly over the soil by gravity. Surface irrigation systems are designed according to several factors, such as the soil’s roughness, the amount of water it can hold, soil infiltration, slope, and many others. Evaluation of this irrigation system is determined by factors such as deep percolation ratio, uniformity in distribution, critical depth of water application, etc.

Conclusion

There is a common misconception that all the types of irrigation systems are only evaluated based on their hydraulic performance. However, this is not the case. Aside from labor requirements and ergonomics, there are also geographical factors and other natural factors that may influence the irrigation process. This is important for a skillful and proper evaluation of the whole system. To be able to evaluate an irrigation system properly, it is therefore crucial that the system is designed properly. The design of an irrigation system also takes into account the needs of the operator or owner of the farm that is to be irrigated.