ABE 328

IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE ENGINEERING

UNIT I. INTRODUCTION TO IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE SYSTEMS

IRRIGATION DEFINED- Irrigation is the application of water to the soil for the
purpose of supplying the moisture essential for plant growth.
Based on RA 8559: (AE Law) Irrigation and Drainage and Water
Resources Management – shall include the design, construction, installation,
operation and maintenance of irrigation and agricultural drainage systems,
drip, sprinkler and other pressurized irrigation system; hydro-meteorology;
surface and ground water resources management; irrigation structure and
facilities such as dams, pump systems, conveyances, canals and flumes.
Based on RA 10915 (ABE Law)- Irrigation refers to the artificial application of
water to the soil to assist in the growing of agricultural and forest crops,
maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas
and during periods of inadequate rainfall.
Purposes of Irrigation
 To add water to the soil to supply the moisture essential for plant growth
 To provide crop insurance against short duration droughts.
 To cool the soil and atmosphere, making more favorable environment for
plant growth.
 To reduce the hazard of frost.
 To wash out or dilute salts in the soil.
 To reduce the hazard of soil piping.
 To soften tillage pans and clods.
 To delay bud formation by evaporative cooling.
Conditions Requiring the Necessity of Irrigation
 Insufficient rainfall
 Uneven distribution of rainfall
 Improvement of perennial crop
 Development of agriculture in dessert area
Advantages of Irrigation
 Availability of water in the field whenever it is needed and during critical
period of crop growth.
 Controlled irrigation hasten the microbial activity of soil organism and
regulates chemical processes necessary in soil conditioning.
 Provides necessary conditions in the efficient utilization of fertilizer by
plants, control of pest and diseases for better quality products.
Benefits of Irrigation
  Increased yield of crops
 Protection from famine
 Help in improved cultivation of cash crops
 Prosperity of farmers
 Source of revenue
 In multipurpose reservoir, hydroelectric power generation can be another
function
 General communication to other areas
 Increase farm benefits, i.e., lower the cost of production
 Increase land value, i.e., increased cropping intensity and higher
property cost
 Lead to an economically stable community.
Negative Effects of Irrigation

The most common environmental impact of on-farm irrigation are:

 Soil salinization due to the use of saline water or to the rise of saline
water table
 Water logging due to excess water application
 Nitrate and pesticides contamination of the groundwater (and surface
waters) due to excessive use of chemicals in intensive agricultural
production and/or to overirrigation
 Soil erosion due to surface runoff from surface and sprinkler irrigation
systems
 Soil degradation due to modifications of the soil profile from
inappropriate land grading
 Deterioration of the soil structure from surface flow and sprinkler
raindrops
 Degradation of water bodies receiving saline irrigation return flows
Critical Growth Stage of Some Crops
 Banana - early growth stage
 Beans - flowering and pod development
 Cabbage - head formation and enlargement
 Citrus - during flashes of new growth, fruit setting and rapid increase in
fruit size
 Corn - silking and ear development
 Peanut - peak of flowering to early fruiting stage
 Potato - Period of stolonization and tuber initiation
 Sugarcane - Vegetative period, during period of tillering and stem
elongation
 Sweet Potato - after formation of tubers
 Rice - Reproductive stage during panicle initiation
 Munggo - during germination and at flowering stage and pod stage
Scope of Irrigation Enterprise
The scope of irrigation science extends from the watershed to the farm
and on the drainage channel. The study includes the following:
a) The watershed yielding the irrigation water
b) The stream conveying the water
c) The management and distribution of water
d) The drainage problems arising from irrigation practices
Irrigation Development in the Philippines
 Rice Terraces – employed indigenous engineering craftsmanship
through the collective efforts of the community people.
 Zanjeras – a group of farmers in Ilocos Norte who practiced collective
management of irrigation system.
 1902 - Creation of the Irrigation Division under the Bureau of
Public Works. The Irrigation Division was tasked with the
responsibilities of investigation, construction, maintenance and
development of irrigation systems and repair of those in existence.
 1963 – Creation of the National Irrigation Administration
Considered as milestone in the national effort to boost production
agricultural production through the irrigation infrastructure.
Types of Irrigation Systems
1. National Irrigation systems (NIS)
 the service area is more than 1000 hectares
 constructed, owned and managed by the government with
minimal participation of the beneficiaries
2. Communal Irrigation System (CIS)
 service area is less than 1000 hectares
 constructed by the farmers with technical support from NIA
 owned and managed by the beneficiaries through its irrigators
group
3. Pump Systems and Other privately-owned systems
4. 1990 - BSWM under the Department of Agriculture
Other Types of Irrigation Systems
1. Small Water Impounding Projects (SWIP)
 SWIP is a small scale dam structure constructed across a narrow
depression or valley to hold back water and develop a reservoir
that will store rainfall during the rainy season for immediate or
future use.
 Physical Components:
 Watershed Area
 Service area which is preferably lower than the damsite
 Reservoir Area
 Structural components consisting of the embankment, spillway,
outlet works, irrigation facilities and access road
  Development Purposes:
 Soil and water conservation
 Irrigation of crops and watering of stocks
 Flood mitigation – lessen or stop flooding
 Fish production or duck raising
 Recreation
 Collect and store surface and runoff water during the rainy season
for immediate and future use.
 Provide supplemental irrigation and/or water for livestock.
 Minimize soil erosion and siltation of fertile bottom lands.

2. Small Farm Reservoir (SFR)

 The SFR consist of an earth dam to trap, harvest and store rainfall
and run-off.
 Basic Components of the SFR System
 Catchment Area- The area bounded by high points from which
runoff drains into the reservoir.
 Reservoir – The portion of the farm where water is stored by an
earth embankment. It is normally made from soil excavated from
the upstream side of the embankment.
 Service Area – The farm being irrigated using the stored water
from the reservoir. This is usually situated at a lower elevation
relative to the reservoir water level.
3. Shallow Tubewell Projects (STW)
 STW are effective in level areas with dependable shallow
groundwater. In general, they are effective irrigation technology
that provides water sources in rainfed lowland and supplements
irrigation needs on areas not effectively serviced by existing
irrigation system. This can also be located in level upland farms
with dependable sources of shallow groundwater.
4. Pressurized Irrigation Systems (PIS)
 The PIS is a special irrigation technology that requires pressure
and distribute water in the form of drip and sprinkler irrigation
system. It is an efficient irrigation distribution system requiring the
presence of water source.
5. Diversion Dams (DD)
 The DDs are systems of weir established across a river with
continuous flow to raise water level and allow diversion of water
by gravity to the adjoining farmlands. They also serve as provision
to control stream bank erosion. To ensure sustainable flow, they
require adequate and well-vegetated areas.

Phases of Irrigation Enterprise

I. Pre-Construction Phase
  Reconnaissance- present hydrologic budget, identification of irrigable
areas
 Project Identification – location of the project, selection of irrigable
area, project size, preliminary determination of main works, land
classification, land use
 Feasibility Study - determination of project size, alternative proposals
for water supplies and facilities, hydraulic criteria, selection of cropping
patterns
Important Factors that should be Considered in the Investigation and
Survey of a Proposed Irrigation System
 Land Classification
 Land classification is the systematic appraisal of the lands and
their designation by categories on the basis of similar
characteristics (physical, chemical and biological). Such
classification involves the grouping of soil units into land classes
according to (1) the extent and degree of suitability for sustained
irrigation, (2) their recommended uses and cultural practices
considering present economic conditions and physical factors. (3)
Refer to Table 5.1.page 86, Orcullo, 1997).
 Land capability classification- To establish the capability of the
land to produce crops that will provide adequate returns on the
investment of irrigation structures.
 Crop suitability evaluation- matching the land use
requirements with the land qualities at hand.
 Estimate of irrigation water requirement
 The total water requirement consist of the water needed by the
crops plus the losses associated with the delivery and application
of the water.
 Determination of the sources of available water
 Water suitable for irrigation purposes usually came from rivers and
underground sources. Their proximity to the area to be irrigated
should be taken into consideration.
 Analysis of the chemical quality of available water
 Unsatisfactory water may contain
a. Chemicals toxic to plants or to persons using the plants as food
b. Chemicals which will react with the soil producing unsatisfactory
moisture characteristics
c. Bacteria injurious to persons and animals that will be eating
plants.
 Economic analysis of the project to determine whether the estimated
cost is returnable from the potential benefits and financial analysis to
established the repayment plan.
II. Construction Phase
 Detailed Project Design- Final design of distribution system, network
and hydraulic structures, detailed cropping pattern, detailed delivery
schedules, irrigation methods and practices.
  Project Implementation- Supervised the construction of irrigation
structures, check on crop water needs, irrigation efficiencies studies,
review of scheme of water scheduling.
III. Operation and Maintenance ( O&M) Phase
 Operation Activities - monitoring of field water balances, detailed
operation scheduling (formulation of the Cropping calendar and Cropping
Pattern), training of farmers on water application and scheduling
 Maintenance activities - regular maintenance, repair and
improvements, rehabilitation
IV. Turn-over Phase

Irrigation Water Management- It is the integrated process of diversion,

conveyance, regulation, measurement, distribution and application of the right
amount of water at the proper time and removal of excess water from the farm
to promote increase production in conjunction with improved cultural practices.
Objectives of Water Management
 Maximize water utilization
 Supply the right amount of water to meet crop needs
 More effective utilization of rainfall
 Control or reduction of conveyance, distribution and farm losses
 Adoption of suitable scheme of distribution and application of
irrigation water
 Reduction of drainage problems
 Promote increased production
 Proper land use
 Proper cultural practices
 better farm management technique
Effective Rainfall – that portion of rainfall which is considered usable for the
crop water requirement.
Factors that influence effective rainfall in flooded rice condition:
 Intensity of rainfall
 Depth of submergence - shallower depth, greater effective rainfall
 Size and maintenance of farm dikes
 Topography of the land

PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING STANDARD PAES 609:2016

Rainwater and Runoff Management – Small Water Impounding System
active storage- volume of water stored in reservoir between the minimum
water level and normal water level
dam- any barrier constructed to store water
dam height- vertical distance from lowest point of the ground line to the dam
crest
dead storage- volume below the intake structure computed as V = 20900 × A
0.687 where A = drainage area, km2 sediment volume based on 25 years of
accumulation in the reservoir
filter drain- dam component which prevents migration of small particles and
screen off fine materials that flow with seepage water and prevent piping
homogeneous embankment- dam composed of a single kind of embankment
material exclusive for slope protection
Karst topography- geological formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer
or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rocks such as limestone or
dolomite
natural spillway- spillway which is not excavated such as natural draw, saddle
or drainage way
normal storage elevation- maximum elevation the water surface which can
be attained by the dam or reservoir without flow in the spillway
reservoir- part of the system that impounds the runoff
seepage line (phreatic line)-- line with no filter arrangements where
seepage occurs
spillway- channel which releases surplus or flood water which cannot be
contained in the active storage space of the reservoir
storage capacity- total capacity at normal water surface elevation
structural height- vertical distance measured from the top of the dam down
to the bedrock
upstream face- side of the embankment wetted by the impounded water
watershed- area which contributes runoff or drains water into the reservoir
water right- privilege granted by the government to use and appropriate
water
well-protected reservoir- reservoir where the upper reaches of the basin is
shielded by high mountain barriers

zoned embankment- dam consisting a central impervious core flanked

between zones of more pervious materials
Main Components