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Cuaem 504 Lecture 1

Surface irrigation is a gravity-fed method that delivers water to crops through overland flow, primarily used in Zimbabwe where 18% of irrigation is surface-based. The system consists of five components: intake structure, conveyance system, distribution system, field application system, and drainage system. Effective management of these components is essential to address challenges such as unpredictable rainfall and competition for water resources in the SADC region.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
19 views34 pages

Cuaem 504 Lecture 1

Surface irrigation is a gravity-fed method that delivers water to crops through overland flow, primarily used in Zimbabwe where 18% of irrigation is surface-based. The system consists of five components: intake structure, conveyance system, distribution system, field application system, and drainage system. Effective management of these components is essential to address challenges such as unpredictable rainfall and competition for water resources in the SADC region.
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SURFACE IRRIGATION

SYSTEMES TECHNOLOGY
(CUAEM 504)

E. Pandasvika
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology
Department of Agricultural Engineering
What is it?
⚫ In simple terms: it refers to systems that
deliver water to crops using a gravity-fed,
overland flow of water.
⚫ It is a method that involves diverting a
stream of water from the head of the field
into furrows or borders and allowing it to
flow downgrade by gravity and infiltrating
the soil while traversing the furrow,
boarder or basin.
2
Introduction
⚫ Three irrigation methods in Zimbabwe ie
surface(18%), sprinkler (75%) and localised
(7%) irrigation systems.
⚫ 70% of surface irrigation is done in sugar
estates and balance is under small holder
farms.
⚫ SADC’s rainfall patterns are characterised by
unpredictable variability over the seasons,
years, and decades (Zawe 2015).
⚫ There is also competition on water resources in
the SADC region which is characterised by
recurring droughts. 3
2. COMPONENTS OF
SURFACE IRRIGATION
SYSTEMS
Surface Irrigation System
Components
⚫ Surface irrigation system consists of five
components;
1) intake structure or pumping station,
2) conveyance system,
3) distribution system,
4) a field application system, and
5) a drainage system

5
6
COMPONENTS
1. Intake structure, or pumping station directs
water from the source of supply into the
conveyance system.
2. Conveyance system transport water from the
intake structure or pumping station up to the
field distribution system.
3. Distribution system transport water from
conveyance system to the application system.
4. Field application system transport from the
distribution system to the plant root zone.
5. Drainage system removes the excess water
from the rootzone and tail end of the field
using open or closed drains
7
1. Main Intake and
Pumping Structures
Intake
Structure
➢ Built at the entry
to the irrigation
system.
➢ Its purpose is to
direct water from
the original
source of supply
(lake, river,
reservoir etc.)
into the
conveyance
system.
9
Pumping
station
➢ In some cases, the
irrigation water
source lies below
the level of the
irrigated fields.
➢ Then a pump must
be used to supply
water into the
conveyance
system
➢ Most commonly
used in irrigation is
the centrifugal
pump. 10
2. Conveyance and
Distribution system
Open canals
➢Channels and canals
refer to main waterways
supplying water to one
or more farms.
➢An open canal, is an
open waterway whose
purpose is to carry water
from one place to
another.
➢Field ditches have
smaller dimensions and
convey water from the
farm entrance to the
irrigated fields.
12
Canal Structures
⚫ Flow of irrigation water in the canals must
always be under control
⚫ For this purpose, canal structures are required
⚫ They help regulate the flow and deliver the
correct amount of water to the different branches
of the system and onward to the irrigated fields
⚫ There are four main types of canal structures:
a) erosion control,
b) distribution control,
c) crossing, and
d) water measurement structures
13
a. Erosion control structures
⚫ Water flowing in steep canals can reach
very high velocities.
⚫ Soil particles along the bottom and banks
of an earthen canal are then lifted, carried
away by the water flow, and deposited
downstream where they may block the
canal and silt up structures.
⚫ The canal is said to be under erosion; the
banks might eventually collapse.
14
Drop structures Longitudinal section of a series of drop structures
and chutes
➢ Drop structures or
chutes are required to
reduce the bottom
slope of canals lying
on steeply sloping
land in order to avoid
high velocity of the
flow and risk of
erosion.
➢ These structures
permit the canal to be
constructed as a
series of relatively flat
sections, each at a
different elevation 15
b. Distribution control structures
⚫ Distribution control structures are required
for easy and accurate water distribution
within the irrigation system and on the
farm.
⚫ These structures are used to direct the
required amount of water to various fields
within a farm.

16
Diversion boxes
➢ Division boxes are
A division box with three gates
used to direct the
flow of water
between two or
more canals or
ditches.
➢ Water enters the
box through an
opening on one side
and flows out
through openings on
the other sides.
➢ These openings are
equipped with gates. 17
Turnouts
➢ Turnouts are A pipe turnout
constructed in
the bank of a
canal
➢ They divert part
of the water
from the canal
to a smaller one
➢ Turnouts can be
concrete
structures or
pipe structures 18
Permanent concrete structure

Checks
➢ To divert water from
the field ditch to the
field, it is often
necessary to raise
the water level in the
ditch
➢ Checks are A portable metal check
structures placed
across the ditch to
block it temporarily
and to raise the
upstream water level
➢ Checks can be
permanent structures
or portable 19
c. Crossing structures
⚫ It is often necessary to carry irrigation
water across roads, hillsides and natural
depressions.

⚫ Crossing structures, such as culverts and


inverted siphons, are then required.

20
Crossing structures
Culvert Inverted siphon

Buried pipeline Buried pipeline


Used to carry water across a road
Culverts are used to carry the
which is at the same level as or
water across roads. The structure
below the canal bottom, The
consists of masonry or concrete
structure consists of an inlet and
headwalls at the inlet and outlet
outlet connected by a pipeline. Also
connected by a buried pipeline
used to carry water across wide
depressions. 21
d. Water measurement structures
⚫ Principal objective of measuring water is to permit
efficient distribution and application.
⚫ By measuring flow of water, a farmer knows how
much water is applied during each irrigation.
⚫ Water costs are charged to the farmer, water
measurement provides a basis for estimating water
charges.
⚫ Commonly used water measuring structures are weirs
and flumes. In these structures, the water depth is
read on a scale which is part of the structure.
⚫ Using this reading, the flow-rate is then computed
from standard formulas or obtained from standard
tables prepared specially for the structure. 22
Weirs for water
measurement Rectangular
Weir
➢ a weir consists of
a wall of timber,
metal or concrete
with an opening
with fixed
dimensions cut in Triangular
Weir
its edge.
➢ The opening,
called a notch,
may be
Trapezoidal
rectangular, Weir
trapezoidal or
triangular 23
Parshall
Flumes
The Parshall flume consists
of a metal or concrete
channel structure with three
main sections: (1) a
converging section at the
upstream end, leading to (2)
a constricted or throat section
and (3) a diverging section at
the downstream end

Depending on the flow


condition (free flow or
submerged flow), the water
depth readings are taken on
one scale only (the upstream
one) or on both scales
simultaneously. 24
Cut Throat Flume

The cut-throat flume is


similar to the Parshall
flume, but has no throat
section, only converging
and diverging sections

Unlike the Parshall


flume, the cut-throat
flume has a flat bottom

Because it is easier to
construct and install, the
cut-throat flume is often
preferred to the Parshall
flume.
25
3. Field application
systems
Watering plants
with a bucket
There are many
methods of applying
water to the field.
The simplest one
consists of bringing
water from the source
of supply, such as a
well, to each plant with
a bucket or a water-
can

27
Furrow irrigation
The water flows from
the field ditch into the
furrows by opening up
the bank or dyke of the
ditch or by means of
siphons or spiles.

Siphons are small


curved pipes that
deliver water over the
ditch bank

Spiles are small pipes


buried in the ditch
bank 28
Border irrigation
In border irrigation, the
field to be irrigated is
divided into strips by
parallel dykes or border
ridges
The water is released
from the field ditch onto
the border through gate
structures called outlets.
The water can also be
released by means of
siphons or spiles.
The sheet of flowing water
moves down the slope of
the border, guided by the border
border ridges. 29
Basin irrigation
Basins are horizontal,
flat plots of land,
surrounded by small
dykes or bunds.
The banks prevent the
water from flowing to
the surrounding fields.
Basin irrigation is
commonly used for rice
grown on flat lands or in
terraces on hillsides.
Trees can also be
grown in basins, where Basin border Water inlet
one tree usually is
located in the centre of
a small basin. 30
4. Drainage system
Drainage system
⚫ A drainage system is necessary to remove
excess water from the irrigated land.
⚫ This excess water may be waste water from
irrigation or surface runoff from rainfall. It may
also include leakage or seepage water from the
distribution system.
⚫ Excess surface water is removed through
shallow open drains
⚫ Excess groundwater is removed through deep
open drains or underground pipes

32
Open drains and
underground pipeline

The excess water from the


root zone flows into the
open drains. Disadvantage
is that it makes the use of
machinery difficult
Pipe drains are buried
pipes with openings
through which the soil
water can enter. The pipes
convey the water to a
collector drain
Drain pipes are made of
clay, concrete or plastic.
They are usually placed in
trenches by machines.
Drainage water enters the
pipes through the joints or
perforations on pipes.
34

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