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Drainage Methods 1

The document discusses drainage methods in agricultural engineering, focusing on the removal of excess water from farms to improve crop yields and soil structure. It outlines various sources of excess water, reasons for drainage, and methods including surface and sub-surface drainage techniques. Additionally, it covers maintenance practices for drainage systems and the disposal of collected water.

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2 views8 pages

Drainage Methods 1

The document discusses drainage methods in agricultural engineering, focusing on the removal of excess water from farms to improve crop yields and soil structure. It outlines various sources of excess water, reasons for drainage, and methods including surface and sub-surface drainage techniques. Additionally, it covers maintenance practices for drainage systems and the disposal of collected water.

Uploaded by

ezratioty
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

DRAINAGE METHODS

5TH MAY 2020


AGEN
Drainage
It is the removal of excess water from the farm e.g. water-logged areas.
Drainage system
It is the means by which excess water in the field is collected and disposed.
Sources of excess water in the farm
 When there is excess rainfall. This is the water which is above crop water requirements
e.g. surface run off.
 Canal seepage-This happens to soil which has high permeability.
 Artesian condition-This happens when the areas we are irrigating is below the
surrounding water table.
 Flooding-This is sudden excess foreign water.
 Seepage under earth structures (earth dam). This is water that comes out of the earth
dams in form of springs.
 Over irrigation-This is applying more water than required in the field.

Reasons or aims of drainage


 To improve farm mechanization i.e. facilitate the use of machine in the land.
 Reduce crop failure due to water logging
 Improve soil structure
 Increase the size of land for cultivation
 Increase crop yields
 To facilitate the removal of toxic substances from the soil e.g. soluble salts
 To reduce water erosion
 To reduce water volume on the land surface
 To reduce leaching of plant nutrients

Solution to excess water


1. It can be removed by laying drains, sub surface drainage e.g. uses of perforated pipes.
2. Through deep cultivation-This allows much water to be taken by soil
3. It can be done by use of open channels i.e. whether lined or not-surface drainage
4. Pumping of the water beneath the soil

Methods of Drainage
Its divided into two way:
i. Surface drainage
ii. Sub-surface drainage

Surface Drainage
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This deals with storm run off or collection of surface water e.g. urban drainage. The design of
surface run off structures include; -
 Estimate the expected discharge of run off using the cooks range formulae
 Q= CIA/360
 Location of the drainage e.g. the layout of the drainage system should be economical and
it is based on the geographical of the land e.g. topography
 Determine the direction of the drainage based on the manning formulae
 V= R2/3 S1/2/n

Surface drains operate mainly by gravity flow. The drains are always below the ground surface
level unlike irrigation canal which are often above ground surface.

Methods of surface drainage


1. Random ditches
The random system is used in areas that have scattered wet areas somewhat isolated from each
other. Tile lines are laid more or less at random to drain the wet patches.
The ditches can be connected to lead water out through the outlets.
-A survey has to be conducted in the situation of the ditches so that water can flow from ditch to
ditch.
The survey includes leveling and contouring
-The outlet can be a natural water way or artificially constructed.
-The channel slope or gradient should be in such a way that it is non erosion

2. Cambered beds (raised beds)


These are open channels which are constructed to collect and take away excess water.
They are constructed by use of a plough (ridger) in poorly drained cotton soil.
Beds are used in combination with ditches
Crops are then planted on the raised beds
This method of drainage is slow.

2|Page
3. Parallel field drains (Herringbone)
These are constructed by excavating channels which are parallel and enters the collector at an
angle.
They can be constructed manually by use of machines
The system is applicable in places where the main or sub-main is located in a narrow depression
i.e., in areas that have a concave surface or a narrow depression with the land sloping to it from
both directions. The parallel laterals enter the sub-main from both sides. It is less economical,
because considerable double drainage occurs where the laterals and mains join.

4. Land grading

3|Page
This is providing a flat plane smooth land surface. The land surface can be flattened through cut
and fill method in order to attain a level or flat land. Land forming is mechanically changing the
land surface to drain surface water. This is done by smoothing, grading, bedding or leveling.
There is no change in land contour. Smoothing is done using land levelers or planes

5. Gridiron and parallel systems-the gridiron and parallel systems are similar to that of
herringbone system except that the laterals enter the main or sub-main from only one side. It is
the most economical arrangement than herringbone system because one main or sub-main serves
as many laterals as possible.

Sub surface drainage


This method operates below the ground level and it is used to; -
 Improve internal drainage of the soils with low permeability and thus improve the
movement of air and water within the soil
 Lower the high-water table
 To control the water table which could otherwise rise to the ground surface

Methods of sub surface drainage


1.Tube or pipe drains-This involves the use of perforated pipes laid underground for collecting
water from above surface. The pipe collects and drains away the water safely.

4|Page
2. Mole Drains-These are special holes which are dug by a special machine and implements
beneath the soil surface to convey water from one point to another like pipe drains.
Mole drainage is achieved by pulling a bullet-shaped plough with expander through the soil to
create a continuous channel at defined depth. This channel provides a high hydraulic
conductivity bypass conduit for water flow.
As the plough is pulled through the soil, at approximately 1-2 m spacing, a vertical leg slot is
formed, in addition, a number of cracks are formed from the foot of the plough up to the surface
as the soil is disturbed. These cracks form the principal by-pass for water flow, connecting the
surface to the mole channel.
The advantage of using mole drain is that they are low in cost and hence they can be installed
economically at close spacing. However, the main disadvantage is that they have restricted life.
There is also a limited range of soil types that are suitable for mole drainage, essentially the
heavy, non-dispersive clay soils.

NOTE: The mole channel is cut by the foot, but formed by the expander. The expander
forces move soil into the walls of the channel. In a sandy soil, the soil simply collapses
following the expander; in a clay soil, the soil is smeared and has sufficient cohesive
strength to hold the channel open. As the channel dries it sets to form a hard-walled
channel, which can last from 5 to 10 years.

5|Page
3. French drains-They are normally made through excavating the channel and filling it with
stones and at the top fine aggregates are placed so that water can sink. The stones create voids or
spaces hence the soils should not be compacted.

4. Tile Drains-It involves the use of porous pipes that are laid underground. The pipes may be
concrete pipes that allows water into the empty parts since the external pressure is greater hence
water sieves into the pipe at high velocity.
Tile drains removes excess water from the soil through a continuous line of tiles (pipes) laid at
specified depth and grade. The pipes are made of either concrete or burnt clay. Free water enters
through the tile joints and flows out by gravity, so that the water table is lowered below the root
zone of the plants.

***********DIAGRAM REQUIRED*********

6|Page
5. Pumped wells-A water pump is used to pump out water from a low-level area surrounded by
high ground

Each of the above system can be compared and adopted relatively to one another in terms of; -
 Amount of land they take
 Hindrance to movement
 The cost of installation
 Machinery requirement
 Maintenance cost e.g. prevent the drainage system from siltation, clogging and weeds

Water disposal
Water collected can be disposed in the following ways; -
 Into swamps
 Into water ponds/dams
 Into streams/rivers
 Into natural/artificial water way

Maintenance of drainage system


 Inspect the drainage system after every rain storm and repair if broken.
 The drains which may collapse can be lined by concrete
 Remove weeds from the drainage system
 Remove the soil siltation from the drainage system

7|Page

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