Seminar Presentation on Irrigation Techniques. Discussion Consists: 1. Increase in crop yield 2. Protection from famine 3. Cultivation of superior crops 4. Elimination of mixed cropping 5. Economic development 6. Hydro power generation 7. Domestic and industrial water supply 8. Afforestation

1. PREPARED BY
PRANTIK MAITY
ROLL NO- 001410401112
SECTION- B1
BCE 3RD YEAR, 2ND SEM
UNDER GUIDANCE OF
Dr. GUPINATH BHANDARI
DEPT. OF CIVIL
ENGINEERING
JADAVPUR UNIVERSITY
KOLKATA- 700032

2. • Irrigation can be defined as the science of artificial application of water
to the land in accordance with the ‘crop requirements’ throughout the
‘crop period’ for full-fledged nourishment of the crops
• In a line it is “a continuous and reliable water supply to different crops
in accordance to their different requirements”.
• ‘irrigation is inevitable, at least in tropical countries like ours’.

3. 1. Increase in crop yield
2. Protection from famine
3. Cultivation of superior crops
4. Elimination of mixed cropping
5. Economic development
6. Hydro power generation
7. Domestic and industrial water supply
8. Afforestation

4.  The utilizable surface water potential of India
has been estimated to be 1869 cubic kms but the
water resources utilizable through surface
structures is about 690 cubic kms only. This
depicts the necessity of irrigation in India in a
large scale.
 Of 266 M-ha potential land, 143 M-ha is
agricultural land. It is estimated that 85 M-ha of
land suffers from varying degrees of soil
degradation. Of the remaining 123 M-ha, 40 M-
ha is completely unproductive.
 India is tropical country with rainfall varying considerably in its place of occurrence,
as well as in its amount.

5. 1. Free Flooding Irrigation
2. Border Irrigation
3. Check Flooding Irrigation
4. Basin Irrigation
5. Furrow Irrigation
6. Sprinkler Irrigation System
7. Drip/Trickle Irrigation

6. FREE FLOODING IRRIGATION
The water is allowed to cover the surface of land in a continuous sheet of water with the
depth of applied water just sufficient to allow the field to absorb the right amount of
water needed to raise the soil moisture up to field capacity.
 Suitable Soils- fully clayey soils are
generally not preferred because of their high
impermeability. Generally clayey loamy soil
is preferred.
 Suitable Crops- This type of irrigation is
most suitable for close growing crops,
pastures etc.
 Suitable Land & Slopes-Steep land slope is
not a problem as ditches are excavated.
 Advantages-a) Very low initial cost.
b) rolling irregular topography
is not problem.
 Disadvantage- a)very high labour
requirements for land preparation.
b) Very low water efficiency.
c)water logging will be very
much prominent for plain land slope.

7. BORDER IRRIGATION
• Border irrigation is generally best suited to the larger mechanized
• Borders are usually long, uniformly graded strips of land, separated by earth
bunds.
• The farm is divided into a number of strips separated by low levees or borders.
Suitable Soils-deep homogenous loam or clay
soils with medium infiltration rates are
preferred.
Suitable Crops- Close growing crops such as
pasture or alfalfa are preferred.
Suitable Land & Slopes- Border slopes
should be uniform, with a minimum slope of
0.05% to maximum of 2%.
Advantages- a)ridges can be constructed
economically.
b) Labour requirement reduced
c) Uniform distribution.
d) Adequate surface drainage
Disadvantages- soil investigation needed.

8. CHECK FLOODING IRRIGATION
• Check flooding is similar to ordinary flooding expect that the water is
controlled by surrounding the check area with low and flat levees.
• The field is laid off into compartments or checks wholly surrounded by ridges
or levees.
Suitable Soils- This method is suitable
for more permeable soil as well as for
less permeable soils.
Suitable Crops- Paddy rice grows best
in check irrigation method. Other crops
are pastures, e.g. alfalfa, clover.
Suitable Land & Slopes- The flatter the
land surface, the easier it is to construct
check levees.
Advantages-indispensable for crops
such as rice.
Disadvantages-ridges interfere with the
movement of animal-drawn or tractor-
drawn implements.

9. BASIN IRRIGATION
• The basin method of irrigation is a modification of the check basin method
used for irrigation of orchards.
• Basins are generally squares or rings around the tree. Basins are constructed
for each tree or a group of trees.
Suitable Soils- This method is
suitable for more permeable soil as
well as for less permeable soils.
Suitable Crops- basin method
specially used for irrigation of
orchard trees such as citrus, banana
etc.
Suitable Land & Slopes- Same as
check irrigation method.
Advantages & Disadvantages-
Same as check irrigation method.

10. FURROW IRRIGATION
• Furrows are narrow field ditches, excavated between rows of plants and carry
water through them.
• The furrow irrigation is used for irrigating row crops with furrows developed
between the crop rows in the planting and cultivating processes.
Suitable Soils- Furrows can be
used on most soil types.
Suitable Crops-Row crops such
as maize, sunflower, sugarcane,
soybean etc.
Suitable Land & Slopes-
Uniform flat or gentle slopes are
preferred.
Advantages: Water in the
furrows contacts only ½ to 1/5
land area, reduces evaporation
loss.
Disadvantages: Large heads of
water cannot be used in the
small furrows.

11. SPRINKLER IRRIGATION
• The method of applying water to the plant on the ground surface through
spraying it overhead, somewhat resembling artificial rainfall.
• Sprinkler irrigation can also be used to apply soluble fertilizers, herbicides and
fungicides with irrigation water without much extra equipment cost.
Suitable Soils- suited to sandy soils
with high infiltration rates .
Suitable Crops- Sprinkler irrigation
is suited for trees & crops where water
can be sprayed over or under the crop
canopy.
Suitable Land & Slopes-adaptable
to adverse topographic conditions of
steep and irregular slopes.
Advantages: (a) Seepage losses are
completely eliminated..
(b) Land levelling is not required.
(c) No cultivation area is lost for
making ditches.
Disadvantages:(a) High winds may
distort sprinkler pattern.

12. DRIP IRRIGATION
• This method uses small diameter plastic lateral lines with devices called
"emitters" or "drippers" at selected spacing to deliver water to the soil
surface near the base of the plants.
Suitable Soils- Drip irrigation is suitable
for most soils.
Suitable Crops-Fruits like grapes,
sugarcane, papayas, banana, guava and
most other types of fruit trees.
Suitable Land & Slopes- Drip irrigation
is adaptable to any farmable slope.
Advantages:(a) Water distribution
occurs in close proximity to plant roots,
resulting in uniform and controlled water
distribution.
(b) Land levelling for irrigation on
steeper slopes is eliminated.
Disadvantages:(a) The high initial cost
of installation.
(b) a relatively clear water required to
prevent the blockage of the outlets.

13. 1. Natural conditions
• Soil type,
• Slope available,
• Climate,
• Water availability,
• Water quality,
2. Type of crop
3. Type of technology
4. Required depth of irrigation application
5. Required labour inputs
6. Costs and benefits
7. Previous experience with irrigation

14. Costs:
a) Economic costs: Investment cost, fixed cost, operating cost;
b) Environmental cost: Water loss.
Benefits:
a) Economic benefits: Revenue, additional yield;
b) Environmental benefit: Water saving;
c) Social benefits: Labour saving, social insurance.

15. Numerous irrigation methods are applied the world over. These differ
in different places from the most primitive wild flooding to the very
sophisticated ones. Regardless of their construction cost, which is very
low in the former or very high in the latter, irrigation by most methods
suffers from one or several of the following shortcomings: very high
labour requirements, very low irrigation efficiency, low net land
utilization and very high operational and maintenance costs.

16. 1. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations) Manual on Irrigation Water
Management (Manual No. 5).
2. Committee on Integrated Water Management,
Water Technology Centre, Indian Agricultural
Research Institute.
3. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, Ministry of
Water Resources, Government of India.
4. Irrigation Engineering and Hydraulic Structures by
Santosh Kumar Garg.