AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL

ENGINEERING

IRRIGATION ENGINEERING
Rosani P. Manalastas, RPAE, Ph.D.
DREAM, CREAM, PSAU
 Definition of IRRIGATION

Irrigation means the action of applying water to land in

order to supply crops and other plants with necessary
water.

An adequate water supply is important for plant growth.

When rainfall is not sufficient, the plants must receive
additional water from irrigation.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 Objectives of Irrigation:

• To supply water partially or totally for crop need.

• To cool both the soil and the plant.
• To leach excess salts.
• To improve groundwater storage.
• To facilitate continuous cropping.
• To enhance fertilizer application – fertigation.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 Purpose of Irrigation

Irrigation is the process of supplying water, in

addition to natural precipitation, to field crops, orchards,
vineyards, or other cultivated plants.
Irrigation water is applied to ensure that the water
available in the soil is sufficient to meet crop water
needs. The role of irrigation is to improve production
and the effectiveness of other inputs.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 Importance of Irrigation:

• World food production will need to increase to

meet the demands of increased population.
• Increased food production will have to come from
existing lands.
• Increased food production will have to come from
irrigated land.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 Benefits of Irrigation:

• Increase in crop yield.

• Protection from famine.
• Cultivation of superior crops.
• Elimination of mixed cropping.
• Economic development.
• Hydro power generation.
• Domestic and industrial water supply.

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 Water use for Irrigation

Agriculture is by far the largest water use at global level.

Irrigation of agricultural lands accounted for 70% of the
water used worldwide. In several developing countries,
irrigation represents up to 95% of all water uses, and
plays a major role in food production and food security.
But the increasing pressure on water resources
by agriculture faces competition from other water use
sectors and represents a threat to the environment.

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 Irrigation Water Quality

The water quality used for irrigation is essential for the

yield and quantity of crops, maintenance of soil
productivity, and protection of the environment.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 Crop Water Requirement

The crop water need (Evapotranspiration, ET) is defined

as the depth (or amount) of water needed to meet the
water loss through evapotranspiration. In other words, it
is the amount of water needed by the various crops to
grow optimally.
Crops need water for transpiration and
evaporation.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 The plant roots suck or extract water from the soil to live
and grow. The main part of this water does not remain
in the plant, but escapes to the atmosphere as vapour
through the plant's leaves and stem. This process is
called transpiration. Transpiration happens mainly
during the day time.
Water from an open water surface escapes as vapour to
the atmosphere during the day. The same happens to
water on the soil surface and to water on the leaves and
stem of a plant. This process is called evaporation.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 The water need of a crop thus consists of transpiration
plus evaporation. Therefore, the crop water need is also
called evapotranspiration.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 The water need of a crop is usually expressed in
mm/day, mm/month or mm/season.
Suppose the water need of a certain crop in a very hot,
dry climate is 10 mm/day. This means that each day the
crop needs a water layer of 10 mm over the whole area
on which the crop is grown.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 Soil and Irrigation

Both soil and water are essential for plant growth. The
soil provides a structural base to the plants and allows
the root system (the foundation of the plant) to spread
and get a strong hold.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 The pores of the soil within the root zone hold moisture
which clings to the soil particles by surface tension in
the driest state or may fill up the pores partially or fully
saturating with it useful nutrients dissolved in water,
essential for the growth of the plants.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 Soil Properties Related to Irrigation

Soil is a complex mass of mineral and organic

particles. The important properties that classify soil
according to its relevance to making crop production
are:

• Soil Texture
• Soil Structure

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 Soil Texture

This refers to the relative

sizes of soil particles in a
given soil. According to
their sizes, soil particles
are grouped into gravel,
sand, silt and clay. The
relative proportions of
sand, silt and clay is a soil
mass determines the soil
texture.
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 Soil Structure
This refers to the arrangement of
soil particles and aggregates with
respect to each other. Aggregates
are groups of individual soil
particles adhering together.
Soil structure is recognized as one
of the most important properties of
soil mass, since it influences
aeration, permeability, water
holding capacity, etc.
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 Irrigation System

The irrigation system consists of a (main) intake

structure or (main) pumping station, a conveyance
system, a distribution system, a field application system,
and a drainage system.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 The (main) intake structure, or (main) pumping station,
directs water from the source of supply, such as a
reservoir or a river, into the irrigation system.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 The conveyance system assures the transport of water
from the main intake structure or main pumping station
up to the field ditches.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 The distribution system assures the transport of water
through field ditches to the irrigated fields.

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 The field application system assures the transport of
water within the fields.

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 Open Canals

An open canal, channel, or ditch, is an open waterway

whose purpose is to carry water from one place to
another.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 Canals are classified according to the shape of their
cross-section, canals are called rectangular (a),
triangular (b), trapezoidal (c), circular (d), parabolic (e),
and irregular or natural (f).

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 The most commonly used canal cross-section in
irrigation and drainage is the trapezoidal cross-section.

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 Earthen Canals
Simply dug in the ground and the bank is made
up from the removed earth, the disadvantages of
earthen canals are the risk of the side slopes collapsing
and the water loss due to seepage. They also require
continuous maintenance, in order to control weed
growth and to repair damage done by livestock and
rodents.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 Lined Canals
Earthen canals can be lined with impermeable materials
to prevent slope erosion, excessive seepage and
growth of weeds.

AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS

 Earthen Canals
Simply dug in the ground and the bank is made
up from the removed earth, the disadvantages of
earthen canals are the risk of the side slopes collapsing
and the water loss due to seepage. They also require
continuous maintenance, in order to control weed
growth and to repair damage done by livestock and
rodents.

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AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS
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 End of Presentation

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AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS
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AE 11 – FUNDAMENTALS OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING ROSANI P. MANALASTAS