Water Application Methods - Practices of Irrigation and On-farm Water Management - page 38

Furrow irrigation : A partial surface flooding method of irrigation in which
water is applied in furrows (narrow channels dug between the rows of crops)
or “rows of sufficient capacity” to contain the designed irrigation system,
instead of distributing water throughout the whole field.
Sprinkler irrigation : A system in which water is applied by means of nozzle or
perforated pipe that operates under pressure in the form of a spray pattern.
Drip irrigation : An irrigation system in which water is applied directly to the
root zone of plants.
Flood irrigation : A system in which the entire soil surface of the field is covered
by ponded water.

2.3 Description of Common Methods of Irrigation

2.3.1 Border Irrigation

2.3.1.1 Concept and Features

Border irrigation is a modern method of surface irrigation. Border irrigation uses
land formed into strips, bounded by ridges or borders (Fig. 2.1 ) . Borders are gen-
erally prepared with zero side slope and a small but uniform longitudinal slope not
exceeding 1%. The borders are divided by levees running down the slope at uniform
spacing. The lower end of the border is opened to a drainage ditch or closed with a
levee to create ponding on the end of the border. Levees are pulled across the end
on steeper borders.
In this method, water is applied at the upper end of the border strip, and advances
down the strip. Irrigation takes place by allowing the flow to advance and infiltrate
along the border. After a time, the water is turned off, and a recession front, where
standing water has soaked into the soil, moves down the strip. Smaller inflow dis-
charges and longer time duration of application are utilized in graded fields to reduce

Water supply channel

Length, L Width, W

Ridge or dike

Fig. 2.1 Schematic of border
irrigation system