Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Labor Requirement
Border systems may be automated to some degree to reduce labor requirements.
It requires skilled irrigators to obtain high efficiencies. The labor skill needed for
setting border flows can be decreased with equipment of higher cost. The setting of
siphons or slide openings to obtain the desired flow rate requires skillness, but that
one can learn.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
(i) Easy to construct and maintain
(ii) Operational system is simple and easy
(iii) High irrigation efficiencies are possible if properly designed, but rarely
obtained in practice due to difficulty of balancing the advance and recession
phases of water application
(iv) Natural drainage is facilitated through downward slope
(v) Comparatively less labor is required
Limitations
(i) Requires flat and smooth topography
(ii) Not suitable for sandy soils
(iii) Not suitable for crops which requires ponding water
(iv) Higher amount of water is required compared to sprinkler or drip irrigation.
2.3.2 Basin Irrigation
2.3.2.1 Concept and Characteristics
In this method, water is applied to leveled surface units (basins) which have com-
plete perimeter dikes to prevent runoff and to allow infiltration after cutoff (Fig. 2.2 ) .
Basin irrigation is the simplest of the surface irrigation methods. Especially if the
basins are small, they can be constructed by hand or animal traction. Their operation
and maintenance are simple.
The best performance is obtained when advance time is minimized by using large
non-erosive discharges, and the basin surface is precision leveled. This method is the
most commonly practiced worldwide, both for rice and other field crops, including
orchard tree crops. In general, basins are small and uneven and water application
is manually controlled. Level basin irrigation using large laser-leveled units with
automated or semiautomatic control is practiced in few areas in developed countries.
In this approach, water is applied to a completely level area enclosed by dikes
or borders (called basins). This method of irrigation is used successfully for both
field and row crops. The floor of the basin may be flat, ridged, or shaped into beds,
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