A furrow irrigation model to improve irrigation practices in the Gharb valley of Morocco

In developing countries, modernization of surface irrigation is the most common solution to water management problems in irrigated areas because it is well adapted to the socio-economical context. This solution was adopted in the Gharb area near Kenitra in Morocco where an experimental site was set up to obtain irrigation and drainage references. Meaningful improvements in irrigation efficiency and better crop yields have yet to result from the modernization effort. Different sources of heterogeneity affecting the infiltration process can hinder the improvement of irrigation efficiency even in a modernized furrow irrigation context. The respective impact of deterministic and stochastic heterogeneity sources on the advance-infiltration process is analyzed. Then, a model based on the spatial and temporal variability of infiltration is developed to simulate the impact of irrigation practices on water saving during an irrigation season. This work will later contribute to the elaboration of a modelling approach simulating fertilization and irrigation practices.     

Optimization of furrow irrigation schedules,designs and net return to water

A seasonal furrow irrigation model consisting of irrigation scheduling and kinematic-wave-based hydraulic submodels was modified to incorporate an economic optimization submodel. The model used a systematic simulation technique to optimize furrow irrigation schedules and designs assuming 80% irrigation adequacy at cutoff time. The irrigation schedules and designs were optimized for the homogeneous and heterogeneous infiltration under the mean and observed ET_o (grass reference crop ET) conditions. The optimal management allowable depletion (MAD) level changed with the variation in ET_o condition, and with the consideration of spatial and temporal (seasonal) variability in infiltration characteristics. Irrigation design changed with both infiltration conditions and MAD level. Infiltration variability did not influence the bean yield. However, the return to water decreased when spatial variability in infiltration conditions was considered. Using mean ET_o resulted in slightly higher yield and net return to water as compared to using observed ET_o. A small variation in daily mean ET_o values with respect to daily observed ET_o values caused a change in both irrigation schedules and designs. Therefore, mean ET_o cannot be used to forecast irrigation schedules and designs at the beginning of crop season. The net return to water increased (1.7 to 3.6%), and the seasonal inflow, losses, and bean yield decreased in the case of variable interval scheduling (holding MAD constant) as compared to the fixed interval scheduling (MAD varies).     

Best management of pesticide — furrow irrigation systems

Summary Effects of furrow irrigation designs, water management practices (irrigation scheduling, etc.), soil types and pesticide parameters on pesticide leaching were simulated. A hydraulic kinematic-wave irrigation model was used to estimate water infiltration for alternative furrow lengths and inflow rates. A one-dimensional simulation model then simulated the movement of pesticides through soils following furrow irrigation. Potential ground-water contamination by pesticides can be reduced by an integrated use of the best management practices (BMPs) such as careful selection and use of pesticides, efficient furrow irrigation designs and improved water management techniques (irrigation scheduling, etc.). Procedures for designing an appropriate furrow irrigation system for a particular site and pesticide, and selecting pesticides for a particular site, crop and furrow irrigation system are illustrated. These procedures are being used to develop decision support computer models for developing different BMPs for pesticide-agricultural management decisions.     

Impact of fertilisation practices on nitrogen leaching under irrigation

Field experiments were carried out over a 2-year period on a loamy soil plot under corn in Montpellier (south-east France). The effectiveness of improved irrigation practices in reducing the adverse impact of irrigation on the environment was assessed. Different irrigation and fertiliser treatments were applied to identify the best irrigation and fertilisation strategy for each technique (furrow and sprinkler) to ensure both good yields and lower NO₃^- leaching. No significant differences in corn yield and NO₃^- leaching were found for the climatic scenario of 1999 between sprinkler and furrow irrigation during the irrigation season. Following the rainy events occurring after plant maturity (and the irrigation season), differences in N leaching were observed between the treatments. The study shows that both the fertiliser method, consisting of applying a fertiliser just before ridging the furrows, and the two-dimensional (2D) infiltration process, greatly influence the N distribution in the soil. N distribution seems to have a beneficial impact on both yield and N leaching under heavy irrigation rates during the cropping season. But, under rainy events (particularly those occurring after harvesting), the N, stored in the upper part of the ridge and not previously taken up by plants, can be released into the deeper soil layers in a furrow-irrigated plot. In contrast, the 1D infiltration process occurring during sprinkler irrigation events affects the entire soil surface in the same way. As a result the same irrigation rate would probably increase N leaching under sprinkler irrigation to a greater extent than under furrow-irrigation during an irrigation period. In order to assess the robustness of these interpretations derived from soil N-profile analysis, a modelling approach was used to test the irrigation and fertilisation strategies under heavy irrigation rates such as those occurring at the downstream part of closed-end furrows. The RAIEOPT and STICS models were used to simulate water application depths, crop yield and NO₃^- leaching on three measurement sites located along the central furrow of each treatment. The use of a 2D water- and solute-transport model such as HYDRUS-2D enabled us to strengthen the conclusions derived from the observations made on the N distribution under a cross-section of furrow. This model helped to illustrate the risk of over-estimation of N leaching when using a simplified 1D solute-transport model such as STICS.     

Forecasting and optimizing furrow irrigation management decision variables

Furrow irrigation can be better managed if the management decision variables (irrigation time and amount; inflow rate and cutoff) can be determined ahead of time. In this study, these decision variables were forecast and optimized using 1 day ahead grass reference crop evapotranspiration (ET₀) forecasts, based on the ARMA (1,1) time-series model, with a seasonal furrow irrigation model for both homogeneous and heterogeneous infiltration conditions. Heterogeneity in infiltration characteristics was restricted to variations along the furrow length as opposed to variations between furrows. The results obtained were compared with their counterparts using the observed ET₀ for the same period during the 1992 cropping season. Seasonal performance (application efficiency, inflow, runoff and deep percolation volumes) and economic return to water (yield benefits minus seasonal water related and labor costs) were affected by infiltration conditions, while irrigation requirement and bean yield were unchanged. In a given infiltration case, seasonal performance, irrigation schedules, bean yield and economic return to water were comparable (lower than 4% difference) for the two ET₀ conditions. For each ET₀ condition, individual irrigation events resulted in different irrigation designs (inflow rate and cutoff time) except inflow rates with heterogeneous infiltration. Differences in inflow volume were less than 2% and 5%, respectively, for homogeneous infiltration and heterogeneous infiltration. For the conditions studied, furrow irrigation management decision variables can be forecast and optimized to better manage the irrigation system, because irrigation performance was the same for both (forecast and observed) ET₀ cases. Received: 9 October 1999     

Infiltration parameters from optimisation on furrow irrigation advance data

Knowledge of the soil infiltration parameters is necessary for efficient furrow irrigation. A method is proposed for the determination of the parameters in the Kostiakov-Lewis infiltration equation from measurements of the furrow irrigation advance and inflow. The method employs a volume balance model using optimisation to minimise the error between the predicted and measured advance and differs from existing approaches in that only advance data and inflow rates are required. The average cross sectional area of the furrow and the final infiltration rate are treated as fitted parameters and need not be measured. A simple but effective optimisation algorithm is developed which allows for the solution of the four parameters without user input. The speed and simplicity of the optimisation may lead to application in real-time control of furrow irrigation. Received: 16 August 1995     

Real-time prediction of soil infiltration characteristics for the management of furrow irrigation

The spatial and temporal variations commonly found in the infiltration characteristic for surface-irrigated fields are a major physical constraint to achieve higher irrigation application efficiencies. Substantial work has been directed towards developing methods to estimate the infiltration characteristics of soil from irrigation advance data. However, none of the existing methods are entirely suitable for use in real-time control. The greatest limitation is that they are data intensive. A new method that uses a model infiltration curve (MIC) is proposed. In this method a scaling process is used to reduce the amount of data required to predict the infiltration characteristics for each furrow and each irrigation event for a whole field. Data from 44 furrow irrigation events from two different fields were used to evaluate the proposed method. Infiltration characteristics calculated using the proposed method were compared to values calculated from the full advance data using the INFILT computer model. The infiltration curves calculated by the proposed method were of similar shape to the INFILT curves and gave similar values for cumulative infiltration up to the irrigation advance time for each furrow. More importantly the statistical properties of the two sets of infiltration characteristics were similar. This suggests that they would return equivalent estimates of irrigation performance for the two fields and that the proposed method could be suitable for use in real-time control.     

Factors affecting uniformity and optimal water management with furrow irrigation

Summary A kinematic wave mathematical model which simulates the hydraulics of continuous flow furrow irrigation was linked with a crop yield model and used in combination with an economic model to analyze the effects of inflow rate, water infiltration characteristics and furrow length on uniformity of infiltrated water, runoff, gross profits and optimal number of 12 hour irrigations for corn (Zea mays) assuming other management practices to be constant. Higher uniformity of infiltrated water but more runoff and, in some cases, more deep percolation resulted from increased flow rates. Increases in uniformity of infiltrated water leads to greater profits, which are however offset by the associated increases in runoff and deep percolation. The study shows economically optimal water management for furrow irrigation can be obtained with proper balance between changes in the input variables and runoff and to some extent deep percolation.Contribution of the Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside 92521. This study was supported by California State Water Resources Control Board Contract # 2-043-300-0     

Comparison and selection of furrow irrigation models

The capability of hydrodynamic, zero-inertia, kinematic-wave and volume-balance models to predict advance and recession phases in furrow irrigation were compared against two sets of field data, providing a wide range of soil conditions and field slopes. The input parameters required for each model were studied, and a simple sensitivity analysis was performed for field slope, furrow geometry, roughness coefficient, infiltration constants, time step, and discharge. The accuracy of the models' predictions depends on the precision of the measurements and the estimation of the input parameters. Excellent prediction of the advance and recession phases were obtained with hydrodynamic, zero-inertia and kinematic-wave models. Those models therefore are preferred in design and management in furrow irrigation.     

The comparison of advance and erosion of meandering furrow irrigation with standard furrow irrigation under varying furrow inflow rates

Meandering furrow irrigation (Gholam-gardeshi irrigation) is a modified form of furrow irrigation, which has being used in Iran, but to date, there is no study about the erosion of this method of irrigation. To measure the erosion of meandering furrow irrigation and to compare the results with standard furrow irrigation, two experimental fields with different soil textures and furrow inflow rates were used. The experiment utilized a randomized factorial design with three replications for each treatment. In both methods, the developed second order polynomial equation for the erosion, and advance equation were able to predict the field data with coefficients of determination of more than 0.94. The results showed that the velocity of advance, tail water runoff and erosion are significantly lower for meandering furrow irrigation as compared to standard furrow irrigation. As the furrow inflow rates increased, erosion and runoff in both irrigation methods increased significantly.     

A spreadsheet model to evaluate sloping furrow irrigation accounting for infiltration variability

A spreadsheet model was developed to evaluate the performance of furrow irrigation that accounts for soil variability and requires few field measurements. The model adjusts an advance trajectory to three (advance distance, advance time) points and, similarly, it adjusts a recession trajectory to three (recession distance, recession time) points. The head of the furrow (distance = 0) is one of the points used to adjust both trajectories. It then calculates the parameters of the infiltration equation using the two-point method (based on the volume balance equation with assumed surface shape parameters). The model gives the option to enter an estimate of the soil infiltration variability in order to account for this variation when calculating irrigation performance indicators. The combination of variance technique was used for this purpose. A set of irrigation performance indicators (distribution uniformity, application efficiency, tail water ratio, deep percolation ratio and deficit coefficient) is calculated, assuming that the infiltrated water follows a normal frequency distribution. To illustrate the evaluation method, it was applied to three irrigation events conducted on a sunflower field, with 234 m long furrows spaced 0.75 m apart. The evaluations were performed in two 3-furrow sets. The application efficiency was satisfactory in the first irrigation, but low in the other two. Uniformity was high in all three irrigations. The performance indicator that was most affected by soil variability was distribution uniformity. Considering soil spatial variability was important for more realistic determination of the infiltrated water distribution, and therefore of the deep percolation, but it had less importance for the determination of the application efficiency, due to the relevance of runoff in our field application.     

Modeling and error analysis of kinematic-wave equations of furrow irrigation

A moving control volume approach was used to model the advance phase of a furrow irrigation system whereas a fixed control volume was used to model the nearly stationary phase and the runoff rate. The resulting finite-difference equations of the kinematic-wave model were linearized and explicit algebraic expressions were obtained for computation of advance and runoff rate. The solutions for the advance increment and the runoff rate were compared with the nonlinear scheme, the zero-inertia model, and a set of field data. A close agreement was found between the models and the field data. Assuming a constant infiltration rate, a differential equation was derived to estimate the error between the kinematic-wave model and the zero-inertia model in predicting the flow cross-sectional area along the field length. The differential equation and two dimensionless terms were used to define the limits for use of the kinematic-wave model in furrow irrigation.     

沟灌条件下灌水沟入渗特性研究

为探明沟灌时灌水沟的水分入渗规律,从沟灌二维入渗过程、入渗湿润锋运移特性、累计入渗水量变化过程、土壤含水量分布等方面研究了沟灌的入渗特征及其影响,研究表明：灌水沟中水深、沟底宽、湿周对沟灌入渗过程均有明显影响。沟中水深增大,有利于加大侧向入渗,垂向入渗减少,而水深减小,会加大垂向入渗,增加深层渗漏。灌水沟底宽不影响灌水沟的侧向入渗,仅影响垂向入渗,底宽减小,垂向入渗深度相应减小,且土壤表面以下40 cm深以内水平向入渗深度平均值与最大垂向入渗深度的比值在沟底宽小时均大于沟底宽大时。合理的断面形式和大小有利于减小垂向入渗,加大水平侧向入渗,灌水沟断面形式为梯形断面时,宽深比近似为2效果最优。研究结果可为改进沟灌灌水技术提供参考。     

Effects of different ridge:furrow ratios and supplemental irrigation on crop production in ridge and furrow rainfall harvesting system with mulches

The ridge and furrow rainfall harvesting (RFRH) system with mulches is being promoted to increase water availability for crops for higher and stable agricultural production in many areas of the Loess Plateau in northwest China. In the system, plastic-covered ridges serve as rainfall-harvesting zones and stone-, straw- or film-mulched furrows serve as planting zones. To adopt this system more effectively, a field study (using corn as an indicator crop) was conducted to determine the effects of different ridge:furrow ratios and supplemental irrigation on crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE) in the RFRH system with mulches during the growing seasons of 1998 and 1999.The results indicated that the ridge:furrow ratios had a significant effect on crop yield and yield components. The 120:60 cm ridge and furrow (120 cm wide ridge and 60 cm wide furrow) system increased yield by 27.9%, seed weight per head by 14.8%, seed number per head by 7.4% and 1000-seed weight by 4.7%, compared with the 60:60 cm ridge and furrow (60 cm wide ridge and 60 cm wide furrow) system. No differences in WUE were found between the two ratio systems. For corn and winter wheat, the optimum ridge:furrow ratio seems to be 1:1 in the 300-mm rainfall area, 1:2 in the 400-mm rainfall area and 1:4 in the 500-mm rainfall area. The optimum ridge:furrow ratio seems to be 1:3 for millet in the 300-mm rainfall area, although it is unnecessary to adopt RFRH practice in regions with more than 400 mm rainfall. The most effective ridge size for crop production seems 60 cm in the Loess Plateau. Implementing supplemental irrigation in the RFRH system is also a useful way to deal with the temporal problem of moisture deficits. In the case of corn, supplemental irrigation at its critical growth stage can increase both grain yield and WUE by 20%. The combination of in situ RFRH system with supplemental irrigation practice will make the RFRH system more attractive.     

Assessment and simulation of water and nitrogen transfer under furrow irrigation

The objective of this study is to simulate water and nitrogen transfers under two furrow irrigation technologies (every furrow irrigation (EFI) and alternative furrow irrigation (AFI)) on Chromic Luvisol in Sofia region, Bulgaria. A bi-dimensional water and solutes transport modeling approach, HYDRUS-2D model [Simunek, J., Sejna, M., Van Genuchten, M.T., 1999. The HYDRUS-1D and HYDRUS-2D codes for estimating unsaturated soil hydraulic and solutes transport parameters. Agron Abstr. 357] is adopted in order to consider the technology of irrigation and fertilization. The model is calibrated in six steps using detailed data observed in two cropped lysimeters. The data consist of water and nitrogen (N) profiles below ridge and furrow bed, precipitation, drainage and water/N uptake by plant. Hydrological components of the soil are derived from laboratory: water retention data (step (i)) and adjusted to field conditions when EFI is approximated by one-dimensional (step (ii)). Then a two-dimensional water flow is adopted in model simulations for parameter calibration and verification, under EFI (step (iii)) and under AFI technology (step (iv)). This model calibration and validation is then used to calibrate the solute transport parameters, that is the aim of step (v) and step (vi). EFI and particularly AFI technologies points out the necessary 2D model using for the N transfer simulation under specific fertilizer applications. Thus, this calibrated model allows predicting the impact of furrow irrigation practices and distribution uniformity on drainage and nitrogen leaching under the studied conditions.     

Estimation of advance and infiltration equations in furrow irrigation for untested discharges

The exponents of the advance and infiltration power laws have been shown to remain practically constant for different furrow irrigation discharges. Under this hypothesis, a procedure to estimate the advance and infiltration equations corresponding to untested discharges was developed. The proposed procedure was validated with different field experiments, obtaining satisfactory results for non-erosive discharges. However, significant deviations were obtained when erosive discharges were used. This behavior corroborates the hypothesis presented by some authors that the erosion and sedimentation processes occurring in furrow irrigation as a consequence of high surface velocities can reduce—and even suppress—the effect of the wetted perimeter on the infiltration rate. Finally, an equation was derived to predict the effect of the wetted perimeter on the infiltration parameters.     

Optimization of furrow irrigation system design parameters considering drainage and runoff water quality constraints

The design problem of furrow irrigation systems considering runoff and drainage water quality was formulated as an optimization problem, with maximization of net benefits as the objective. A power advance function with an empirically derived relationship between the furrow irrigation design variables and relative crop yield were used in the formulation. The generalized geometric programming technique was used to solve for the optimal values for the design variables that maximized the net benefits from a furrow irrigation system. The optimal efficiency for which the system must be designed under a given set of soil, crop, and economic conditions is not known in advance. In the design, the application efficiency was not specified a priori. It was an output from the optimal design. The analysis suggested that it might not be economical to design surface irrigation systems to achieve a high application efficiency that is specified a priori. In the absence of environmental degradation problems from irrigation, it may sometimes be profitable to design surface irrigation systems to operate at less than the standard application efficiency (55%–90%) that is routinely used in the design. Formulation of the design problem as an optimization problem would yield the optimal application efficiency that would maximize the net benefits to the farmer under any given set of conditions.     

A real-time optimisation system for automation of furrow irrigation

An automated real-time optimisation system for furrow irrigation was developed and tested in this study. The system estimates the soil infiltration characteristics in real time and utilises the data to control the same irrigation event to give optimum performance for the current soil conditions. The main components of the system are as follows: the sensing of flow rate and a single advance time to a point approximately midway down the field, a system for scaling the soil infiltration characteristic and a hydraulic simulation program based on the full hydrodynamic model. A modem is attached to a microcomputer enabling it to receive signals from the flow meter and advance sensor via a radio telemetry system. Sample data from a furrow-irrigated commercial cotton property are used to demonstrate how the system works. The results demonstrate that improvements in on-farm water use efficiency and labour savings are potentially achievable through the use of the system.     

Water, nitrogen and yield losses for a nonhomogeneous furrow set

Water distribution can be nonuniform along the furrow length under surface irrigation. This “down field” nonuniformity is combined with “inter-row” non-uniformity which is a consequence of differences in infiltration characteristics across the plot. Global nonuniformity of application depth causes variation of yield, drainage and nitrogen leaching. In addition to that, due to year-to-year variability of climate, irrigation depths range significantly (from 0 to 360 mm/season). The objective of this paper is to study the impact of the nonuniformity of irrigation-water distribution within a furrow plot on yield, water and nitrogen losses when climate variation is taken into account. Six maize vegetation seasons on a Chromic Luvisol soil in the Sofia region with varying irrigation requirements are considered. Irrigation water is distributed in relative terms over the plot at different levels of nonuniformity (coefficient of variation C_v ranging from 13 to 66%) by the FURMOD model. Water and nitrogen cycle and crop growth are simulated then compared at 30 representative points in the set with various “climate-irrigation nonuniformity” combinations by the CERES-maize model. It was established that non-uniformity of irrigation is not important in wet vegetation periods. The drier the irrigation season, the higher the yield loss and risk to environment due to nonuniformity of irrigation water distribution. In moderate and dry irrigation seasons it causes yield losses of 2–14%, significant variation (30% < C_v < 200%) of drainage, nitrogen leaching and residual soil nitrate over the furrow set. Surface irrigation performances can be improved by reducing lateral nonuniformity of stream advance.     

Zero-inertia model for surge flow furrow irrigation

Summary A surge flow furrow irrigation model was developed based on the zero-inertia concept originally developed by Strelkoff and Kastapodes, (1977) for border irrigation and later modified for continuous furrow irrigation by Elliot et al. (1982). The model simulates all phases of continuous and surge flow irrigation including simultaneous advance and recession and can also be applied to basin and border irrigation with various field slopes. The surge model was verified for a wide range of actual field conditions and management alternatives. A sensitivity analysis was performed for the size of time step and the physical input parameters.