In spite of some very wet weather, this center pivot in southern Wisconsin is running. Irrigation has been growing in the Midwest in recent years and it could be effecting the transport of agricultural chemicals to streams.
Irrigation Methods: A Quick Look
Water-Use Data for the Nation
The USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) compiles and publishes national water-use data every 5 years.
The USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) compiles and publishes national water-use data every 5 years.
Water Use Information by Topic
Water Science School Home
Irrigation is the controlled application of water for agricultural purposes through manmade systems to supply water requirements not satisfied by rainfall. Crop irrigation is vital throughout the world in order to provide the world's ever-growing populations with enough food. Many different irrigation methods are used worldwide, including
• Water Science School HOME • Water Use topics •
Irrigation Methods: A Quick Look
Irrigation is the the controlled application of water for agricultural purposes through manmade systems to supply water requirements not satisfied by rainfall. Crop irrigation is vital throughout the world in order to provide the world's ever-growing populations with enough food. Many different irrigation methods are used worldwide, including:
CENTER-PIVOT
Automated sprinkler irrigation achieved by automatically rotating the sprinkler pipe or boom, supplying water to the sprinkler heads or nozzles, as a radius from the center of the field to be irrigated. Water is delivered to the center or pivot point of the system. The pipe is supported above the crop by towers at fixed spacings and propelled by pneumatic, mechanical, hydraulic, or electric power on wheels or skids in fixed circular paths at uniform angular speeds. Water is applied at a uniform rate by progressive increase of nozzle size from the pivot to the end of the line. The depth of water applied is determined by the rate of travel of the system. Single units are ordinarily about 1,250 to 1,300 feet long and irrigate about a 130-acre circular area.
If you've been in an airplane you can easily locate center-pivot irrigation systems on the ground. You can't miss them -- just look for green circles of irrigated land below.
- Photograph: Center pivot irrigation system in Arizona, USA
- Photograph: Center-pivot irrigation systems are used worldwide for producing crops
A planned irrigation system in which water is applied directly to the Root Zone of plants by means of applicators (orifices, emitters, porous tubing, perforated pipe, etc.) operated under low pressure with the applicators being placed either on or below the surface of the ground.
- Photograph: Drip irrigation
The application of irrigation water where the entire surface of the soil is covered by ponded water.
Early humans would have used this "low-tech" method of irrigating crops -- collect water in a bucket and pour it onto the fields. Today, this is still one of the most popular methods of crop irrigation. The system is called flood irrigation -- water is pumped or brought to the fields and is allowed to flow along the ground among the crops. This method is simple and cheap, and is widely used by societies in less developed parts of the world as well as in the U.S.
- Photograph: Furrow or flood irrigation
A planned irrigation system in which water is applied by means of perforated pipes or nozzles operated under pressure so as to form a spray pattern.
- Photograph: Spray or sprinkler irrigation
SUBIRRIGATION
Applying irrigation water below the ground surface either by raising the water table within or near the root zone or by using a buried perforated or porous pipe system that discharges directly into the root zone.
SURGE FLOODING
Traditional flooding involved just releasing water onto a field. In using surge flooding, water is released at prearranged intervals, which reduces unwanted runoff.
Here are some things that farmers do to be more efficient:
- Leveling of fields: Flood irrigation uses gravity to transport water, and, since water flows downhill, it will miss a part of the field that is on a hill, even a small hill. Farmers are using leveling equipment, some of which is guided by a laser beam, to scrape a field flat before planting. That allows water to flow evenly throughout the fields. (Actually, this method of levelling a field is also used to build flat tennis courts).
- Capture and reuse of runoff: A large amount of flood-irrigation water is wasted because it runs off the edges and back of the fields. Farmers can capture the runoff in ponds and pump it back up to the front of the field where it is reused for the next cycle of irrigation.
Some of this information is courtesy of the Nevada Division of Water Planning.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Want to learn more about irrigation methods? Follow me to the Agriculture and the Quality of the Nation's Waters website!
Below are science topics related to irrigation water use.
Water Use Information by Topic
Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.
Irrigation Methods: Furrow or Flood Irrigation
It's a good thing farmers don't need to haul buckets of water to keep crops watered. Nearly as old as the bucket method though, is furrow or flood surface irrigation where farmers flow water down small trenches running through their crops. For more information about irrigation read on.
Irrigation: Drip or Microirrigation
In drip irrigation (microirrigation), water is run through pipes (with holes in them) either buried or lying slightly above the ground next to the crops. Water slowly drips onto the crop roots and stems.
Irrigation Water Use
Throughout the world, irrigation (water for agriculture, or growing crops) is probably the most important use of water (except for drinking and washing a smelly dog, perhaps). Irrigation water is essential for keeping fruits, vegetables, and grains growing to feed the world's population, and this has been a constant for thousands of years.
Below are multimedia items associated with irrigation water use.
Center pivot irrigation system
In spite of some very wet weather, this center pivot in southern Wisconsin is running. Irrigation has been growing in the Midwest in recent years and it could be effecting the transport of agricultural chemicals to streams.
Irrigation is the controlled application of water for agricultural purposes through manmade systems to supply water requirements not satisfied by rainfall. Crop irrigation is vital throughout the world in order to provide the world's ever-growing populations with enough food. Many different irrigation methods are used worldwide, including
• Water Science School HOME • Water Use topics •
Irrigation Methods: A Quick Look
Irrigation is the the controlled application of water for agricultural purposes through manmade systems to supply water requirements not satisfied by rainfall. Crop irrigation is vital throughout the world in order to provide the world's ever-growing populations with enough food. Many different irrigation methods are used worldwide, including:
CENTER-PIVOT
Automated sprinkler irrigation achieved by automatically rotating the sprinkler pipe or boom, supplying water to the sprinkler heads or nozzles, as a radius from the center of the field to be irrigated. Water is delivered to the center or pivot point of the system. The pipe is supported above the crop by towers at fixed spacings and propelled by pneumatic, mechanical, hydraulic, or electric power on wheels or skids in fixed circular paths at uniform angular speeds. Water is applied at a uniform rate by progressive increase of nozzle size from the pivot to the end of the line. The depth of water applied is determined by the rate of travel of the system. Single units are ordinarily about 1,250 to 1,300 feet long and irrigate about a 130-acre circular area.
If you've been in an airplane you can easily locate center-pivot irrigation systems on the ground. You can't miss them -- just look for green circles of irrigated land below.
- Photograph: Center pivot irrigation system in Arizona, USA
- Photograph: Center-pivot irrigation systems are used worldwide for producing crops
A planned irrigation system in which water is applied directly to the Root Zone of plants by means of applicators (orifices, emitters, porous tubing, perforated pipe, etc.) operated under low pressure with the applicators being placed either on or below the surface of the ground.
- Photograph: Drip irrigation
The application of irrigation water where the entire surface of the soil is covered by ponded water.
Early humans would have used this "low-tech" method of irrigating crops -- collect water in a bucket and pour it onto the fields. Today, this is still one of the most popular methods of crop irrigation. The system is called flood irrigation -- water is pumped or brought to the fields and is allowed to flow along the ground among the crops. This method is simple and cheap, and is widely used by societies in less developed parts of the world as well as in the U.S.
- Photograph: Furrow or flood irrigation
A planned irrigation system in which water is applied by means of perforated pipes or nozzles operated under pressure so as to form a spray pattern.
- Photograph: Spray or sprinkler irrigation
SUBIRRIGATION
Applying irrigation water below the ground surface either by raising the water table within or near the root zone or by using a buried perforated or porous pipe system that discharges directly into the root zone.
SURGE FLOODING
Traditional flooding involved just releasing water onto a field. In using surge flooding, water is released at prearranged intervals, which reduces unwanted runoff.
Here are some things that farmers do to be more efficient:
- Leveling of fields: Flood irrigation uses gravity to transport water, and, since water flows downhill, it will miss a part of the field that is on a hill, even a small hill. Farmers are using leveling equipment, some of which is guided by a laser beam, to scrape a field flat before planting. That allows water to flow evenly throughout the fields. (Actually, this method of levelling a field is also used to build flat tennis courts).
- Capture and reuse of runoff: A large amount of flood-irrigation water is wasted because it runs off the edges and back of the fields. Farmers can capture the runoff in ponds and pump it back up to the front of the field where it is reused for the next cycle of irrigation.
Some of this information is courtesy of the Nevada Division of Water Planning.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
Want to learn more about irrigation methods? Follow me to the Agriculture and the Quality of the Nation's Waters website!
Below are science topics related to irrigation water use.
Water Use Information by Topic
Water is everywhere, which is fortunate for all of humanity, as water is essential for life. Even though water is not always available in the needed quantity and quality for all people everywhere, people have learned to get and use water for all of their water needs, from drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, producing electricity, and for just having fun.
Irrigation Methods: Furrow or Flood Irrigation
It's a good thing farmers don't need to haul buckets of water to keep crops watered. Nearly as old as the bucket method though, is furrow or flood surface irrigation where farmers flow water down small trenches running through their crops. For more information about irrigation read on.
Irrigation: Drip or Microirrigation
In drip irrigation (microirrigation), water is run through pipes (with holes in them) either buried or lying slightly above the ground next to the crops. Water slowly drips onto the crop roots and stems.
Irrigation Water Use
Throughout the world, irrigation (water for agriculture, or growing crops) is probably the most important use of water (except for drinking and washing a smelly dog, perhaps). Irrigation water is essential for keeping fruits, vegetables, and grains growing to feed the world's population, and this has been a constant for thousands of years.
Below are multimedia items associated with irrigation water use.
Center pivot irrigation system
In spite of some very wet weather, this center pivot in southern Wisconsin is running. Irrigation has been growing in the Midwest in recent years and it could be effecting the transport of agricultural chemicals to streams.
In spite of some very wet weather, this center pivot in southern Wisconsin is running. Irrigation has been growing in the Midwest in recent years and it could be effecting the transport of agricultural chemicals to streams.