Chapter four
INTRODUCTION
On-farm
structures and
Drainage
systems.
On-farm structures and Drainage
systems.
On-farm structures for conventional
irrigation systems.
Irrigation water needs to be well controlled
applied to the crops at farm levels.
Farm structures are required to effectively
control and manage the flows at farm
levels.
Cont.….d
Small irrigation structures must be adapted for
use in particular areas depending on availability
and cost of materials and labor.
The irrigation methods, customs in the area and
the irrigation water delivery schedule are also
factors.
Small, low cost structures that can be built and
installed with local labor and materials are
desired.
Types of on-farm structures
I. distribution control structures.
II. crossing structures and.
III. water measurement structures
1. Distribution control structures
are required for easy and accurate water
distribution within the irrigation system and
on the farm.
A. Division boxes. are used to divide or
direct the flow of water between two or
more canals or ditches.
I. proportional division structures.
II. adjustable structures (gates)
Cont….d
B. Turnouts:
Turnouts: Constructed in the bank of
a canal to divert part of the water from
the canal to a smaller canal or ditch.
I.gated concrete structures or
II.pipe structures.
C. Checks
Checks are structures placed across
the ditch to block it temporarily and to
raise the water levels on the upstream
to facilitate diversion.
1)permanent checks.
2)temporary checks
2. Crossing structures
It is often necessary to carry
irrigation water across roads,
hillsides and natural depressions,
and hence crossing structures are
required.
A. Flumes:
Flumes: to carry irrigation water
across gullies or natural depressions.
Made of wood (bamboo), metal or
concrete.
Fig flume
B. Culverts
Culverts: are used to carry irrigation
water across roads. Masonry or concrete
headwalls at the inlet and outlet
connected by a buried pipeline.
i. Design on two cases:
ii. Inlet control.
iii. Outlet control
Protective Canal
Canal classification base on
discharge
3. Water measurement structures
For measuring irrigation water for:
i. Matching field demand with delivery
ii.Billing irrigation water fee:
iii. Research on irrigation water
management
Cont.….d
At flow measuring structures, the water
depth is read on a scale which is part of
the structure.
Using this reading, the flow-rate is then
computed from standard formulas or
obtained from standard tables prepared
specially for the structure.
A. Weirs
a weir consists of a wall of timber, metal
or concrete with an opening with fixed
dimensions
Can be:
Rectangular:
Where: Cd is discharge coefficient, L is the
length of the weir and H is the head over
the crest.
Rectangular
Triangular (V-notch)
Triangular fig
B. Par shall flumes
Par shall flumes: consist of a metal or
concrete channel structure with three
main sections:
i. Converging section at the upstream end:
stage measured here.
ii. Constricted or throat section.
iii. Diverging section at the downstream end
Where :
Qfree is the flow rate through the Par shall flume for
free flow conditions (m3/s)
Ha is the head measured at the at the converging part
of the Par shall flume (m)
C and n are constants for specific Par shall flume
throat width, W
Types of on-farm structures for
flood-based irrigation.
1) On-farm water management under spate
irrigation systems differs from water
distribution in conventional formal irrigation
schemes.
2) This is due to the fact that spate flows are
generally less predictable and the flows need
to be distributed over the fields in a short time
possible.
3) Water distribution in spat is regulated by the
following principles
Spate water distribution
Field water distribution in spate irrigation
can be:
i. field-to-field distribution.
ii. individual field distribution
1. Field to field structures
here are no tertiary canals and in most cases no
secondary canal.
All the flow in a canal is diverted to a group of
bonded fields.
When the upstream field is irrigated, water is
released by making a cut in the downstream
field bund to release water to the next field.
This process is repeated until all the fields in
command have been irrigated.
Field-to-field water distribution
(Steenbergen et al., 2010)
Full distribution network with
individual structures
individual fields are supplied with water from
individual field inlets on secondary canals.
Individual field inlets are often preferred to field-
to-field inlets because they offer higher control
of water distribution and can increase overall
water productivity.
Increase the flexibility of water distribution
allow for irrigation of downstream fields without
damaging upstream fields
requires less maintenance.
Comparison between field-to-field and
individual field water distribution
field-to-field irrigation system individual field water distribution
No land is required for secondary Land required for secondary and tertiary
canal. canal is estimated to be within range of
10-5% of total area.
Water distribution usually well Gated control structure make it possible
regulated by local rules. Although to divert water at any time and in
timing of breaching can be a source contravention of established water right.
Compulsory the maintenance of the Farmer need to adapt to new operation
system often regulated by local rule. and maintenance rules.
Help to level land In irrigation field. When plots are large the lack of leveling
will create uneven irrigation.
No problem of canal sedimentation Sedimentation in canal affect their ability
to provided water to the downstream
field
Smaller flood do not reach tail end Individual off take allowed for more
plots flexibility and possibility of irrigation
downstream.
Agricultural Land Drainage
Drainage is the removal of excess surface and
subsurface water from the land to enhance crop
growth, including the removal of dissolved salts
from the soil.
Need for land drainage
Ponding: excess accumulation of water on the land
surface: When irrigation or rainfall occurs for a longer
time at intensity higher than the infiltration rate of the
soil.
Waterlogging: results due to rising groundwater table to
the root-zone. It is the accumulation of excess water in
the root-zone of the crops.
Salinization: accumulation of soluble salts at the
surface, or at some point below the soil surface of the
soil profile, to levels at which they have negative effects
on plant growth and soils.
Components of drainage systems
1) The field drainage system.
2) The main drainage system
3) The outlet
Components of drainage systems
The field drainage system.
Is network that gathering the excess water from
the land by the mean of field drainage.
Surface drainage system: is a system of
drainage measures meant to divert excess
surface water away from an agricultural area in
order to prevent ponding.
Sub-surface drainage system: A subsurface
drainage system is a system for the removal of
excess water and salts from the soil using the
groundwater as a vehicle.
Cont…d
Combined drainage systems: Sometimes
combined surface and subsurface drainage
systems are used based on the hydrological
conditions of the area.
Tube-well drainage systems: used to control
the water table using tube wells, however,
better use is made of the more permeable
deeper soil layers
The main drainage system
the main drainage system is a water
conveyance system that receives water from
the field drainage systems, surface runoff, and
groundwater flow, and transports it to the
outlet point.
The main drainage system consists of
collector drains and a main drain
The outlet
The outlet : is the terminal point of the entire
drainage system, from where it discharges into
a river, lake, or sea.
The outlet can be a
Gravity outlet structure or
Pumping station. A pumping station is needed
in areas where the required water levels in the
drainage system are lower than the water level
of the river, lake or sea.
