peer-reviewed research article
Surge vs. continuous-flow irrigation
authors
David A. Goldhamer, University of California
Mohammad H. Alemi, UC Davis
Rebecca C. Phene
publication information
California Agriculture 41(9):29-31. DOI: 10.3733/ca.v041n09p29.
author affiliations
David A. Goldhamer is Irrigation and Soil Specialist, Cooperative Extension, University of California Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier; Mohammad H. Alemi is Visiting Soil and Water Scientist, Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis; Rebecca C. Phene is Staff Research Associate, Cooperative Extension, Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier.
abstract
Not available – first paragraph follows:
A primary goal of good irrigation management is to minimize deep percolation of water (infiltration exceeding the irrigation requirement) while replenishing soil water in the plant root zone along the entire length of the field. Deep percolation losses depend directly on irrigation system performance, which, in turn, depends mainly on how evenly water infiltrates across the field. Furrow and border irrigation, the primary methods used in the drainage problem area of the San Joaquin Valley's West Side, usually have relatively low uniformities because of (1) unequal infiltration opportunity times for water across the field, and (2) spatial variability in soil water transport properties. Properly designed and managed sprinkler and drip irrigation systems, on the other hand, commonly achieve a better uniformity, since the amounts infiltrated depend primarily on application rates and system design rather than on soil infiltration properties.
author notes
The authors thank the following far help in this study: Kater Hake, Kern County Farm Advisor; Christine Peterson, Kern County Research Assistant; and Zeferino Cervantes, Research Assistant. They appreciate the cooperation of growers Gary Wilson, John Diener, and Air-Way Farms, Inc.
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