This item was digitized as part of the Million Books Project led by Carnegie Mellon University and supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Cornell University coordinated the participation of land-grant and agricultural libraries in providing historical agricultural information for the digitization project; the University of Arizona Libraries, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Office of Arid Lands Studies collaborated in the selection and provision of material for the digitization project.

Surface runoff is one of the most important problems which occur with moving sprinkler irrigation systems: it is particularly severe in centre pivot systems operated at low pressure. The consequences of surface runoff are waste of water, lower irrigation efficiency, soil erosion and removal of fertilizers from the field. An obvious indicator of the potential for runoff to occur during sprinkler irrigation is the appearance of surface ponding. Indeed, results from a stationary "time to ponding" test (using a minimum set of three constant water application rates) carried out on the farm, is commonly used to determine the irrigation rate in moving systems. This practice sometimes leads to the occurrence of runoff under moving systems, particularly centre pivot systems. / The primary aim of the investigation was to explore the phenomenon of soil surface ponding in stationary "time to ponding" tests (using constant water application rate) and in moving sprinkler irrigation systems (using variable water application rate), and to discover the relationship between these two sets of conditions, in order to improve the design and managements of these systems and avoid runoff. / A vital component of the investigation was the development of a laboratory rig which incorporated certain characteristics and properties, including: A special soil test bed containing 355mm depth of a loamy sand soil, together with a system continuously measuring and monitoring soil moisture content. The rig also included heating and suction systems to reduce and establish target soil moisture conditions before each test, and an efficient drainage system. Ponding was identified in 15 circular depressions on the soil surface. A water application simulator capable of being operated in both stationary and moving modes at different speeds, applying different constant and variable irrigation rates to the soil test bed with very small droplets. The nature of the supply closely approximated that of field installations. A continuous water application measurement device capable of measuring instantaneous water application rate and pattern as well as irrigation depth applied to the soil test bed. / Certain parameters, of necessity, were fixed for the investigation: these included the soil, the type of variable application pattern (parabolic), the range of speeds of the moving simulator (10% to 100% of maximum speed which was 345mm/minute) and the range of initial soil moistures (3% up to field capacity). Initial tests were carried out to determine a suitable water application rate: this was set as 103mm/h (average). The main set of tests was carried out using this average application rate under constant ("time to ponding") and variable ("onset of ponding") irrigation conditions at different soil moisture contents. / The main outcome of the research was that the maximum irrigation depth that can be applied by a moving system (variable pattern) without the appearance of ponding for any set value of initial soil moisture, is significantly less than the maximum irrigation depth which must be applied to produce ponding in a stationary system (constant pattern), operated with the same initial soil moisture and same average application rate. Therefore, the results obtained from a “time to ponding” test, if applied directly, overestimate the optimum water application rate and also the maximum irrigation depth which can be applied in moving irrigation systems, if they are to operate efficiently. / A relationship was established between the two sets of outcomes for corresponding soil and water application rate and pattern conditions. The apparatus and the method can be used for further research to discover similar relationships for different soil types and different water application rates and patterns in order to provide a general model. This model can be used to modify the optimum water application rate (obtained directly from stationary "time to ponding" tests) and, also, the maximum irrigation depth (through choice of speed appropriate to the initial soil moisture) in moving sprinkler irrigation systems, particularly in centre pivot systems. / Thesis (PhDCivilEngineering)--University of South Australia, 2005.

Thesis (M. Eng. (Water Resources Engineering)) -- University of Pretoria, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-75)

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Knowledge of water use, through water foot printing (WF) in smallholder agriculture crop production is the key to the global fight against poverty, achievement of food security and sustainability within the world’s rural community. Water footprint of a crop can be defined as the volume of fresh water used to produce a certain crop in all the steps in the production line. This study, therefore aimed at contributing towards improvements in rural livelihoods by raising awareness of the increased productive use of green, blue and grey water in smallholder agriculture in South Africa. This was done through determination of water footprints of five vegetable crops, i.e. potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum), dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), cabbage (Brassica oleracea spp) and spinach (Spinacia oleracea) in the 2000-2013 period. Quantification of water footprints has been done worldwide but, in South Africa (SA) focus has mostly been on the industrial and domestic sector. Water footprint assessment framework, was used to estimate the full impact of vegetable production on water resources at Zanyokwe, Thabina and Tugela Ferry irrigation schemes as case studies. The CROPWAT@ model was used to calculate crop evapotranspiration, differentiating green and blue water. Local climatic data were obtained from SA weather services, while the crop and soil parameters were obtained from the FAO data base. Nitrogen was considered the main pollutant hence its use in the grey water footprint calculation. Generally, Thabina irrigation scheme had the highest water footprint, followed by Tugela Ferry irrigation scheme whilst Zanyokwe irrigation scheme had the lowest. Green beans had the highest water footprint at all the three irrigation schemes with Thabina irrigation scheme having the highest (3535.1 m3/ton). For Tugela Ferry irrigation scheme, the calculated WF was 2753 m3/ton whilst the lowest was observed at ZIS i.e. 2407.6 m3/ton. Cabbage had the lowest water footprint. The highest water footprint for growing cabbage was 254.5 m3/ton in TFIS, 223.1 m3/ton in TIS and the lowest was 217.8 m3/ton in ZIS. The differences observed in the WF of a crop at each scheme maybe attributed to the differences management, weather and environmental characteristics, in the three locations. Moreover, the needs for ET are related to soil type and plant growth, and primarily depend on crop development and climatic factors which are closely related to climatic demands. The grey water footprint was calculated using the recommended fertilizer application rates for all the three sites. Green beans had the highest WFgrey i.e. 373 m3/ton and the lowest was cabbage with 37 m3/ton. Potato, spinach and tomatoes had 156 m3/ton, 214 m3/ton and 132 m3/ton, respectively. Grey water footprint in this study was higher as compared to other studies, possibly because of the high rates of nitrogen fertilizers used in the calculations and the low yields farmers get. Compared with estimates from other studies, the water footprints of vegetable production within smallholder irrigation schemes was relatively high. There is therefore, a need to focus on crop management and tillage practices that will help in increasing yield while minimizing water usage.

Mid-southern USA soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] producers are being pushed to increase adoption of conservation tillage systems as a means of increasing the application efficiency of gravity flow irrigation systems. This research was conducted to determine whether the efficiency of furrow-irrigation systems could be manipulated through conservation tillage systems while maintaining soybean productivity and profitability. Three experiments were conducted near Stoneville, MS on a Dubbs silt loam (Fine-silty, mixed, active, thermic Typic Hapludalfs) to determine the effects of reducing tillage and increasing ground cover residues on irrigation application efficiency, irrigation water use efficiency, soybean grain yield, and net returns above specified costs. In experiment 1, transitioning from conventional tillage to a conservation tillage system had no adverse effect on irrigation application efficiency, irrigation water use efficiency, soybean grain yield, or net returns above specified costs when subsoiling was included. For experiment 2, replacing subsoiling with a cereal rye or tillage radish cover crop in a conservation tillage system either had no effect or reduced irrigation application efficiency, irrigation water use efficiency, soybean grain yield, and net returns above specified costs up to 41%. In experiment 3, independent of cover crop, reducing tillage to only furrow creation had no adverse effect on irrigation application efficiency, irrigation water use efficiency, soybean grain yield, and net returns above specified costs relative to a conservation tillage system with subsoiling. Conservation tillage systems that include subsoiling maximize irrigation application efficiency and irrigation water use efficiency while minimizing adverse effects on yield and net returns relative to conservation tillage systems that further reduce tillage and/or increase ground coverage with cover crops. Our data indicate that soybean producers in the mid-southern USA maximize furrow-irrigation functionality, yield, and profitability while minimizing risk by transitioning from a conventional tillage system to a conservation tillage system with subsoiling.

A zero inertia mathematical model as described by Strelkoff and Katopodes (1977b) was used to simulate irrigations in blocked-end or ponded sloping borders. The model is based on the assumption that inertia is negligible. A linearization method was then used to decrease the difficulty and expense of the solution. The resulting mathematical expressions were solved with a double sweep technique. Border irrigations were simulated, using the model, for selected intake families (soil infiltration characteristics), required depths of infiltration, discharge rates, lengths, times of application, slopes, and roughness values. The output from the model, including the depth of infiltration, the maximum depth of flow at the upper end of the border, the maximum depth of ponding at the downstream end and the application efficiency, was used to develop the design charts for ponded sloping irrigation borders. These were combined with the operational input parameters to provide the design charts for a given intake family, slope and roughness. Since the same input parameters apply, the design charts developed can be used for ponded or free outflow borders. In cases of free outflow borders, ponding is replaced by runoff. Ponding can improve application efficiency over free outflow borders, provided that ponding affects a significant length of the border. Where runoff can not be reused, ponding or end-blocking a border strip is recommended. The maximum potential application efficiencies, on ponded borders, with adequate irrigation and minimum deep percolation were determined, with respect to intake family, required depth of infiltration, slope, roughness and length of run. A sensitivity analyses to evaluate the effect of infiltration showed that it is better to underestimate than to overestimate infiltration. The effects of roughness and slope on irrigation efficiencies and depth of ponding were also studied. A comparison of the Soil Conservation Service method for extended length, with blocked-end borders, and the maximum application efficiencies computed showed the SCS method to be satisfactory, provided that there is runoff adequate to irrigate the length extended.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

This item was digitized as part of the Million Books Project led by Carnegie Mellon University and supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Cornell University coordinated the participation of land-grant and agricultural libraries in providing historical agricultural information for the digitization project; the University of Arizona Libraries, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Office of Arid Lands Studies collaborated in the selection and provision of material for the digitization project.

This item was digitized as part of the Million Books Project led by Carnegie Mellon University and supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Cornell University coordinated the participation of land-grant and agricultural libraries in providing historical agricultural information for the digitization project; the University of Arizona Libraries, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Office of Arid Lands Studies collaborated in the selection and provision of material for the digitization project.