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Title: FARMER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR LEVEL BASINS USING ADVANCE DISTANCE CRITERIA

Author
item CLYMA, W - CSU, FT. COLLINS, CO
item Clemmens, Albert

Submitted to: Decennial National Irrigation Symposium
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/16/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The irrigation community is often criticized for not using water efficiently. There is often a misconception that the only way to improve irrigation efficiency is to convert to pressurized irrigation. However, with proper design and management, surface irrigation systems can perform well. One surface irrigation method, level-basin irrigation, has been shown nto be capable of high irrigation efficiencies. It has also been demonstrated to reduce labor costs and increase yields over more traditional surface irrigation methods. This paper reviews design procedures and recommends field design based on operating criteria. Such criteria have greater farmer acceptance and lead to higher irrigation efficiencies. The paper should be of interest to agriculturalists, consulting engineers, irrigation designers, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and others. Ultimately more appropriate irrigation methods will conserve water and benefit the environment.

Technical Abstract: Farm water management, particularly the application of water to fields, urgently needs improvement around the world. Traditional design approaches often do not adequately consider farmers' management practices. Advance distance design criteria for managing level basins use farmer management criteria. Advance distance designs provide appropriate application amounts, even without water measurement, when flow rates fluctuate widely, and when Manning n values and infiltration rates differ significantly from design values. These designs also compensate for changes in depth when soil-water depletion differs from the target level. This improved design approach provides a basis for improving farmers' water management practices for level basins. Design alternatives include completion-of-advance, partial completion of advance, and individual event and seasonal management strategies. Precision land-leveling is essential for high performance of level basins.