cmutsvangwa irrigation systems design: dept. of civil and water eng.

, nust, 20/04/200715:12:02

Chapter 7

Furrow irrigation
These are small evenly, shallow channels which are installed down or across the
slope of the field to be irrigated. They are parabolic or trapezoidal in shape with
a side slope of 1: 1 to 2. Water is turned in at the high end and conveyed in
small channels to the vicinity of plants or on bends between the channels.
Wetting is done only on a part of the field. Crops are grown in rows and the
water just flows through the furrow or small ditches. Inside of the field or main
ditch, small openings are made and through the openings water flow into one or
more furrows (Fig. 2). Small adjustable gates may be provided to control the
supply of water from the field ditch to the furrows. They are suitable to:

• most crops except rice which is ponded

• Suitable to medium to moderately fine textured soils of also to soils with a
relatively high holding moisture capacity (fine textured soils).

A typical cross-section of a furrow is shown in Fig. 1(a) and Fig. 1(b).

Design parameters

• Length of furrow 800m for field crops and 30m for gardens
• Spacing of furrow 1-2m apart
• Depth of furrow 20-30cm
• Slope of furrow 0.002 to 0.01

67
Or S max =
(P30 )1.30
Where: P30 =30 minute rainfall in mm on a 2 yr frequency

Advantages
• moderate to high application efficiency
• different crops can be grown in a sequence without major changes in the
design layout
• initial capital investment low
• suitable for soils which form crust, because water moves laterally under
the surface

Limitations
• erosion is hazardous on steep slopes
• labor requirements for maintenance of furrows
• lateral spread of water may not be adequate to wet entire soil in coarse
textures soils
• land leveling required to obtain uniform furrows

Chapter 7 Furrow irrigation

cmutsvangwa irrigation systems design: dept. of civil and water eng., nust, 20/04/200715:12:02

h=100-
150mm

60mm

Fig. 1 Typical cross-section of furrow

Main ditch

Plants Plants Plants

Furrows

Fig.2 A profile of furrow irrigation

Chapter 7 Furrow irrigation

cmutsvangwa irrigation systems design: dept. of civil and water eng., nust, 20/04/200715:12:02

Design equations

Maximum velocities for different soil types:

vmax =0.15m/s for erosive soils
vmax =0.18m/s for less erosive soils
n =0.04

Average intake over the length of the furrow is given by:

iavg =
1
(Vin − Vout − Vs )
LP

Where: I =equivalent depth infiltrated over the wetted surface

area
of feld, mm
L =length of channel, m
P =adjusted wetted perimeter, m
Vm =inflow volume. litres
Vout =outflow volume, litres
Vs =volume of warer in storage, litres

The wettes perimeter is adjusted to increase by an empirical constant to account

for horizontal intake and P<W=furrow spacing
0.425
⎡ Qn ⎤
P = 0.265⎢ 0.5 ⎥ + 0.227 , m
⎣S ⎦

Where: S =ground slope

Q =inflow into the furrow. l/s
n ≅ 0.04 for furrows

L ⎡ ⎤
0.735
⎛ Qn ⎞
Vs = ⎢2.947⎜ 0.5 ⎟ − 0.0217⎥
0.305 ⎢⎣ ⎝S ⎠ ⎥⎦

The required infiltration depth must be expressed as an equivalent depth over

the total field area in the furrow system and is given as

[
i = a(t ) + c
b
]WP , mm (derived from i = a(t ) + c )
b

Where: W =furrow spacing, m

Advance time for stream water moving down the furrow is given by:

x ⎡ gx ⎤
Tt = exp ⎢ 0.5 ⎥ , min
f ⎣ QS ⎦

Chapter 7 Furrow irrigation

cmutsvangwa irrigation systems design: dept. of civil and water eng., nust, 20/04/200715:12:02

Where: x =distance down the furrow, m

f, g =advance coefficients

gx
β=
QS 0.5

The infiltration opportunity time (time water is available for infiltration), Tn is

given as:

Tn = TCO − Tt + Tr , min
Time to cut-off, Tco should be adequate to infiltrate a satisfactory depth of water
over the length of the furrow without causing excessive deep percolation.

TCO = Tt + Tn − Trl , min

Which is the time to advance to the end of the furrow minus required infiltration
time less recession time. The recession lag time, Trl =0 for open-ended gradient
furrows and therefore the above equation becomes:

TCO = Tt + Tn

The net infiltration opportunity time, Tn is given as:

1
⎡ ⎛W ⎞ ⎤ b

⎢ in ⎜ P ⎟ − C ⎥
Tn = ⎢ ⎝ ⎠ ⎥ , min
⎢ a ⎥
⎢ ⎥
⎣ ⎦

The average infiltration opportunity time over distance x down the furrow is given
by:

TO − x = TCO −
0.0929
[(β − 1) exp(β ) + 1]
⎡ 0.305(β ) ⎤
2

f ( x )⎢ ⎥⎦
⎣ x

For the entire furrow:

T0− x = T0− L ; and x=L in the above equation

iavg is determined by substituting in the above equation T0-L for t

[
iavg = a(T0− L ) + c
b
]WP

Chapter 7 Furrow irrigation

cmutsvangwa irrigation systems design: dept. of civil and water eng., nust, 20/04/200715:12:02

Gross depth of application ig is given as:

⎛ ⎞
⎜ i ⎟
ig = ⎜ n ⎟
⎜ ed ea ⎟
⎜ × ⎟
⎝ 100 100 ⎠

⎛ ⎞
⎜ i ⎟
If ea = 100%, then: i g = ⎜ n ⎟
⎜ ed ⎟
⎜ ⎟
⎝ 100 ⎠

The gross application depth is a function of field geometry

60QTCO
ig =
WL

Due to excessive design application, there will be some surface runoff losses
and deep percolation losses. Losses due to surface runoff depth, dro are given
as:

d ro = i g − iavg

The losses due to deep percolations are given as:

d p = i avg − i n

i.e

i g − in = d p + d ro

losses losses

in
Distribution pattern efficiency = ed = 100 ,%
ig

Furrows with cut-back systems

Once the water reaches the end of the furrow, the stream size at the head of the
furrow is reduced. The Tcut back will be equal to the advance time, Tt and this
optional to the designer.

Tcut −back = Tt

QCB = Q
2

Chapter 7 Furrow irrigation

cmutsvangwa irrigation systems design: dept. of civil and water eng., nust, 20/04/200715:12:02

The average infiltration opportunity time, Tavg:

Tavg =
0.0929
2
[(β − 1) exp(β ) + 1]
⎡ 0.305 ⎤
fxL ⎢
⎣ L ⎥⎦

Average depth of infiltration:

[
iavg = a (TCO − Tavg ) + c
b
]P W
cut −back
[(
+ a (Tavg ) + c
b
)] P W− P
1 2

ig =
60
[Q(Tt ) + QCB (Tn )]
WL

0.425
⎡Q ⎤
⎢ 2 n⎥
PCB = 0.265⎢ 0.5 ⎥ + 0.227
⎢S ⎥
⎢⎣ ⎥⎦

References

1. Cuenca R., (1989), Irrigation Systems Design: An Engineering approach.

Prentice Hall. USA.
2. Jensen M.E., (1980), Design and Operation of Farm Irrigation Systems,
American Society of Irrigation Engineers, USA

Chapter 7 Furrow irrigation