Department of Civil Engineering

Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology

CE 461
IRRIGATION & FLOOD CONTROL

Sheikh Sharif Ahmed

Lecturer
Department of Civil Engineering
Uniformly distributed soil sample was collected from a
field 2 days after irrigation when the soil moisture was
near FC.
Inside dimensions of core sampler :
diameter 7.5 cm depth 15 cm
Weight :
Cylinder + Moist soil = 2.76 kg
Cylinder + Oven dry soil = 2.61 kg
Core sampling Cylinder alone = 1.56 kg

Calculate available moisture holding capacity of soil

Wt. of moist soil = 2.76-1.56 = 1.20 kg
Wt. of oven dry soil = 2.61-1.56 = 1.05 kg
1.20 − 1.05
𝜃𝑚 = × 100 % = 14.28 %
1.05

𝜋𝑑 2 𝜋
Volume of Core Sampler = × ℎ = × (7.5)2 × 15 = 662.34 𝑐𝑚3
4 4

𝑤𝑡.𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙 1.05×1000

Apparent Sp. Gr.= = = 1.58
𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑘 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑜𝑖𝑙 662.34

Available Moisture Holding Capacity (per meter depth of soil)

𝑑𝑤
= = 𝜃𝑚 𝐴𝑆
𝐷𝑆

= 14.28 × 1.58 = 𝟐𝟐. 𝟔𝟑 𝒄𝒎 𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒐𝒊𝒍

The following data were obtained in determining soil moisture
content at successive depths in root zone prior to irrigation:
Weight of moist sample Weight of Oven dry
Depth of sampling (cm)
(gm) sample (gm)
0-25 134.60 126.82
25-50 136.28 127.95
50-75 122.95 115.32
75-100 110.92 102.64
The bulk density of soil in root zone = 1.50 gm/cm3
Available moisture holding capacity of soil = 17.8 cm per meter depth of soil
Calculate:
i. The moisture contents at different depths in root zone
ii. Moisture available in root zone just before irrigation
iii. Net depth of water to be applied to bring the moisture content to FC
iv. GIR at an estimated Field Irrigation Efficiency of 70%
i. Determination of Moisture Content

Weight of Weight of Moisture Depth of

Depth of
moist sample Oven dry Content by Water, 𝒅𝒘
sampling (cm)
(gm) sample (gm) Weight, 𝜽𝒎 (%) (cm)

0-25 134.60 126.82 6.13 2.30

25-50 136.28 127.95 6.51 2.44
50-75 122.95 115.32 6.62 2.48
75-100 110.92 102.64 8.07 3.03
ii. Moisture Available before Irrigation
Total Moisture Content in Root Zone = (2.30 + 2.44 +
2.48 + 3.03) = 10.25 cm

iii. Net Depth of Water to be applied (i.e. NIR)

(17.80 – 10.25) = 7.55 cm

iv. Gross Depth of Water to be applied (i.e. GIR)

𝑁𝐼𝑅 7.55
= = 10.80 cm
𝐸𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑦 0.70
A sandy loam soil holds water at 140 mm/m depth between FC & PWP
Root depth of crop = 30 cm
Allowable depletion of water = 35 %
Daily water use by the crop = 5 mm/day
The area to be irrigated = 60 hector
Water can be diverted @ 28 LPS (liter per second)
Surface irrigation application efficiency = 40 %
Assume no rainfall & groundwater contribution

Calculate:
i. Allowable depletion depth between irrigation
ii. Frequency of irrigation
iii. Net application depth of water (NIR)
iv. Field Irrigation requirement (FIR)
v. Volume of water required
vi. Time to irrigate 4 hector plot
Water holding capacity = 140 mm/m of depth
Depth of root zone = 0.30 m
Available water = (1.40 Χ 0.30) = 4.20 cm
Management Allowable Depletion (MAD) = 35 %

i. Allowable depletion depth between irrigation

= (0.35 Χ 4.20 = 1.47 cm

ii. Frequency of irrigation

Available moisture 1.47

= = = 𝟐. 𝟗𝟒 ≈ 𝟑 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔
Consumptive use 0.50
iii. Net application depth of water (NIR)

3 Χ 0.50 = 1.50 cm

iv. Field application depth of water (FIR)

NIR 1.50
FIR = = = 𝟑. 𝟕𝟓 𝒄𝒎
Efficiency 0.40

v. Volume of water required

0.0375 × 60 × 10000 = 𝟐𝟐𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝒎𝟑

vi. Time to irrigate 4 hector plot

Volume of water required to irrigate 4 hector plot

4
= × 22500 = 1500 𝑚3
60

Time required to irrigate 1500 𝑚3 @ 28 LPS

1500
= = 53572 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑑 = 14.88 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 = 𝟏𝟒 𝒉𝒓 𝟓𝟑 𝒎𝒊𝒏
28×10−3
 The depth of penetration along the length of a border strip at
points 30 m apart were probed. The observed values are 2.0, 1.9,
1.8, 1.6 and 1.5 m

Calculate:
Water Distribution Efficiency
 Water Distribution Efficiency
y
Ed = 1 − × 100 %
d
2 + 1.9 + 1.8 + 1.6 + 1.5
d = average depth = = 1.76 m
5

Obs. Depth of water (m) Deviations from d Absolute deviation Average, y

1 2 0.24 0.24
2 1.9 0.14 0.14
3 1.8 0.04 0.04 0.168
4 1.6 -0.16 0.16
5 1.5 -0.26 0.26

0.168
Ed = 1 − × 100 % = 𝟗𝟎. 𝟒𝟓 %
1.76