IRRIGATION

ENGINEERING

Course Instructor: Arif Asghar Gopang

Example 04: After how many days will you supply water to
soil in order to ensure sufficient irrigation of the given crop,
if
I. Field capacity of the soil = 28%
II. Permanent Wilting Point = 13%

III. Dry Density of soil = 1.3 gm/c.c

IV. Effective depth of root zone = 70 cm

V. Daily Consumptive use of water for the given crop = 12

mm.

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Solution:

Available water = Field capacity – Permanent wilting point

= 28 – 13
= 15%
Readily available water = 0.8 15 = 12%
Optimum moisture = 28 – 12 = 16%
So, the moisture is needed to be filled between 16% and
28%
Depth of water root zone = [FC-optimum m.c]

Where = = = = 1.3
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Depth of water root zone = 1.3
= 0.1052 m or 10.52 cm
Hence, water available for evapotranspiration = 10.52 cm
1.2 cm of water is utilized for the consumptive use in 1 day

Therefore, 10.92 cm of water will be utilized by crop in

= days
= 9.1 days
say 9 days

Hence, after 9 days, water should be supplied to the crop.

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Example 04: Compute the depth and frequency of irrigation
required for a certain crop if root zone depth = 100 cm, field
capacity = 22% wilting point = 12%, apparent specific
gravity of soil = 1.5 gm/c.c, consumptive use = 25 mm/day,
and efficiency of irrigation = 50%. Assume 50% depletion
of available moisture before application of irrigation water
at field capacity.

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Solution:

Available water = Field capacity – Permanent wilting point

= 22 – 12
= 10%
Readily available moisture at 50% depletion of available
moisture = 10 50/100
= 5%
Optimum moisture= Field capacity – readily available moisture
= 22 – 5 = 17%

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So, depth of water stored in root zone = [FC-optimum m.c]
= (0.22-0.17) = 7.5 cm

Field irrigation required at 50% efficiency

= 7.5/0.50 = 15 cm

As 2.5 cm of water is utilized for the consumptive use in 1 day

Therefore 15 cm depth will be utilized for the consumptive use

in
= 15/2.5
= 6 days

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THANKS