Irrigation Methods

furrow irrigation What is it? advantage disadvantage

involves cutting furrows between crop rows and filling them with water. advantage -This system is inexpensive, disadvantage - about 1/3 of the water is lost to evaporation and runoff.

flood irrigation what is it? disadvantage

involves flooding an agricultural field with water. disadvantage -This system sees about 20% of the water lost to evaporation and runoff. This can also lead to waterlogging of the soil.

Salinization of soil

occurs when the salts in groundwater remain in the soil after the water evaporates. Over time, salinization can make soil toxic to plants

drip irrigation What is it? advantage disadvantage

the practice of using small pipes that slowly drip water just above ground to conserve water to use for crops advantage -This system is the most efficient, with only about 5% of water lost to evaporation and runoff. disadvantage - this system is expensive and so is not often used.

groundwater

water held underground in the soil or in pores and crevices in rock.

What percentage of freshwater is used for irrigation

70%

waterlogging

A form of soil degradation that occurs when soil remains under water for prolonged periods.

irrigation

A way of supplying water to an area of land

What are the 4 types of irrigation methods?

Types of irrigation include 1 - drip irrigation 2 - flood irrigation 3 - furrow irrigation 4 - spray irrigation.

cost-benefit analysis

a study that compares the costs and benefits to society of providing a public good

Evaporation

The change of a substance from a liquid to a gas this is for water

impact of irrigation on aquifers

Aquifers can be severely depleted if overused for agricultural irrigation, as has happened to the Ogallala Aquifer in the central United States.

spray irrigation what is it advantage disadvantage

Spray irrigation involves pumping ground water into spray nozzles across an agricultural field. advantage - This system is more efficient than flood and furrow irrigation, with only 1/4 or less of the water lost to evaporation or runoff. disadvantage - However, spray systems are more expensive than flood and furrow irrigation, and also requires energy to run

aquifers

Subterranean, porous, water-holding rocks that provide millions of wells with steady flows of water.