IMPROVED SURFACE IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Transcription

1 Cooperation Project RATIONALIZATION OF RAS EL AIN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS ITALIAN REPUBLIC Ministry of Foreign Affairs SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC Ministry of Irrigation Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform IMPROVED SURFACE IRRIGATION SYSTEM CIHEAM - MAIB PROJECT HEADQUARTERS: P.O.Box.273, St.Almuhandisin Al Jahez 1, N.141, Al Hassakeh Syria Phone/Fax: ; iamb_syria@yahoo.com; cavestro@iamb.it

2 The Improved Surface Irrigation System It was set upped for the first time in Syria on May 2005 by the project s staff with the contribution of international experts. The philosophy of this system follow three important steeps: Easy to use by the farmers Flexibility and adaptability for all crops Low cost to set up and to manage the system Adaptability The system hasn t any problems of adaptability, it can work easily in each field where normally is used the traditional irrigation system. The slope and the leveling of the soil it is not a problem for this system; of course if the slope and the level of the soil are regular it will work better. Advantages of the system The Improved Surface Irrigation System has many advantages in comparison with the other irrigation systems: 1. It is very easy to set up in the field; 2. The system works with the same setting (engine and pump) that you use for the traditional irrigation system; 3. The water runs with very low pressure and the pipes can be very light; 4. The system requires less time than the traditional irrigation; 5. You will use less fuel and less water than the traditional irrigation system and the distribution is more uniform; 6. The irrigation activities are more easy because you have only to check the water; 7. You can use this system with any kind of water and with any kind of crops; 8. The cost to install the system is cheaper than the sprinkler and drip irrigation systems.

3 Scheme of the Improved Surface Irrigation System This system can be used both for small than for big farms; You can use your pump - diesel or electrical - without any modifications; The water pass from the pump to your fields trough a underground net (1 meter deep) with a low pressure; The net can be in PVC or PE pipes with big diameter ( mm) and low resistance to pressure; It is recommended to set up a flow meter and a valve in the main line of the network; The flow meter is very important to know exactly the amount of water that you use to irrigate; The water goes on the field from the net trough the hydrants; According with the slope of your field you can set up an hydrant every meters From the hydrants the water pass into the branch lines to be distributed in each furrow. The branch lines are movable and can be made in PVC or in PE with diameter of mm and low resistance to the pressure; These have a valve each furrow to regulate the water discharge; Each meters there are a connection to move easily and fast the branch line.

4 How the Improved Surface Irrigation System works In the field: The branch line is provided with a plastic valve for each furrow which can regulate the discharge; usually the discharge can be from 0.3 to 0.7 liters per second, according with the slope of your field and the length of your furrows. To regulate the number of valves to open, you can process as follow: 3 Check how many m of water pass trough the flow meter in ten minutes. Then divide this number for 0.3 and you will have the number of valves that you can open. Eg.: you read 20 m3 of water in ten minutes, 20 / 0.3 = 66; In this case you have to open 66 valves, to have a discharge of 0.5 liter per second per furrow Usually the branch line length is from 50 to 100 meters. It can be made by PVC or PE with low resistance to the pressure, and it is divided in several pieces long meters connected with each others by fast connections. In this way, after finishing the irrigation you can move the branch line in another field or you can take out it from the field to permit the mechanical operations.

5 How much costs the Improved Surface Irrigation System Cost per Hectare in SP according with the surface 80,000 73,700 70,000 60,000 55,945 50,000 44,220 40,803 40,000 SP 37,654 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Hectares Yearly cost in SP per Hectare according with the total irrigated surface 16 Yearly fixed cost Yearly Flexible cost The low cost of the Improved Surface Irrigation System permit a cash return of the investment in short time. Also the annual costs are very cheap. Usually the costs decrease according with the surface: more surface, less costs per hectare. 14,000 12,000 10,000 SP 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 Hectares 1 The cost to set up the Improved Surface Irrigation System can be variable, according with the irrigated surface. More will be the irrigated surface, less are the costs per hectare. Of course the cost can change depending of the shape of your fields. Generally, one hectare of improved irrigation system can cost from 37,000 to 74,000 Syrian Pounds including the cost of the flow meter The yearly total cost to irrigate one hectare of wheat, can be from 8,000 to 12,000 of Syrian Pounds. The mentioned costs included as follow: Financial amortization, interest on capital, maintenance, energy costs and irrigation manpower. The Improved Surface irrigation System permit to save as follow: Water of irrigation - from 30 to 40% of the water normally used with the traditional system. Energy for the pump - from 30 to 40% of the energy normally used with the traditional system. Time of irrigation - from 50 to 60% of the time normally used in the traditional system The Improved Surface Irrigation System permit a good uniformity and efficiency of irrigation. With this kind of irrigation the yield of the crops are higher than the yield obtainable with the traditional irrigation system Production 2006 in Experimental Farm Tons per Hectare Improved irrigation Traditional irrigation a /H s3 n o T Wheat Cotton

6 Cooperation Project RATIONALIZATION OF RAS EL AIN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS PROJECT AREA: RAS EL AIN AL HASSAKEH GOVERNORATE SYRIA PROJECT HEADQUARTERS: P.O.Box.273, St.Almuhandisin Al Jahez 1, N.141, Al Hassakeh Syria Phone/Fax: ; LOCAL CONTACT: Dr. Luigi Cavestro Project Manager