Irrigation

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Irrigation is when people add water to plants, to help them grow when there is not enough rain.

Irrigation water can be pumped from rivers, lakes or wells or allowed to flow to the fields by the force of gravity along pipes or open canals.

Irrigation water can be applied to the plants from above by sprinklers that throw water out under pressure, or from watering cans.

Surface methods allow water to flow onto the soil surface from canals or pipes. Traditional methods allow water to flow over the entire surface of the field but drip irrigation allows water to be directed to the roots of each individual plant and much less water is lost by infiltration to the ground.

Sub-surface irrigation raises the water table artificially so that it can be accessed by the roots of the crop and less water is lost to evaporation.

Irrigation can increase the crop yield or make it possible for a crop to grow in a dry period. The technology is usually expensive and care should be taken to ensure that the benefits from increased crop yields are not exceeded by the installation and operating costs of the irrigation scheme.

Irrigation causes a subsequent rise in watertables which raises saline water to the surface. This saline water can accumulate to the extent where the salinity is too high for aquatic life and vegetation to survive in.

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