Scenario Studies on Effects of Soil Infiltration Rates, Land Slope, and Furrow Irrigation Characteristics on Furrow Irrigation-Induced Erosion.

Jibrin M Dibal,H E Igbadun,A A Ramalan,O J Mudiare

doi:10.1155/2014/942732

Jibrin M Dibal, H E Igbadun + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/942732

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Abstract

Furrow irrigation proceeds under several soil-water-furrow hydraulics interaction dynamics. The soil erosion consequences from such interactions in furrow irrigation in Samaru had remained uncertain. A furrow irrigation-induced erosion (FIIE) model was used to simulate the potential severity of soil erosion in irrigated furrows due to interactive effects of infiltration rates, land slope, and some furrow irrigation characteristics under different scenarios. The furrow irrigation characteristics considered were furrow lengths, widths, and stream sizes. The model itself was developed using the dimensional analysis approach. The scenarios studied were the interactive effects of furrow lengths, furrow widths, and slopes steepness; infiltration rates and furrow lengths; and stream sizes, furrow lengths, and slopes steepness on potential furrow irrigation-induced erosion, respectively. The severity of FIIE was found to relate somewhat linearly with slope and stream size, and inversely with furrow lengths and furrow width. The worst soil erosion (378.05 t/ha/yr) was found as a result of the interactive effects of 0.65 m furrow width, 50 m furrow length, and 0.25% slope steepness; and the least soil erosion (0.013 t/ha/yr) was induced by the combined effects of 0.5 l/s, 200 m furrow length, and 0.05% slope steepness. Evidently considering longer furrows in furrow irrigation designs would be a better alternative of averting excessive FIIE.

Highlights

The use of mathematical models and computer simulations in engineering, hydrology, and various fields in the process of decision making is progressively gaining more acceptances [1]
Models allow the decision-maker to combine information from various sources and, in some cases, to extrapolate findings beyond the trial period [1]. They can be employed in the identification of promising technologies and reduce the time and expense of field experiments by focusing resources on these most promising technologies [3]
This study aims at exploring the potential interactive effects of soil infiltration rates, slope steepness, and furrow irrigation characteristics on furrow irrigation-induced erosion in a semiarid region using a FIIE model

Summary

Introduction

The use of mathematical models and computer simulations in engineering, hydrology, and various fields in the process of decision making is progressively gaining more acceptances [1]. Models allow the decision-maker to combine information from various sources and, in some cases, to extrapolate findings beyond the trial period [1]. They can be employed in the identification of promising technologies and reduce the time and expense of field experiments by focusing resources on these most promising technologies [3]. One of the drawbacks of furrow irrigation is the soil erosion that it occasions. Sojka et al [7] reported 75% of Idaho furrow-irrigated fields lost their entire “A” horizon in the upper reaches together with a 2- to 4-fold increase in “topsoil” at the lower ends, reducing productivity by 25% over preerosion values and reducing yields by 20–50% in areas where top soil has been lost. Furrow irrigation-induced erosion (FIIE) has become one of the major factors limiting factors to sustainable irrigated crop production in Samaru

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