Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Irrigation Systems Management, Dean Eisenhauer, Derrel L. Martin, Derek M. Heeren, Glenn J. Hoffman

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Management of irrigation systems should be based on the desired objectives or outcomes consistent with economic, energy, environmental, labor, water, and resource constraints. Goals can vary from maximizing profit, producing a contracted yield, optimizing water resource use, maintaining the quality of produce, or assuring an attractive landscape. Managers cannot achieve these goals without considering the performance of the irrigation system. This chapter discusses the basic characteristics of various irrigation systems, defines terms that quantify performance, describes basic requirements all systems must provide, gives a range of attributes for systems, and discusses how water supply requirements are governed by ET and …