AGRON-222 Water Management New Syllabus 6th Dean’s

Objective

1. To study the fundamental concept about scientific management of irrigation water to achieve higher water productivity.
2. This course is aimed at acquainting the students about the fundamental principles of water
   management along with various irrigation practices at the field level.

Theory

Introduction – definitions, objectives of irrigation and water management, importance of irrigation water, terminologies used in water management and irrigation. History of irrigation in India. Water resources – distribution of water resources, rainfall, reservoirs and tanks, underground water resources, irrigated area in India and Karnataka under the tanks, reservoirs and wells and hydrological cycle. Exploitation of Water Resources – dams, canals, underground, lift irrigation and wastewater use systems. Soil water relations – physical nature and characteristics of soil – adhesion, cohesion, capillarity, porosity, bulk density and particle density; effective root zone depth; nature of soil water – hygroscopic, capillary and gravitational water, soil moisture constants, infiltration, expression of soil moisture, soil moisture tension and potentials, expression of soil moisture and their mutual relations, hysteresis, hydro dynamics, assessment of soil moisture by directs methods – gravimetric, volumetric, rapid moisture meter and sulphuric acid method; Indirect methods – tensiometer, gypsum block/ resistance block meter and neutron moisture meter. Plant Water Relations – importance of water in plants, critical stages, effects of excess and deficit moisture on plant growth and water availability and nutrient uptake. Assessment of Water Requirement (WR) – components and components of water requirement- water supplied and water demand, factors influencing water requirement, methods to estimate water requirement – lysimeter, Estimation of ET losses, soil moisture depletion, field experimentation technique, water balance method, drum culture technique, expressions of water requirement. Methods of irrigation – classification, principles, suitability, advantages and disadvantages of surface irrigation methods – flooding, border strip, check basin, ridges and furrow and subsurface irrigation methods. Sprinkler
irrigation method – types of sprinkler irrigation, components, advantages and disadvantages, water
distribution pattern and wetting area based on wind speed. Drip irrigation method- differences between
sprinkler and drip irrigation methods, types of drip irrigation, components, advantages and
disadvantages, water distribution pattern, pitcher irrigation, cab legation, fertigation and suitability of
irrigation methods. Irrigation efficiency – conveyance, application of water, storage of water in soil
profile, distribution of water, Water Use Efficiency (WUE) – types and methods to improve WUE.
Assessment of Irrigation Requirement (IR) – meaning, net irrigation requirement, gross irrigation
requirement and relationship between IR and WR. Quantitative estimation of irrigation water – units of
water measurement – direct methods – volume time relation, velocity area, tracer method, current meter,
coordinate method. Indirect methods – weirs, orifices and parshall flume, duty of water. Suitability of
land water for irrigation – Suitability of land – Physical assessment: texture, water holding capacity, non-capillary pores and permeability, degree of slope, direction of slope, depth of water table. Chemical assessment: soluble salt content, exchangeable sodium, pH. Quality of irrigation water – total soluble salts, sodium adsorption ratio; effects of poor quality of water on crop performance, Irrigation management in problematic areas – poorly drained area, saline and alkaline lands. Scheduling of irrigation – definition, approaches to scheduling – Feel and appearance method, plant / crop indices, indicator plants, critical stage approach, soil moisture depletion approach, IW / CPE ratio approach, stress degree day (SDD) concept. Irrigation control structure and water conveyance methods – unlined and lined open channels, pipes, drop structures, check gates, chute spillways, turn outs, flumes and culverts. Irrigation practices for some important crops – paddy, closed and wide spaced crops, plantation and orchard crops and nurseries, suitable irrigation practice for different methods of mulberry cultivation. Drainage – surface and sub-surface methods.

Practical

Soil moisture determination by direct methods. Study and installation of tensiometer. Study and installation of gypsum block resistance moisture meter. Determination of bulk density. Determination of maximum water holding capacity. Determination of field capacity. Determination of permanent wilting point. Determination of infiltration rate. Study of capillarity in soil. Study of methods of water flow measurement. Study and use of weirs and orifices. Study and use of parshall flume. Study of surface and sub-surface irrigation methods. Study of sprinkler irrigation. Study of drip irrigation. Study of water requirement calculation for mulberry. Study of on-farm irrigation structures. Study of drainage structures. Practice of numerical examples and conversions.

Lecture schedule: Theory

1. Introduction – definitions, objectives of irrigation and water management, importance of irrigation water, terminologies used in water management and irrigation. History of irrigation in India. 1
2. Water resources – distribution of water resources, rainfall, reservoirs and tanks, underground water resources, irrigated area in India and Karnataka under the tanks, reservoirs and wells and hydrological cycle. 1
3. Exploitation of Water Resources – dams, canals, underground, lift irrigation and wastewater use systems. 1
4. Soil water relations – physical nature and characteristics of soil – adhesion, cohesion, capillarity, porosity, bulk density and particle density; effective root zone depth; nature of soil water – hygroscopic, capillary and gravitational water, soil moisture constants, infiltration, expression of soil moisture, soil moisture tension and potentials, expression of soil moisture and their mutual relations, hysteresis, hydro dynamics, assessment of soil moisture by directs methods – gravimetric, volumetric, rapid moisture meter and sulphuric acid method; Indirect methods – tensiometer, gypsum block/ resistance block meter and neutron moisture meter. 1
5. Plant Water Relations – importance of water in plants, critical stages, effects of excess and deficit moisture on plant growth and water availability and nutrient uptake. 1
6. Assessment of Water Requirement (WR) – components and components of water requirement – water supplied and water demand, factors influencing water requirement, methods to estimate water requirement – lysimeter, Estimation of ET losses, soil moisture depletion, field experimentation technique, water balance method, drum culture technique, expressions of water requirement. 1
7. Methods of irrigation – classification, principles, suitability, advantages and disadvantages of surface irrigation methods – flooding, border strip, check basin, ridges and furrow and subsurface irrigation methods. 1
8. Sprinkler irrigation method – types of sprinkler irrigation, components, advantages and disadvantages, water distribution pattern and wetting area based on wind speed. 1
9. Drip irrigation method- differences between sprinkler and drip irrigation methods, types of drip irrigation, components, advantages and disadvantages, water distribution pattern, pitcher irrigation, cab legation, fertigation and suitability of irrigation methods. 1
10. Irrigation efficiency – conveyance, application of water, storage of water in soil profile, distribution of water, Water Use Efficiency (WUE) – types and methods to improve WUE. 1
11. Assessment of Irrigation Requirement (IR) – meaning, net irrigation requirement, gross irrigation requirement and relationship between IR and WR. 1
12. Quantitative estimation of irrigation water – units of water measurement – direct methods – volume time relation, velocity area, tracer method, current meter, coordinate method. Indirect methods – weirs, orifices and Parshall flume, duty of water. 1
13. Suitability of land water for irrigation – Suitability of land – Physical assessment: texture, water holding capacity, non-capillary pores and permeability, degree of slope, direction of slope, depth of water table. Chemical assessment: soluble salt content, exchangeable sodium, pH. Quality of irrigation water – total soluble salts, sodium adsorption ratio; effects of poor quality of water on crop performance, Irrigation management in problematic areas – poorly drained area, saline and alkaline lands. 1
14. Scheduling of irrigation – definition, approaches to scheduling – Feel and appearance method, plant/crop indices, indicator plants, critical stage approach, soil moisture depletion approach, IW / CPE ratio approach, stress degree day (SDD) concept. 1
15. Irrigation control structure and water conveyance methods – unlined and lined open channels, pipes, drop structures, check gates, chute spillways, turn outs, flumes and culverts. 1
16. Irrigation practices for some important crops – paddy, closed and wide spaced crops, plantation and orchard crops and nurseries, suitable irrigation practice for different methods of mulberry cultivation. Drainage – surface and sub-surface methods. 1

Lecture schedule: Practical

1. Soil moisture determination by direct methods 1
2. Study and installation of tensiometer 1
3. Study and installation of gypsum block resistance moisture meter 1
4. Determination of bulk density 1
5. Determination of maximum water holding capacity 1
6. Determination of field capacity and permanent wilting point 1
7. Determination of infiltration rate 1
8. Study of capillarity in soil 1
9. Study of methods of water flow measurement 1
10. Study and use of weirs, orifices and parshall flume 1
11. Study of surface and sub-surface irrigation methods 1
12. Study of sprinkler irrigation & drip irrigation 1
13. Study of water requirement calculation for mulberry 1
14. Study of on-farm irrigation structures 1
15. Study of drainage structures 1
16. Practice of numerical examples and conversions 1

Suggested readings

1. Irrigation and Water Management – Mukund Joshi and Prabhakar Setty T.K. 2013, Kalyani
   Publishers.
2. Irrigation Agronomy – Reddy, S.R. 2016, Kalyani Publishers.
3. Irrigation Management – Darra, B.L. and Raghuvanshi, C.S. 1990, M/S Atlantic Publishers
   and
   Distributors.
4. Irrigation Water Management: Principles and Practices – Dilipkumar Mujumdar, 2014, Prentice Hall
   India Learning Private Limited.
5. Irrigation: Theory and Practice – Michael, A.M., 2007, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Limited.
6. Agricultural Water Management – Premjit Sharma, 2008, Daya Publishing House
   .