Farm irrigation is an important part of the U.S. economy. In 2013, there were roughly 229,237 farms with over 55.3 million acres of irrigated land. With the proper use of farm irrigation, American farmers can keep up with the significant demand that agricultural production goes with.
There are a few different categories of agricultural irrigation — here are the four main systems:
Sprinkler irrigation is great for the large agricultural property. Farmland is rarely ever completely flat, so it’s important that the sprinkler irrigation system can adjust to any size, shape, or slope of the land to properly provide the necessary amount of water.
There are sprinkler center pivots that have mechanical movements to optimize the irrigation. These sprinkler systems are installed along the irrigation equipment and suspended from the hose drops. They are usually secured above the top of the land or crop but can also rest directly on the surface of the ground.
Another popular form of farm irrigation is the drip method. This process uses smaller typing with emitters so the water can go directly to the crop’s root. This is great for much smaller areas of land because of its precision. The emitters used for this irrigation system can be installed directly into the tube by hand in order to accurately water a tree or crop’s root zone. Drip systems are either installed underground in order to preserve the tubing or installed above ground.
There are two types of flood irrigation: furrow and graded border.
With furrow irrigation, water is sent down sloped furrows for the most uniform application. PVC piping supplies the furrows with the water and there are openings at each trench. In some circumstances, a thin wall of PVC piping is used to direct water from each furrow as well.
Graded border deals with narrow strips of land that are raised up on each side. Depending on the length of the property the slope is adjusted and water is supplied from an underground pipeline with a valve.
When dealing with irrigation, it’s important to follow safety precautions and work with all the right agricultural irrigation equipment. For help with agricultural equipment parts, grain storage, or any irrigation assistance, contact Woofter today.