Well water should contain less than I ppm boron and have a sodium absorption ratio below 8 for use as irrigation water. Total salinity should be less than 1,200 ppm. Yield reductions of about 10 percent occur with prolonged use of 1,500 ppm water, perhaps as much as 25 percent at salinity levels of 2,000 ppm. Irrigation Systems-Gravity Flow Conventional flood irrigation is the primary system used in Texas citrus production. Good irrigation efficiency with minimal labor requirement is possible if the system is properly designed and installed prior to orchard planting.
Proper design includes land leveling to the appropriate grade and an adequate delivery system.
Mature citrus under flood irrigation. Soil permeability affects the length and width of irrigation runs, as well as the necessary grade to assure even distribution of water across the orchard. Assistance in land leveling and design and installation of irrigation systems may be obtained from the Soil Conservation Service. Water delivery to the head of each irrigation pan can be accomplished by an open ditch or an underground pipeline with turn-out valves. Generally, the open-ditch system is used in conjunction with temporary borders and mechanical weed control, where the ditch and borders are put up for each irrigation and removed for subsequent weed control operations.