Water-Soil Balance Research has shown that irrigation practices must be adapted to the changing soil conditions as growers work to modify soil structure and improve infiltration rates. Blaine Hanson , a UC Davis extension irrigation specialist, presented some of the key principles in improving irrigation efficiency in annual cropping systems. Irrigation efficiency is defined as the beneficial use of water divided by the applied water. A high irrigation efficiency means that losses of water are minimal. In practical terms, the key to high irrigation efficiencies is uniformity of water application, Hanson said.
Uniformity refers to the evenness with which water is applied throughout a field.
Knowing application and infiltration rates for a particular field are essential for obtaining highest efficiencies. The best technology available to growers for determining appropriate application rates is to manually probe the soil to monitor what is happening in the soil profile, Hanson said. Subsurface Drip Irrigation Larry Schwankl , a UC Davis extension irrigation specialist, discussed subsurface drip irrigation in row crop production. A summary of advantages and disadvantages follows. Potential problems with germination and stand establishment for some crops.