12.1: Introduction
- Page ID
- 44640
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Sprinkler devices were invented at the end of the nineteenth century with over seventeen patents issued before 1890 (Morgan, 1993). Since then, sprinkler irrigation has become widespread. It is used around the world on many types of crops and soils. Water is delivered through pipes under pressure directly to the application location, thereby minimizing field conveyance losses while supplying crops on undulating terrain and/or highly permeable soils. Sprinkler systems can be efficient when properly designed and managed. Success depends on understanding characteristics and capabilities while operating within resource and management limitations. What questions should be asked to determine operator goals and restrictions? How should the irrigation system be configured to efficiently meet crop needs while satisfying constraints? What management plan would be most effective? How should you monitor the system to evaluate performance? Concepts presented in this chapter will allow you to address these issues.
The USDA-NASS (2018) lists the seven types of sprinkler irrigation systems shown in Table 12.1. Survey results show that center-pivot irrigation systems represent approximately 85% of the sprinkler irrigated land in the U.S. in 2017. Linear-move irrigation systems are mechanized systems with characteristics much like center pivots, yet only represent approximately 1% of the irrigated land. The remaining five types of irrigation systems constitute approximately 14% of the sprinkler irrigated land in the United States. While that area is much smaller than for center pivots, it still is significant. The USDA-NASS database includes the number of farms that employed the types of systems. The acres irrigated per farm for center pivots is much larger than other types of sprinkler irrigation. The extent of periodically moved systems for the ten states with the most area is listed in Table 12.2. Most of the area for side-roll and hand-move systems is in the states in or west of the Rocky Mountains. Solid-set systems are used in some states east of the Rocky Mountains, yet California, Washington and Oregon dominate. Big gun systems are more uniformly distributed across the country.
| Type of Sprinkler System | Number of Farms | Total Area (acres) | Acres per Farm | Percent of Sprinkler Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Center Pivot | 49,923 | 26,800,613 | 537 | 85% |
| Side Roll | 16,130 | 1,788,443 | 109 | 6% |
| Solid Set | 18,216 | 1,206,860 | 66 | 4% |
| Traveler | 7,518 | 596,059 | 79 | 2% |
| Linear Move | 3,669 | 469,408 | 122 | 1% |
| Other | 8,673 | 401,318 | 46 | 1% |
| Hand Move | 22,266 | 394,194 | 17 | 1% |
| Total 126,395 31,656,895 100% | ||||
These data represent irrigation development in the United States. Periodically moved systems are significant internationally, especially in areas with small landholdings or developing areas that lack financial resources needed for drip or mechanized systems. The characteristics and management practices for systems except center pivots and linear-move systems are examined in this chapter. Center pivots and linear-move systems are considered in Chapter 13. Detailed design of moved-lateral, solid-set and gun-based systems involves matching all components and ensuring that hydraulic principles are satisfied—see Keller and Bliesner (1990) and/or Stetson and Mecham (2011) for design procedures. Most management situations depend on systems already in place, so design considerations are only discussed to help evaluate alternatives when system changes are needed or when monitoring system performance.
| Rank |
Side Roll State |
Side Roll Acres |
Hand Move State |
Hand Move Acres |
Solid Set State |
Solid Set Acres |
Big Gun State |
Big Gun State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | 406,429 | Oregon | 115,405 | California | 454,924 | Oregon | 112,182 |
| 2 | Utah | 258,816 | Idaho | 73,733 | Washington | 253,939 | Michigan | 61,636 |
| 3 | Montana | 198,603 | California | 50,262 | Oregon | 88,463 | Washington | 48,632 |
| 4 | Oregon | 196,155 | Washington | 44,429 | Arizona | 58,051 | Georgia | 43,631 |
| 5 | Texas | 86,163 | Montana | 33,825 | Idaho | 46,463 | Texas | 36,217 |
| 6 | California | 83,396 | Utah | 13,745 | Florida | 42,564 | Florida | 31,256 |
| 7 | Washington | 82,373 | Colorado | 6,973 | Texas | 38,368 | Missouri | 24,766 |
| 8 | Colorado | 79,972 | Texas | 6,714 | Wisconsin | 34,903 | California | 24,433 |
| 9 | Illinois | 42,338 | Wyoming | 6,548 | Georgia | 29,471 | New Jersey | 22,336 |
| 10 | Wyoming | 36,645 | New Jersey | 5,106 | Michigan | 18,995 | N. Carolina | 21,305 |