Irrigation Water Conveyance

Irrigation Water Conveyance
After completing this session the student will be

aware of the features of irrigation water conveyance
systems and how they may affect on farm water
management.
Conveyance System Requirements
• Deliver water to every part of the irrigated area

at a rate and elevation that permits proper
operation of the application system;
• Be compatible with the application equipment;
• Convey the water as economically, efficiently
and safely as possible; and
• Be accessible for Operation and Maintenance.
NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

Fort Collins, CO; July 11-15, 2005 JEA 7-12-05
On Farm Conveyance System

Conveyance System Schematic

Conveyance Efficiency
Volume Delivered
Ec 
Volume Diverted
“In the Western States, an estimated one-third

to one-half of the water diverted for irrigation is
lost between the source and point of use”
NRCS NEH Part 623, Chapter 2, Irrigation Water Requirements

Conveyance Losses
• Operational spills
• Seepage
• Consumptive Use by vegetation & evaporation
• Leakage around structures

Typical Conveyance Efficiencies
Source to Farm
65% - 95%
Farm to Field
70% - 90%
Source to Field
30% - 65%

Distribution Efficiency Study
Element 3yr Rounded Average
Volume Diverted, (ac-ft) 355,000 (59 acre-inches)
Canal Waste (-), (ac-ft) 25,000 7%
Lateral Waste (-), (ac-ft) 60,000 17%
System Losses (-), (ac-ft) 50,000 14%
System Gains (+), (ac-ft) 35,000 10%
Volume Delivered, (ac-ft) 255,000 (43 acre-inches)
Distribution Efficiency 72%
Farm Waste 150,000 (25 acre-inches)
Application Efficiency 41%
Overall Farm Efficiency 30%
1988-1990, Riverton Unit - Wind River Project, USBOR, (72,000 acres)

Conveyance System Components
• Open Channels
• Pipelines
• Conveyance Structures
– Diversions & Pumps
– Headgates, Wasteways, Division Boxes, Turnouts …
– Water Measurement Devices
– Check & Grade Control Structures
– Flumes, Siphons & Culverts

Diversion Dam or Pumps
They should:
• Provide the Required Flow Rate
• Provide the Required Elevation or Pressure
• Perform Properly over the entire Irrigation Season
• Accommodate Fish or Other Resource Concerns
• Perform without Excessive Operation & Maintenance
And if they don’t:

• Plan repairs, replacement; or
• Develop an IWM strategy to deal with the constraint.

Diversion Dam

Diversion Dam

Diversion Dam

Headgates, Turnouts & Other Ditch Structures
They should:
• Provide the required flow rate & elevation or pressure
• Screen excessive or undesirable debris
• Accommodate expected sedimentation
• Provide opportunity for water measurement
• Perform without excessive Operation & Maintenance

• Develop IWM strategy to deal with the constraint.

Headgates & Turnouts

Headgates & Turnouts

Headgates, Turnouts & Other Structures

Headgates, Turnouts & Other Structures

Headgates, Turnouts & Other Ditch Structures

Other Ditch Structures




Canals & Ditches
They should:
• Have capacity for the required flow rate
• Screen excessive or undesirable debris
• Accommodate expected sedimentation
• Limit Losses to an acceptable amount
• Perform without excessive Operation & Maintenance

• Develop IWM strategy to deal with the constraint.

Canals & Ditches
Features:
• Used for main canal, laterals & on farm transport
• Open channel, gravity flow
• Water surface controls the delivery elevation
• Natural earth or lined channels

Canals & Ditches

Canals & Ditches

Canals & Ditches
Benefits:
• Accommodate small to large flows
• May accommodate large debris
• Many alternatives for water measurement
• Low to moderate construction cost (unlined)
• Intercept runoff & groundwater
• May provide some storage capacity
• May support some riparian functions

Canals & Ditches
Disadvantages:
• Must have adequate slope
• May require checks & grade control structures
• Prone to operation waste (up to 50% pass through)
• Seepage, vegetative & evaporation losses
• Seepage may damage adjacent land & property
• May occupy a large area & require crossing structures

Canals & Ditches
Disadvantages: cont.
• May provide source of weed seed
• Susceptible to erosion, sedimentation, flood
damage, & rodents
• Higher maintenance than pipelines
• Poor maintenance reduces capacity
• Can be a safety concern

Canals & Ditches

Typical Unlined Canal/Ditch Losses
Seepage Loss
0.2 – 6 ft3/ft2/day
Loss to Ditch-side Vegetation

0.5% - 1% per mile
Loss to Ditch Evaporation

~ < 0.5% per mile

Ditch Canal Lining Alternatives

• Traditional Canal Linings ($1 to $10 / sq ft)

– Compacted Clay
– Concrete Lining
– Buried Geomembrane
– Exposed Geomembranes
– Concrete Covered Geomembranes
– Spray-applied Membranes
• Reduce seepage loss by 90 – 95%
• Service life 20 to 50 years.

PAM Canal Treatment

• Cost ~ $.005 to $0.02 / sq ft
• May reduce seepage loss
by 30% – 50%
• May require annual treatment
• Doesn’t work in all situations

Pipelines
They should:
• Deliver the required flow at the required
elevation/pressure
• Provide opportunity for water measurement
• Perform without excessive operation & maintenance

• Plan needed maintenance, replacement; or
• Develop IWM strategy to deal with the constraints

Pipelines
Features:
• Gravity or Pressure Flow
• Available head / pressure controls delivery elevation
• Above ground or underground installations
• PVC, PE, Concrete, Steel & Aluminum materials

Pipelines
Benefits:
• Less dependent on topography than ditches
• Greater flow control = less operational waste
• Very small water losses (0.01 – 0.15 ft3/ft2)
• Little to no loss of land use
• Eliminate weed seed production
• Less susceptible to environmental damage
• Typically fewer maintenance & safety concerns

Pipelines

Pipelines

Pipelines

Pipelines

Pipelines

Pipelines
Disadvantages:
• Moderate to high cost compared to unlined ditch
• Not feasible for large flows
• Must screen out debris and prevent sedimentation
• Fewer and more expensive alternatives for water
measurement
• Provides no riparian function values

Pipelines

Summary
“No irrigation system is worth a hill of beans if the
water is not available to the crop at the time
that the plants require it”
Questions?


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Irrigation Water Conveyance

After completing this session the student will be

• Deliver water to every part of the irrigated area

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

“In the Western States, an estimated one-third

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

And if they don’t:

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

And if they don’t:

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

And if they don’t:

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

Loss to Ditch-side Vegetation

Loss to Ditch Evaporation

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

• Traditional Canal Linings ($1 to $10 / sq ft)

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

PAM Canal Treatment

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

And if they don’t:

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

NRCS Irrigation Water Management Training

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