Assessing Sprinkler Irrigation Performance Using Field Evaluations at the Medjerda Lower Valley of Tunisia

Samir Yacoubi, Khemaies Zayani, Adel Slatni, Enrique Playán

Department Soil and Water, Estación Experimental de Aula Dei, CSIC. Zaragoza, Spain.
High Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, BP 1003 Hammam Lif 2050, Tunisia, University of Carthage.
INRGREF, BP 10 Ariana 2080, Tunisia, University of Carthage.

DOI: 10.4236/eng.2012.410087                

Abstract

Irrigation uniformity and wind drift and evaporation losses (WDEL) are major concerns for the design and management of sprinkler irrigation systems under arid or semi-arid conditions. Field trials were carried out to assess irrigation uniformity and WDEL under various wind velocities, sprinkler spacings and operating pressure heads. Based on experimental data, a frequency analysis was performed to infer the occurrence probability of a given uniformity coefficient (UC). In addition, statistical regressions were used to model WDEL as a function of different climatic variables. Increasing the operating pressure head improved uniformity at low wind speeds. It was shown that UC has been severely impaired at wind speeds above 4 m/s. In the prevailing wind conditions, the frequency analysis showed that a sprinkler spacing of 12 m × 12 m provided the best uniformity. In the local conditions, it is recommended to stop irrigation when wind velocity exceeds 4 m/s. Moreover, it was shown that wind speed and relative humidity were the main significant variables influencing WDEL.

Keywords

Sprinkler Irrigation; Uniformity; Wind Drift and Evaporation Losses; Wind Speed; Pressure Head

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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