One of the ways to ensure a reliable operation of irrigation systems is to protect them from water hammer (hydraulic shock) damage that occurs when starting or stopping a pumping station. This can be achieved by creating conditions in which a water hammer will not occur in the pressure pipeline as a result of closing the end gate valve (EGV). The aim of the present study was to investigate processes occurring in the pipeline during a linear closure of the EGV, during a closure with one break point and during an intermittent closure, as well as to verify the effectiveness of a combined end gate valve closure of the pipeline. Based on experimental data and calculations, the article recommends a linear closure of the EGV with one break point.