Irrigation Patterns and Scheduling of a Telecontrolled Irrigation District in Northeastern Spain

Abstract

Over the last 10 years, telecontrol systems have been incorporated into the majority of modern collective pressurized irrigation networks in Spain. This type of infrastructure provides many opportunities for irrigation management but actually, in Spain, is only used for standardized network operations. The Candasnos irrigation district (CID), located in northeastern Spain, is equipped with this system, and contains a variety of different pressurized systems. Telecontrol data and crop water requirements were used to analyze the evolution of irrigation performance (SIPI) of maize, alfalfa, and stone fruits. Irrigation guidelines for stone fruit were analyzed and compared with those of standard and regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) irrigation strategies. Ten solid-set irrigation systems were monitored to determine on-farm irrigation patterns. The average SIPI of maize, alfalfa, and peach was 83, 107, and 123%, respectively. The average SIPI showed a high irrigation performance, but the spatial and temporal variability of SIPI showed possibilities for improvement. Deficit irrigation practices were conducted on peach trees but not adjusted to the recommended RDI strategy. The results of plot monitoring showed crop differences on irrigation time per event (1-1.5 h in maize and 2-3 h in alfalfa) and on time interval between irrigation (larger in alfalfa than in maize). The short and frequent irrigation timing for the corn crop could be a disadvantageous practice because it yielded high evaporation losses from crop-intercepted water. Two irrigation patterns were established at the CID: the first was characterized by structured irrigation schedules and the second was characterized by weekly changes in the irrigation schedule. The second pattern was more commonly employed in solid-set systems than in those with pivots. The analysis of telecontrol data following this methodology could be easily implemented in the daily routines of the district office to improve irrigation management at the plot level. Further, telecontrol data can be an important tool for promoting and facilitating regulated deficit irrigation strategies in stone fruits. © 2012 American Society of Civil Engineer

Water and energy management in an automated irrigation district

“…The irrigation time per event slightly increased from April-June to July-August, while the irrigation frequency clearly decreased. Similar results were found by Stambouli et al (2012) for the neighboring Candasnos Irrigation District (CID).…”

“…In August ( Figure 2.d), the SIPI values were lower than 100%, and the variability between the plots decreased significantly for most of the crops. The seasonal variability of the SIPI values for the different crops of the AID was significantly lower than that reported by Stambouli et al (2012) for the neighboring Candasnos irrigation district (CID). The CID is a pressurized irrigation district without energy pumping costs because the water reservoir is located at a high elevation more than 70 m above the irrigated area of the CID where the farmers perform the irrigation scheduling.…”

“…The main objectives of these plans are the conservation of water to increase the water resources for irrigation or alternative uses and the sustainability of Spanish irrigated lands (MARM 2010). opportunities for the improvement of irrigation management (Stambouli et al, 2012). The new networks enable a more efficient water application with irrigation systems, such as drip and sprinkler irrigation, instead of surface irrigation (Playán and Mateos, 2006).…”

“…Many irrigation performance analyses characterizing the irrigation efficiency in the pressurized irrigation districts can be found in the literature (Faci et al, 2000;Dechmi et al, 2003;Lorite et al, 2004a, b;Stambouli et al, 2012;Salvador et al, 2011). All of these works found a high spatial variability of the irrigation performance indicators and concluded that the variability between the farms indicates a potential for improvement.…”

“…Fortunately, telemetry and remote control systems provide the necessary data (Stambouli et al, 2012).…”