Evaluating the infiltration characteristics of furrow irrigation in a heavy textured soil

Abstract

Abstract: A field experiment to evaluate the furrow infiltration characteristics of a heavy textured soil during the wetting front advance period was conducted during the dry season of 1988. Furrow of 80 m long at lm spacing maintaining a gradual slope of 030% were constructed. Three different flow sizes (30 1/min, 60 1/min, and 120 1/min) formed the treatment variables. Measurements of stream flow section, running time, and advance of wetting front were determined. Wetting front advance, X data plotted against time, t yielded equation of the form X = a t° where a and b are parameters. Using the wetted perimeter and average stream flow cross section, open channel flow was quantified. Based on furrow hydraulics and wetting front data, net infiltration area, Ajn and the amount of water infiltrated, Vj were calculated. Furrow infiltrate flow, Qj was determined by differentiating the equations for Vj and dividing Qj values over Ajn yielded a generalized equation for unit infiltration rate, qj of the form qj = 8.219 1/min/m^.