Best Water Saving Irrigation Methods

Water is essential for growing crops; any situations of drought can pose a severe threat to the plant life. As the climate changes can lead to access or shortage of water in any area, it is essential to use the water saving irrigation methods.

The fresh water resources are limited in some areas. Therefore, it is important to conserve them and use the water efficiently for watering the crops. This post shares some of the best water saving irrigation methods that can save adequate water for future.

Drip irrigation

Farmers use the drip irrigation system to deliver water directly to the roots of plants. They help prevent the evaporation of water as in case of other water systems like sprinklers and spray water systems. The evaporation of water leads to wastage of water and less water reach the plants. Moreover, some drip irrigation systems come with timers, which are used to schedule the watering sessions as required. Scheduling the watering sessions helps in saving more water.

Water storage

Most of the farms depend on the municipal water supply for irrigation of their crops. But some farmers have their ponds to collect and store the rainwater. They use the stored water for irrigation, and some also provide habitat for local wildlife.

Creating a pond for irrigation is like a one-time investment, but it saves you from paying a high cost of irrigation.  Preserving the rain water is one of the best ways to save water and minimize the impact on the surrounding water bodies.

Sprinkler systems

Sprinkler systems use spray heads to deliver water to the crops. They cover larger areas than the other watering systems. Using the manual sprinklers requires you to open the valve and set the time of watering. The automatic sprinkler systems also have the programmable controllers, but you need to set them correctly. You can adjust the sprinklers according to the automatic sprinklers according to the conditions.

Scheduled irrigation

Scheduled irrigation is a part to smart watering, and it helps you to control the amount of water and frequency of watering. To avoid the under-watering and over-watering, you need to watch the plant and soil moisture.

Farmers also check the weather forecast and to adjust their watering schedules to the present conditions. Some farmers irrigate their crops in the night to minimize the evaporation which allows the water to seep deep into the ground.

Drought tolerant Crops

Growing the drought-tolerant crops is another way to get more from less water. Plants that grow well in the arid regions are drought tolerant which can easily survive in low water conditions. For example, the American cucumbers, olives, orach and tepary beans are some examples of the drought-tolerant crops. It is best to plant the drought-tolerant crops in the locations with fewer irrigation facilities and groundwater.

Manual Watering

Using a garden hose or portable sprinkler is the most common and simplest form of irrigation systems. The main advantage of manual watering is that you can easily prevent the overwatering of crops. In portable sprinklers, you use a nozzle for controlling the flow of water.

You can easily see when the water stops being absorbed into the ground and move the hose or sprinkler to another area. You can check the level of moisture in the soil by plunging a wire or screwdriver six to eight inch deep in the soil.

Manual watering lets you control the amount of water and prevent the overwatering which helps you save water.

Rotational grazing

The rotational grazing involves the rotation of livestock between the fields to promote the regrowth of pastures. Increasing the organic matter in soil and decreasing the water runoff makes the pastures more resistant to droughts.

Using rotational grazing also helps the farmers to increase organic matter and provide better forage cover to the crops.

Compost and Mulch

Farmers use the decomposed organic matter as fertilized for the crops which improve the water holding capacity of the soil. Mulching the soil helps it preserve the water and slows down the rate of evaporation. Compost and mulch help the soil retain more water for crops during the dry season.

If the mulch is made up of organic materials like wood chips or straw, it breaks down into fertilizer and increases the water retention capacity of the soil. Some farmers use black plastic mulch to cover the soil and reduce the evaporation of water.

Conservation Tillage

Conservation tillage means using special equipment like ploughs which leave around 30 percent of the crop residue in the soil. The crop residue helps in better absorption of water, and reduces the evaporation, erosion, and compaction. Conservation tillage is a great option for environment safety. It increases the fertility of soil, and the farmers don’t need to burn the crop residue.

Go Organic

Growing crops in the organic fields produce higher yields than the growing in the conventional farms. It keeps the toxic fertilizers away from water and retains the moisture of the soil. Such materials are rich in organic matter and microbes which help absorb more water and retain moisture. The organic fields also recharge the ground water supplies and help maintain them.

Some tips to save water during irrigation

Water your crops in the early morning to reduce the rate of evaporation. As the sun it mild in the early morning, the water does not evaporate much.

Turn off the watering systems if you are getting enough water from rains in the rainy season. Overwatering leads to rotting of roots and wastage of water.     

Split the time of watering into two or more times, if the water runs off your farm. This helps in using the water efficiently.

Final Words

It is essential to use water-saving irrigation methods to preserve the water and prevent wastage. Farmers should use the water-saving irrigation equipment like sprinklers and mono pumps to water the crops effectively and efficiently.  Using the irrigation methods given in this post, farmers and landscape owners can use the water efficiently.