Surface Irrigation - Border Irrigation

Border Irrigation


This method makes use of parallel ridges to guide a sheet of flowing water as it moves down the slope. A border may be level or graded depending on the provision of no. of some scope in longitudinal direction. The slope in transverse direction is zero in both the cases. In graded border, the land is divided into a number of long parallel uniformly graded strips of land called borders that are separated by low ridges. It has no cross slope but uniform gentle in the direction of irrigation. The essential feature is to provide such a surface that water can flow down with uniform depth. Each strip is irrigated independently by a sheet of water confined by the border ridges.


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The width of border strip depends on the size of irrigation stream, amount of cross slope, kind and width of farm machinery and the desired accuracy of land leveling. Length of border strips should be limited to 400 meters. Longer strips are advantageous as they reduce the cost of water conveyance system. Length affected by the infiltration rate of soil, depth of water applied surface roughness and texture of soil.
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Under graded border, care should be taken to design the border such that minimum infiltrated depth is achieved at upstream end of border and control over excessive accumulation of crop. A border width of 30 meters and length of 200 meters has been found ideal under irrigated conditions of the Punjab.

Suitability

                Border irrigation is adapted to most soils where depth and topography permit the required land leveling at a reasonable cost and without permanent reduction in soil productivity. It is more suitable to soils having moderately low to moderately high infiltration rates such as loamy soils.
It is not used in coarse sandy soils having high infiltration rates and very low infiltration rates.
It is suitable to irrigate all close growing crops like wheat, barley, fodder crops and legumes. Graded border is however not suitable for crops such as rice which require standing water during most part of its growing season.
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Advantages: border dikes can be constructed economically with simple farm implements. Uniform distribution and high application efficiency are possible if system is properly designed and manages. Large irrigation streams can be effectively used. It is suitable for mechanical farming. This method saves land and water due to reduction of water channels and permanent dikes.
Disadvantages: this method requires proper land leveling and uniform gentle slope in the direction of irrigation. Usually large irrigation streams are required. Land is wasted under ridges. However they are temporarily constructed to guide flow of water. Time take to irrigate increases with length of border. Therefore, excessive long borders cannot be accommodated for smaller stream flows.





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