Ap Envirormental 5.5-Irrigation Methods

What is furrow irrigation?

Furrow irrigation involves digging trenches along crop rows and filling them with water. It’s inexpensive but can result in high water loss due to evaporation and runoff.

What is flood irrigation?

Flood irrigation involves flooding an entire field with water. While it’s cheap and easy, it can lead to waterlogging and salinization of soil.

What is spray irrigation?

Spray irrigation uses sprinklers to distribute water like rainfall. It’s more efficient than flood irrigation but requires electricity and is expensive.

What is drip irrigation?

Drip irrigation delivers water directly to plant roots through perforated tubes. It’s the most efficient method, with minimal water loss, but it’s costly to install.

What are the environmental drawbacks of irrigation?

1. Waterlogging – oversaturated soil, reducing oxygen for roots.

2. Salinization – accumulation of salts in the soil from evaporation.

3. Depletion – overuse of aquifers or surface water.

How does salinization occur in irrigation?

Salinization happens when water evaporates, leaving salts behind in the soil, which reduces crop productivity over time.

Which irrigation method has the highest water efficiency?

Drip irrigation is the most water-efficient because it minimizes evaporation and runoff by targeting plant roots directly.

What is the impact of over-irrigation on aquifers?

Over-irrigation can lead to aquifer depletion, reducing groundwater levels and causing issues like subsidence (sinking land).