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G9. IRRIGATION ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
(KUL-code: IC03 (Th); IC04 (Pr))
Lecturer: WYSEURE G.
ECTS-credit: 5 pts
Contact hours: 30 hrs. of theory/30 hrs. of practical
Prerequisites: hydraulics; irrigation agronomy
Time and place: 1 st semester, VUB
Course syllabus: Lecture notes
Evaluation: Common mark for theory and practical. Evaluation on submitted projects.
Comparable handbook: James, G.L., 1988. Principles of farm irrigation system design. John Wiley & Sons,
Inc., 543 p.
Ritzema H.P. (Ed. In chief). 1994. Drainage principles and applications. ILRI
publication 16. Wageningen.1125 pages (ISBN 90 70754 3 39)
Keller, J. and R.D. Bliesner, 1990. Sprinkle and trickle irrigation. A. Van Nostrand
Reinhold Book, 652 p.
Additional information: WWW-site: http://www.agr.kuleuven.ac.be/vakken/G9IET.htm
Learning objectives:
The learning objective is to learn how to design field application methods for drainage and irrigation. Rather
than a systematic study of all possible systems selected design examples and projects are worked out. This
course also aims at developing a problem-solving attitude with aid of ICT-tools.
Course description:
Within the framework of the MSc with courses in water management, hydrology and hydraulics and alongside a
course in irrigation planning, operation and management and with a preceding course in irrigation agronomy
this course focuses on the field application methods in drainage and irrigation. As a consequence water
resources and distribution for irrigation engineering are not covered.
1. General design criteria: General review of irrigation and drainage techniques. Importance of soil, climate
and water resource in the selection of an irrigation and/or drainage method. Definition of objectives:
application uniformity, adequacy and efficiency. General principles of lateral design.
2. Drip Irrigation: Emitter hydraulics. Soil reservoir under drip irrigation. Filter and system head
characteristics. Lateral design.
3. Sprinkler Irrigation: Sprinkler hydraulics. Types of sprinkler systems. Lateral design
4. Surface Irrigation: Surface irrigation hydraulics: advance, storage, depletion and recession. Land leveling
for irrigation. Design of furrow, border and basin.
5. Runoff Irrigation: Feasibility study based on socio-economical, climatological, hydrological, agromomical
and soil conditions. Use of a simulation model (Parched-Thirst) as a design tool for Rainwater Harvesting.
Choice of external/internal runoff and appropriate runoff catchment/cropped area proportion. Infrastructure
for erosion and water excess control.
6. Agricultural Drainage: Drainage principles; Subsurface drainage and modelling of water table dynamics;
Surface drainage; Salinity control; Design criteria; Determination of physical parameters; Practical realization
Contact time for general principles and as an introduction to design case-studies in supervised self-study. Field
visits and practical fieldwork for basic data collection. Students complete a design project, which is reported in
written and oral form.
38 / Course syllabi