Advantage(s) of sprinkler irrigation over conventional irrigation is/a...
Justification: Sprinkler irrigation is a method of providing rainfall-like irrigation to the crops. Water is distributed through a system of pipes usually by pumping. Spray heads at the outlets distribute the water over the
entire soil surface.
Statement 1: If water is left on fields for long time, water seeps into the soil or is dried out by the Sun. So, in dry regions with high rates of evaporation, drip or trickle irrigation is very useful.
Statement 2: In Surface irrigation, water generally flows across the field due to natural gradient of the field. It can’t be used in uneven areas as it requires a lot of land levelling. So, sprinkler irrigation is useful.
Learning: Sandy soils have a low water storage capacity and a high infiltration rate.
They therefore need frequent but small irrigation applications, in particular when the sandy soil is also shallow.
Under these circumstances, sprinkler or drip irrigation are more suitable than surface irrigation. On loam or clay soils all three irrigation methods can be used, but surface irrigation is more commonly found. Clay soils with low infiltration rates are ideally suited to surface irrigation.
Surface irrigation is preferred if the irrigation water containsmuch sediment. The sediments may clog the drip or sprinkler irrigation systems.
If the irrigation water contains dissolved salts, drip irrigation is particularly suitable, as less water is applied to the soil than with surface methods.
Q Source: Improvisation: Page 17: Class 8th NCERT: Resource and Development
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Advantage(s) of sprinkler irrigation over conventional irrigation is/a...
Advantage(s) of sprinkler irrigation over conventional irrigation:
1. Reduces water losses on the field:
- Sprinkler irrigation reduces water losses caused by seepage and evaporation.
- In conventional irrigation methods such as surface irrigation or flood irrigation, water is applied directly to the field surface, leading to significant losses due to seepage into the ground and evaporation into the atmosphere.
- In contrast, sprinkler irrigation systems distribute water through a network of pipes with sprinkler heads that spray water over the field in a controlled manner.
- This reduces seepage losses as water is not applied directly to the ground, and it also minimizes evaporation losses as the water is distributed as fine droplets, which are less prone to evaporation compared to large surface water bodies.
2. Suitable for steep and unevenly sloping lands:
- Sprinkler irrigation is preferred over surface irrigation on steep and unevenly sloping lands as it requires little or no land leveling.
- Surface irrigation methods, such as furrow or flood irrigation, require a leveled field surface to ensure uniform water distribution.
- However, in areas with steep slopes or uneven terrain, leveling the land for surface irrigation can be challenging and costly.
- Sprinkler irrigation, on the other hand, can be easily adapted to such topographies without the need for extensive land leveling.
- By using sprinkler heads strategically placed throughout the field, water can be uniformly distributed even on slopes, ensuring efficient water use and preventing erosion.
Therefore, both statements 1 and 2 are correct:
- Statement 1 is correct as sprinkler irrigation reduces water losses caused by seepage and evaporation.
- Statement 2 is correct as sprinkler irrigation is preferred over surface irrigation on steep and unevenly sloping lands due to its ability to function without extensive land leveling.
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