Irrigation Management

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  • Introduction
    • Benefits of Irrigation …3
    • Protecting Water Resources …5
    • Design, Materials and Management …6
  • Water Sources
    • Types of Water Sources …9
    • Water Quality Concerns …17
  • Legislation, Policy and Permits – Water-Taking and Low Water Response
    • Permit To Take Water …19
    • Ontario Low Water Management …21
    • Some of the Legislation and Guidelines Protecting Water Resources …22
  • Scheduling Knowing When and How Much to Irrigate
    • Water Cycle …24
    • Water Balances: Rainfall and Crop Requirements …25
    • Soil Water …25
    • Crop Water Requirements …27
    • Irrigation Scheduling …28
    • Monitoring Soil Moisture …29
    • Using the Plant to Indicate Water Stress …38
    • Evapotranspiration …39
    • Scheduling by Computer …47
    • Considerations for Applying Irrigation Water …47
  • Irrigation Systems
    • Sprinkler Irrigation …49
    • Micro-Irrigation (also called drip or trickle) …61
    • Controlled Drainage/Sub-Irrigation …65
    • Irrigation Prices: $ Per Acre …68
    • Irrigation Pumps …69
    • Power Sources …71
    • Hardware …74
  • BMPs for Crop Production
    • Water Efficiency …77
    • Fruit Crops …81
    • Tree Fruit and Grapes …83
    • Berry Crops …84
    • Vegetable Crops …86
    • Tree Nut Crops …91
    • Tobacco …93
    • Field-Grown Nursery Stock …94
    • Container-Grown Nursery Stock …95
    • Sod …97
  • Special Applications
    • Fertigation of Field Vegetables and Tree Fruit …98
    • Chemigation …103
    • Wind Erosion Control …105
    • Frost Protection of Berry Crops …106
    • Evaporative Cooling …107
  • Analyzing the Costs and Benefits
    • Worksheet 1: Water and Power Requirements …110
    • Worksheet 2: Annual Ownership, Repair and Maintenance Costs …111
    • Worksheet 3: Annual Operating Expenses …113
    • Worksheet 4: Cost/Benefit Summary …115
    • Worksheet 5: Break-Even Calculation …116
    • Repair, Maintenance and Expected Life …116
  • Irrigation Scheduling Worksheet