Subsurface Drip Irrigation Applications in Humid Areas
Daniel L. Thomas, Lead Editor
Biological and Agricultural Engineering
LouisianaStateUniversity
Baton Rouge, LA70803
Michael D. Dukes, Co-Editor
Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
University of Florida
P.O. Box 110570
Gainesville, FL 32611
Introduction
Subsurface drip irrigation is the application of drip irrigation technology below the ground surface. Drip or trickle irrigation is defined as an irrigation practice where water is dispensed one drop at a time at the desired location. This technology has been available for many years and recently (within the last 15 years) has been promoted for application in humid areas. Some of the characteristics associated with implementation and management of drip irrigation systems or subsurface drip irrigation systems are similar whether the system is being used in a humid or arid condition. However, there are some considerations that are somewhat unique where precipitation is a major factor.
The following documents outline the primary steps and situations that should be considered for the Site Selection, Design, Installation and Management of subsurface drip irrigation systems in humid areas. Each document provides useful information for extension agents, consultants, and other individuals who are interested in subsurface drip irrigation systems. These resource materials are not designed to replace the extensive literature already available for drip irrigation and subsurface drip irrigation. However, understanding those characteristics that are impacted by humid area conditions are necessary to achieve the greatest benefit from the technology.
One additional product that was developed through this effort was a resource CD for subsurface drip irrigation. This reference source was developed with input from available web-accessible documents and other books and papers on subsurface drip irrigation. A copy of this CD can be obtained by contacting the lead author.
Acknowledgements
This effort was directly supported by each of the agencies and universities indicated by the individual authors. Their direct support was essential to completing the documents. Additional support (travel, etc.) was provided by the USDA, Cooperative State Research, Extension, and Education Service through a special project on irrigation water use through the University of Georgia. This grant contained special provisions for hosting a workshop to initiate development of the documents. This workshop was held in Florence, South Carolina.
Additional support was provided by the American Society of Civil Engineers, Environmental and Water Resources Institute (EWRI) through a funded task committee on “Subsurface Drip Irrigation Applications in Humid Areas”. This task committee was within the Irrigation and Drainage Council of EWRI and was associated with the On-Farm Irrigation Committee. The participants on that task committee are reflected within the authors of this document.
The greatest acknowledgement is expressed to the authors of the individual components of this work. Without their time and expertise, this work would not have been completed.
Although subsurface drip irrigation is relatively new for the humid region, research and application papers are available on a variety of topics. These resource materials add to the body of knowledge and provide results on many specific areas of interest.
Publications and Papers on Subsurface Drip Irrigation
Dukes, M.D., and J.M. Scholberg. 2004. High frequency subsurface drip irrigation on sandy soils. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. Accepted for publication.
Nogueira, L.C., M.D. Dukes, D.Z. Haman, J.M. Scholberg, and C. Cornejo. 2003. Data acquisition system and irrigation controller based on CR-10 datalogger and TDR sensor. Soil and Crop Science Society of Florida Proceedings, 62(2003):38-46.
Camp, C.R., P.J. Bauer, and W.J. Busscher. 1999. Evaluation of no-tillage crop production with subsurface drip irrigation on soils with compacted layers. Transactions ASAE, 42(4):911-917.
Grabow, G.L., R.L. Huffman, R.O. Evans, K. Edmisten, and D. Jordan. 2002. Subsurface drip irrigation research on commodity crops in North Carolina. ASAE Meeting Paper No. 022290. St. Joseph, MI.
Lamm, F.R. and T.P. Trooien. 2002. Subsurface drip irrigation for corn production: a review of 10 years of research in Kansas. Irrigation Science, 22(3-4):195-200.HUMID?
Meron, M., R. Hallel, G. Shay, R. Feuer, and R.E. Yoder. 1996. Soil sensor actuated automatic drip irrigation of cotton. In. Evapotranspiration and Irrigation Scheduling Proceedings of the International Conference, San AntonioTX, Camp, C.R. and Sadler, E.J. eds., 886-891.HUMID?
Shock, C.C., E.B.G. Feibert, L.D. Saunders, and E.P. Eldredge. 2002. Automation of subsurface drip irrigation for crop research. In, Proceedings of the World Congress of Computers in Agriculture and Natural Resources, F.S. Zazueta and J. Xin eds. 13-15 March 2002, Iguacu Falls, Brazil., 809-816.
Smajstrla, A.G. and S.J. Locascio. 2000. Subsurface drip irrigation for water table control and potato production. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 16(3):225-229.
Sorensen, R.B., F.S. Wright, and C.L. Butts. 2001a. Subsurface drip irrigation system designed for research in row crop rotations. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 17(2):171-176.
Sorensen, R.B., F.S. Wright, and C.L. Butts. 2001b. Pod yield and kernel size distribution of peanut produced using subsurface drip irrigation. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 17(2):165-169.
General Information and Economic Characteristics
Crop Management and Responses under SDI
Lamm, F. R., A. J. Schlegel, and G. A. Clark. 2004. Development of a Best Management Practice for Nitrogen Fertigation of Corn Using SDI. Appl. Engr in Agric. 20(2):211-220.
Design and Installation Issues
Management of SDI Systems
Camp, C. A. and F. R. Lamm. 2003. Irrigation systems, subsurface drip. Encyclopedia of Water Science. pp. 560-564.
Lamm, F. R. and T. P. Trooien. 2003. Subsurface drip irrigation for corn production: a review of 10years of research in Kansas. Irrig. Sci. 22(3-4):195-200.
Lamm, F. R. T. P. Trooien, H. L. Manges, and H. D. Sunderman. 2001. Nitrogen fertilization for subsurface drip-irrigated corn. Trans ASAE 44(3):533-542
Trooien, T.P., F. R. Lamm, L. R. Stone, M. Alam, D. H. Rogers, G. A. Clark, A. J. Schlegel. 2000. Subsurface drip irrigation using livestock wastewater: Dripline flow rates. App. Engr. in Agr. 16(5):505-508.
O'Brien, D. M., D. H. Rogers, F. R. Lamm, and G. A. Clark. 1998. An economic comparison of subsurface drip and center pivot sprinkler irrigation systems. App. Engr. in Agr. 14(4):391-398.
Lamm, F. R., L. R. Stone, H. L. Manges, and D. M. O'Brien. 1997. Optimum lateral spacing for subsurface drip-irrigated corn. Trans. ASAE 40(4):1021-1027.
Darusman, A. H. Khan, L. R. Stone, and F. R. Lamm. 1997. Water flux below the root zone vs. drip-line spacing in drip irrigated corn. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 61(6):1755-1760.
Darusman, A. H. Khan, L. R. Stone, W. E. Spurgeon, and F. R. Lamm. 1997. Water flux below the root zone vs. irrigation amount in drip-irrigated corn. Agron. J. 89(3):375-379.
Lamm, F. R., G. A. Clark, M. Yitayew, R. A. Shoneman, R. M. Mead, and A. D. Schneider. 1997. Installation issues for SDI systems. Presented at the 1997 intl. ASAE meeting. Paper no. 972074 from ASAE, St. Joseph, MI. 6 pp.
Clark, G. A., P. L. Barnes, F. R. Lamm, and S. McVey. 1997. Chemigation uniformity in microirrigation materials. Presented at the 1997 intl. ASAE meeting. ASAE Paper no. 972176, St. Joseph, MI. 10 pp.
Lamm, F. R., H. L. Manges, D. H. Rogers, W. E. Spurgeon, and M. H. Farmer. 1990. Design and installation of a drip irrigation system for research purposes. Presented at the 1990 intl. winter ASAE meeting. Paper no. 902530 from ASAE, St. Joseph, MI. 21 pp.
Dhuyvetter, K. C., F. R. Lamm, and D. H. Rogers. 1995. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) for field corn -- An economic analysis. In proceedings of the Fifth International Microirrigation Congress, Orlando, FL, April 2-6, 1995. pp. 395-401. Available from ASAE, St. Joseph, MI.
Lamm, F. R. 1996. Narrow corn row spacing for cost effective, water efficient subsurface drip irrigation, 1994-1995. KS. Water Resources Research Institute, Manhattan, KS. Kansas Water Resources Research Institute Contribution no. 323. 19 pp.
Lamm, F. R. 1995. Narrow corn row spacing for cost effective, water efficient subsurface drip irrigation. Kansas Water Resources Research Institute, Manhattan, KS. Kansas Water Resources Research Institute Contribution no. 316. 20 pp.
Williams, J. R., R. V. Llewelyn, M. S. Reed, F. R. Lamm, and D. R. Delano. 1996. Economic analysis of alternative irrigation systems for continuous corn and grain sorghum in western Kansas. Report of Progress 766, July 1996. KAES, Manhattan, KS. 46 pp.
Lamm, F. R., D. H. Rogers, M. Alam and G. A. Clark. 2003. Design considerations for subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems. KSU Cooperative Ext. Irrigation Mgmt. Series, MF-2578. 8 pp.
Lamm, F. R., D. H. Rogers, M. Alam and G. A. Clark. 2003. Management considerations for operating a subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system. KSU Cooperative Ext. Irrigation Mgmt. Series, MF-2590. 8 pp.
Rogers, D. H., Lamm, F. R., M. Alam, and G. M. Powell. 2003. Shock chlorination for treatment for irrigation wells. KSU Cooperative Ext. Irrigation Mgmt. Series, MF-2589. 4 pp.
Rogers, D. H., Lamm, F. R., and M. Alam. 2003. Subsurface drip irrigation systems (SDI) water quality assessment guidelines. KSU Cooperative Ext. Irrigation Mgmt. Series, MF-2575. 8 pp.
Rogers, D. H., Lamm, F. R., and M. Alam. 2003. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) components: Minimum requirements. KSU Cooperative Ext. Irrigation Mgmt. Series, MF-2576. 4 pp.
Alam, M., T. P. Trooien, F. R. Lamm, and D. H. Rogers. 2002. Filtration and maintenance considerations for subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems. KSU Cooperative Ext. Irrigation Mgmt. Series, MF-2361. Revised. 4 pp.
O'Brien, D., D. H. Rogers, F. Lamm, and G. Clark. 1997. Economic comparison of SDI and center pivots for various field sizes. KSU Cooperative Ext. Irrigation Management Series, MF-2242. 6 pp.
Dhuyvetter, K. C., F. R. Lamm, and D. H. Rogers. 1994. Subsurface drip irrigation for field corn: An economic analysis. KSU Cooperative Ext. Irrigation Management Series, L-909. 6 pp.
Trooien, T. P., F. R. Lamm, L. R. Stone, and M. Alam. 1999. Irrigating corn with subsurface drip irrigation and lagoon wastewater. Irrigation Journal 49(5):6-7.
Lamm, F. R., A. J. Schlegel, and G. A. Clark. 1998. Optimum nitrogen fertigation for corn using SDI. Feature article in International Water and Irrigation Review, 18(2):13-14, 16-18.
Ernst, Tanya, 1998. SDI reduces water losses from evaporation, runoff. Feature article in KSU Natural Resources and Environmental Management, Fall 1998. Page 4.
Peterson Jr., C., 1998. Subsurface drip irrigation saves water. Feature article about SW Kansas farmers using SDI with side box entitled The good and the bad of subsurface drip irrigation, covering comments by F. Lamm. Successful Farming, March 1998.
Lamm, F. R., W. E. Spurgeon, H. L. Manges, and D. H. Rogers. 1993. Using drip irrigation for a nontraditional crop. Feature article with 1 color photo. Arab Water World, March/June 1993. Vol 17:2-3. pp 5-6.
Lamm, F. R., W. E. Spurgeon, H. L. Manges, and D. H. Rogers. 1992. Drip irrigation for corn--a promising prospect. Feature article with 3 photos, edited by Holly Gibson. Irrigation Journal, Mar. 1992. pp 12, 14-16.
Hallowell, L. 1992. Drip irrigation in corn? A KSU study indicates it may be feasible. Feature article with 2 color photos in NC+ Down to Earth Ideas. Vol 26(2):6-7.
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