Identifying Several Obvious Signs of an Inefficient Irrigation System

Identifying Several Obvious Signs of an Inefficient Irrigation System

An inefficient irrigation system is like a tired "porter," wasting a lot of water and energy without being able to deliver water evenly and sufficiently to each plant. Identifying these signs promptly is the first step in optimization and maintenance. You don't need professional instruments; you can discover several obvious "warning signs" through simple field observations and daily observations.

First, observe the growth performance of the crops in the field. This is the most intuitive and ultimate criterion for evaluation.

Uneven growth, significant differences: In the same field, some areas have lush, healthy crops, while other areas have stunted, yellowing crops, or even wilting. This is usually not a problem with seeds or fertilizer, but direct evidence of uneven watering. There is a stark contrast between areas with sufficient water and those with insufficient water.

Wilting persists after watering: Shortly after watering (e.g., a few hours later), some crop leaves still wilt and fail to recover. This indicates that the water has not effectively penetrated to the root zone, or the total water supply is simply insufficient.

Secondly, check the visual phenomena on the ground during system operation.

Water overflow and runoff: During irrigation, water does not penetrate the soil well, but flows away from the field edges, forming noticeable surface runoff. Or, water accumulates in large quantities in some low-lying areas, forming puddles, while higher areas are not watered. This indicates that the irrigation intensity exceeds the soil's infiltration rate, or the land is poorly leveled, resulting in wasted water.

明顯 uneven sprinkler coverage: For sprinkler systems, it's visually apparent: some sprinklers rotate weakly, have a short range, or don't rotate at all; the water spray is noticeably uneven; and there are dry "blind spots" where the spray ranges of adjacent sprinklers do not overlap.

"Sweating" or leakage at pipes or joints: During irrigation, walking along the main or branch pipes, you can find abnormally damp areas on the ground, or even water seeping out. This indicates leakage points in the pipes. This is a typical sign of wasted water resources.

Furthermore, pay attention to the operating status of the system equipment and water and electricity consumption. The water pump runs for a long time but the water output is weak: The water pump needs to run for a long time to complete irrigation, or the water pressure feels insufficient, and the sprinklers in the distance are not working properly. This may indicate improper pump selection, reduced power, or severe pipe blockage, meaning the system is operating inefficiently.

Abnormally high electricity or fuel costs:  If electricity or diesel fuel costs for the water pump increase significantly without a corresponding increase in irrigated area or frequency, it strongly suggests a decrease in system efficiency, requiring more energy to perform the same work.

Frequent filter clogging: If the inlet filter needs to be cleaned unusually frequently, it indicates that the water source has many impurities, or the filter level is mismatched, which not only increases maintenance workload but also affects water flow efficiency.

Finally, perform a simple "soil profile check" to verify.

This is the most convincing method. One day after irrigation, dig a soil profile approximately 30 centimeters deep in different areas of the field with good, medium, and poor crop growth using a shovel.

Check the wetting depth: Is the depth of soil wetting consistent at different points? Ideally, it should uniformly reach the main activity layer of the crop roots.

Check the wetting uniformity: Is the soil color and texture uniformly moist from top to bottom of the profile? Or is the surface wet and the lower layer dry?

If you observe any of the above signs, especially uneven crop growth, significant surface runoff, and prolonged high-load operation of the equipment, you can basically conclude that your irrigation system is inefficient. Identifying these signs promptly allows for targeted inspection, repair, or modification, ensuring that every drop of water is used effectively.