Comparison of practices

Use of water resources

Use of water resources

Country: Tajikistan

Province: Districts of Republican Subordination

District: Rudaki

Country: Kazakhstan

Province: Jambyl Region

• Located in the Varzob River Basin (right-bank tributary of the Kafirnigan (Kofarnihon) River);
• Valley section of the Kafirnigan River Basin (river catchment area);
• Deep (below 5 m) ground water occurrence;
• Other peculiarities: middle loamy soils.

The site is located in the foothills with significant difference in elevation

Start date: 01.04.2012

End date: 31.10.2013

Start date: 01.01.2006

End date: 31.12.2007

Surface irrigation is associated with considerable water losses, uneven root zone moistening, increasing irrigation-induced soil erosion, low labor productivity of irrigators, low irrigation system efficiency, etc.

Water erosion, discharge, uneven distribution of irrigation water, poor yields

Low-pressure impulse mist irrigation system

Technique and technology for irrigation based on Simultaneous Impulse Sprinkling Kit (KSID-10S)

Actions:

- Construction of low-pressure impulse mist irrigation system (procurement of polyethylene piping, pumping unit, cassette filter);
- Installation of pumping equipment, settling pond, impulse mist sprinkling nozzles.

Results:

Financial and economic:

rational use of irrigation water; enhanced efficiency of water and land resources use; low cost ($4,164/ha) compared to the basic option ($4,326/ha).

Ecological:

no damage to atmosphere, water and soil and production of ecologically clean agricultural produce.

Technical:

the system operates under low pressure enough to ensure sufficient mist sprinkling irrigation (high-quality artificial rain) creating the necessary microclimate stimulating proper plant growth and development, ensuring even and highly uniform soil moistening; the system is easy to assemble and operate.

Social:

reduced irrigation costs on behalf of water users due to smaller volume of consumed irrigation water; increased profitability of farms due to higher crops productivity.

Actions:

Deployment of the Simultaneous Impulse Sprinkling Kit (KSID-10S) allowing extremely uniform and simultaneous dispersion of irrigation water across all sections of arable pasture or hayfield meadow.  Water expenditure at the impulse device makes 0.05-0.3 l/sec and 0.25-2.0 l/sec in the irrigation pipeline, thus, reducing (3-4 times) the costs associated with the pipeline network installation compared to other sprinkling systems (kits). The pipeline network is built of 15-25 mm diameter pipes easy to transport and assemble in mountainous conditions.

Technical characteristics:

Operation modes: automatic and manual

Irrigated area: 10 ha

Water consumption: up to 100 m³/day

Average sprinkling (rain) intensity: 0.002-0.008 mm/min

EFFICIENCY: 99%

MOC: 98%

Watering automation level: 100%

Results:

• Ensured water supply according to crops requirements with the account of changing weather conditions and moisture deposits in active soil layer;
• Elimination of : 1) water-induced soil erosion, 2) puddling and 3) discharge run-off;
• No need for water recirculation among irrigation sections.

Lessons learnt:

Low-pressure impulse mist irrigation system allows improving the overall conditions in greenhouses and/or lemon tree nurseries – rain-like water distribution curbs irrigation-induced soil erosion and unproductive water losses in the course of irrigation.

Recommendations:

It is necessary to widely deploy low-pressure impulse mist sprinkling systems with the aim of irrigation automation and saving irrigation water.

Lessons learnt:

The advantages of impulse sprinkling irrigation were confirmed by the research efforts on other test sites of KAZNIIVKh in Jambyl Region that allowed increasing biological productivity of Golden Delicious apple variety by 10.1-36.8%, and commercial productivity – by 16.6-49.4% compared to conventional sprinkling irrigation systems.

Recommendations:

It is necessary to continue application of similar practices in foothill areas in Central Asia subject to power supply shortages.

Domestic tools (outcomes of research by domestic R&D organizations)

Domestic tools (outcomes of research by domestic R&D organizations)

1. Cost of implementation: High

2. Approximate cost of investment per 1 ha:

3. O&M costs: High

4. Expert support: Not needed

1. Cost of implementation: High

2. Approximate cost of investment per 1 ha:

3. O&M costs: High

4. Expert support: Not needed

Project title: Low-pressure impulse mist sprinkling system for greenhouses and/or lemon tree nurseries.

Project duration: Apr 2012-Oct 2013.

Project goal and objectives: development and deployment of new low-pressure impulse mist irrigation system for greenhouses and lemon tree nurseries in the context of acute water shortage to ensure even distribution of irrigation water, exclude irrigation-induced soil erosion and unproductive irrigation water losses, thus, leading to water and power saving.

Project beneficiaries: “Ziroatkor” Farm.

Project implementer: Sh. Shotemur Tajik Agrarian University

Report by Tajikistan Water Partnership, Dushanbe, 2012, 18 p.

SIC ICWC

SIC ICWC