Flood irrigation got a bad rap during this drought period, especially in the public eye. Sometimes the system is necessary and can be as efficient as any other.
One System Not Always the Answer
Flood irrigation is looked at by the general public as a waste of water, but the system could be as water-wise as any other. “Flood irrigation could be very efficient if you manage it right and could be as efficient as any other system,”
Imperial Valley Cooperative Extension Irrigation Advisor Khaled Bali says. “We have to keep that in mind and don’t think that switching to drip or sprinkler irrigation is the answer.”
Bali says one system isn’t better than the other and growers need to remember it depends on the individual situation. “We have to have a balance between different irrigation systems,” Bali says. “No single irrigation system is better than another. You have to look at the situation, the crop you have, the salinity level in the soil and water and make sure that system runs efficiently and is designed efficiently.”