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Irrigation History
Irrigation in Ancient Times
Water is the most important input required for plant growth for agriculture production. Irrigation can be defined as replenishment of soilwater storage in plant root zone through methods other than natural precipitation. Irrigationis seen to have found its roots in the history of mankind since earliest beginning.It helps reduce the uncertainties, particularly the climatic uncertainties in agriculture practices.
Archaeological investigation has identified evidence of irrigation where the natural rainfall was insufficient to support crops.
- Perennial irrigation was practised in the Mesopotamian plain by coaxing water through a matrix of small channels formed in the field.
- Ancient Egyptians practiced Basin irrigation using the looding of the Nile to inundate land plots which had been surrounded by dykes.
- The Ancient Nubians developed a form of irrigation by using a waterwheel-like device called a sakia.
- In sub-Saharan Africa irrigation reached the Niger River region cultures and civilizations by the first or second millennium BCE and was based on wet season flooding and water harvesting.
- The Qanats, developed in ancient Persiain about 800 BCE, are among the oldest known irrigation methods still in use today.
- The irrigation works of ancient Sri Lanka, the earliest dating from about 300 BCE, in the reign of King Pandukabhaya and under continuous development for the next thousand years, were one of the most complex irrigation systems of the ancient world.
- In the Szechwan region belonging to the State of Qin of ancient China, the Dujiangyan Irrigation System was built in 256 BCE to irrigate an enormous area of farmland that today still supplies water.
- The floodplain of the Santa Cruz River was extensively farmed during the Early Agricultural period, circa 1200 BC to AD 150.
- Terrace irrigationis evidenced in pre-Columbian America, early Syria, India and China.
History, it is said is the greatest teacher of the mankind. Study of the history of irrigation, development of irrigation technology, sustainability of the old irrigation systems provides an insight into the factors that have sustained the outcomes over the generations.
ICID in pursuit of its mission, in addition to advocating the use of latest technology for development of irrigation encourages making use of ancient wisdom. Working Group on “History of Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Control” started the work of chronicling the development of irrigation around the world. The Working Groupwith the support of a number of National Committees has compiled the History of Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Management in different river valleys, regions, and countries.
Click here for the list of publications on History of Irrigation, Drainage and Flood Management.
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Irrigation
Sources of Irrigation
Irrigation History +
Sources of Irrigation +
IMPROVING SOIL MOISTURE +
Ponds +
Tanks +
Diversion Weirs +
Dams and Reservoirs +
Groundwater +
Conjunctive Water Use +
Wastewater +
Poor Quality Water +
Application of Irrigation water
Purpose of Irrigation
Instruments and implements of Irrigation
Irrigation Management
Irrigation and environment
Capacity Development
Drainage
Dictionary - Irrigation History Terms
- Irrigation pipe aqueduct, Pipe aqueduct, Pipe flume
- Syphon, Inverted siphon, Irrigation syphon, Canal syphon, Syphon superpassage
- Lift irrigation area, or Lift area
- Continuous-flow irrigation
- Night-storage irrigation system
- Intermittent-flow irrigation system
- Irrigation return flow
- Farm irrigation structures
- Collective irrigation system
- Individual irrigation system
- Perennial irrigation
- Seasonal irrigation
- Supplemental irrigation
- Systematic irrigation
- Flow irrigation, or Gravity irrigation
- Pumping irrigation
- Inundation irrigation
- Irrigation from a storage reservoir
- Irrigation from groundwater
- Irrigation by flood water spreading
- Sailab irrigation (a term used in India and Pakistan)
- Micro basin irrigation
- Irrigation by spreading
- Irrigation
- Irrigation interval
- Irrigation dose
- Ideal irrigation interval
- Irrigation season
- Fall irrigation (USA)
- Winter irrigation (USA)
- Early irrigation (USA)
- Sub-irrigation
- Overirrigation
- Irrigation canals
- Surface irrigation
- Flood irrigation
- Basin method of irrigation, or Irrigation by beds
- Flush irrigation
- Spate irrigation
- Border irrigation, or Border method
- Flooding from ditches, or (contour ditch irrigation)
- Corrugation irrigation
- Furrow irrigation
- Surge irrigation
- Duration of irrigation
- Secondary flow, Two discharge, or Cutback irrigation
- Primary flow irrigation (single discharge)
- Wave irrigation
- Irrigation through buried drains, Irrigation-drainage, or Vallenhove process
- Irrigation by nappe control, or Ramspol process
- Selection of irrigation parameters
- Sprinkler irrigation
- Irrigation terminal
- Irrigation device
- Perforated pipe sprinkler irrigation
- Irrigation sprinkler machine
- Centre pivot irrigation
- Lateral-move irrigation machine sprinkler method
- Solid set irrigation
- Piloting of irrigation
- Irrigation cycle
- Micro-irrigation, Localized irrigation, Drip irrigation, Trickle irrigation
- Mobile micro-irrigation
- Pulse irrigation
- Surface drip irrigation
- Buried drip irrigation
- Drip irrigation functioning by propulsions
- Micro-irrigation network
- Micro-irrigation nozzle-line
- Irrigation dose
- Semi-automatic control (of irrigation)
- Micro-irrigation system with hydraulic sequential operation
- Automatic control (of irrigation)
- Porous wall microirrigation tubing
- Proportional irrigation pump
- Irrigation water
- Irrigation water requirement, Irrigation need
- Net irrigation requirement, Farm delivery requirement, or Delta at farm
- Crop irrigation requirement
- Diversion requirement, Gross irrigation requirement, or Delta at head of main canal
- Optimum irrigation requirements
- Irrigation efficiency, Farm irrigation efficiency, Farm delivery efficiency, Water conveyance and delivery efficiency, or Overall efficiency
- Irrigation water-requirement
- Subirrigation
- Surge irrigation
- Irrigation water use efficiency
- Unit irrigation efficiency
- Economic efficiency of irrigation
- Irrigation efficiency
- Agronomic efficiency of irrigation or Agronomic productivity of irrigation
- Degree of durability of irrigation
- Programmed irrigation
- Fully automatic irrigation system
- Irrigation development project or system
- Irrigation
- Surface irrigation
- Basin Irrigation
- Overhead irrigation
- Sub‑irrigation
- Microirrigation
- Trickle irrigation
- Drip irrigation
- Total irrigation
- Supplemental irrigation
- Preplant irrigation
- Organic irrigation
- Conjunctive irrigation planning
- Irrigation project
- Irrigation potential
- Assessment of irrigation charges
- Irrigation cess
- Water rate, Water charge, Irrigation rate, or Irrigation assessment
- Primary benefits, Primary effects, Direct irrigation benefits, or Direct irrigation effects
- Secondary benefits, Secondary effects, Indirect irrigation benefits, or Indirect irrigation effects
- Economic value of unit of irrigation water
- Revenue value of a unit of irrigation water
