Environmental impacts of irrigation are the changes in quantity and quality of soil and water as a result of irrigation and the ensuing effects on natural and social conditions at the tail-end and downstream of the irrigation scheme.
The impacts stem from the changed hydrological conditions owing to the installation and operation of the scheme.
An irrigation scheme often draws water from the river and distributes it over the irrigated area. As a hydrological result it is found that:
- the downstream river discharge is reduced
- the evaporation in the scheme is increased
- the groundwater recharge in the scheme is increased
- the level of the water table rises
- the drainage flow is increased
These may be called direct effects.
The effects thereof on soil and water quality are indirect and complex, waterlogging and soil salination are part of these, whereas the subsequent impacts on natural, ecological and socio-economi cconditions is very intricate.
Irrigation can also be done extracting groundwater by (tube) wells. As a hydrological result it is found that the level of the water descends. The effects may be water mining, land/soil subsidence, and, along the coast, saltwater intrusion.
Irrigation projects can have large benefits, but the negative side effects are often overlooked.The lower the irrigation efficiency, the higher are the losses. Although fairly high irrigation efficiencies of 70% or more (i.e. losses of 30% or less) can be obtained with sophisticated techniques like sprinkler irrigation and drip irrigation, or by precision land levelling for surface irrigation, in practice the losses are commonly in the order of 40 to 60%.
The effects of irrigation on water table, soil salinity and salinity of drainage and groundwater, and the effects of mitigation measures can be simulated and predicted using agro-hydro-salinity models.
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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
Canal Irrigation +
Flood Irrigation +
Deficit Irrigation +
Supplemental Irrigation +
Sprinkler Irrigation +
Drip Irrigation +
Lift Irrigation +
Centre Pivot Irrigation +
Tidal Irrigation +
Micro-Irrigation Technologies for Small Holders +
Automatic Irrigation Systems +
Pressurized Irrigation +
Irrigation in Viticulture +
Purpose of Irrigation
Instruments and implements of Irrigation
Pumps +
Centrifugal Pumps +
Submersible Pumps +
Turbine and Jet Pumps +
Conveying Pipes +
Sprinklers +
Drippers +
Canal Automation Systems +
Irrigation Management
Economics of Irrigation System +
I&D System Types +
I&D Investment Functions +
I&D Management Issues +
Participatory I&D Management +
Equity in Irrigation +
Irrigation Services +
Irrigation and environment
Pollution and Irrigation +
Irrigation and Climate Resilience +
Environmental Aspects of Irrigation +
Environmental Impacts of Irrigation +
Green Lawn Irrigation +
Safe Use of Waste Water in Irrigation +
Organic Agriculture +
Soil Health +
Soil Health Management +
Quality of Irrigation Water +
Capacity Development
Drainage
Drainage Types and Systems
Agricultural Drainage +
Field Drainage systems +
Canal Irrigation and Drainage +
Surface Drainage Systems +
Subsurface Drainage +
Mole Drainage +
Bio-Drainage +
Regional Bio-Drainage +
Drainage Issues
- 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
- Environmental protection
- Environmental quality
- Environmental agents
- Environmental stress
- Environmental geology
- Environmental region
- Environmental change
- Environmentally sensitive area
- Environmental parameters
- Environmental tracer
- Environmental resources
- Environmental pollution
- Environmental fate
- Environmental elements
- Environmental criteria
- Environmental analysis
- Environmental standards
- Environmental statement
- Environmental assessment
- Environmental review
- Environmental planning and design
- Environmental forecasting
- Environmental monitoring
- Environmental surveillance
- Environmental fragility
- Environmental impact
- Environmental impact analysis
- Environmental quality standards
- Implementation plan (environmental)
- 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
- Environmental planning
- 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
- (Climate) Impacts