Irrigation system with channels of irrigation system

When you hear 'ditch irrigation systems', most people think of trenches of water - but that's just the tip of the iceberg. In fact, competent design requires taking into account dozens of parameters: from soil type to seasonal water mineralization. I remember how in 2018, near Alma-Ata, I had to redo an entire plot - due to the sandy soil, the water went into the soil faster than it reached the last field. It was then that I realized that standard calculations did not work here.

Why are channels still relevant?

Despite the fashion for drip irrigation, canal systems retain their advantages in large agricultural holdings. For example, for irrigating alfalfa on areas over 200 hectares, canals are more economical - they do not require constant replacement of filters and are less dependent on the quality of electricity. But here lies the catch: many people underestimate the need to regularly clean the bottom. Over the course of a season, silt can reduce capacity by 30%.

Last year I observed an interesting case in the Fergana Valley. Local agronomists have used wooden gates for decades, but the transition to automatic gates hasShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltdallowed to reduce water losses by 18%. At the same time, it was necessary to modernize the channels themselves - strengthen the walls with geogrids, otherwise the automation would create water hammers.

By the way, about water hammer. When designing a canal network, people often forget about the topography - if the slope exceeds 0.002, the water erodes the bottom. You have to either make changes with energy absorbers, or use denser materials for cladding. In Kazakhstan, for example, local bentonite is successfully used for waterproofing.

Errors when upgrading old systems

The most common mistake is trying to automate channels without preliminary diagnostics. In the Krasnodar region I saw how expensive electric drives were installed on 50-year-old concrete trays. Result: after a month, three drives failed due to structural faults. First you need to assess the condition of the channels themselves - cracks larger than 2 mm already require repair.

Another nuance is equipment compatibility. Not all manufacturers take into account that channel systems often use water with a high salt content. Valves fromlyzhihuinongye.ruHere they performed well - ceramic seals can withstand up to 3 g/l of mineralization. But for the Arkhangelsk region, where the water is soft, this is excessive.

Sometimes it is easier to build a new system than to repair an old one. In 2021, the Rostov region expected to reconstruct canals from the Soviet period, but after analyzing the cost of the work, they chose new construction. The savings amounted to 23%, plus we were able to immediately lay out the possibility of integration with weather stations.

Selection of equipment for different regions

In arid regions such as Kalmykia, protection against evaporation is critical. Floating modules made of foamed polypropylene reduce losses by 40%, but require anchoring - they are blown away in strong winds. By the way, on the websitehttps://www.lyzhihuinongye.ruThere is a calculator for selecting such systems for specific conditions.

For Siberia, the main problem is freezing. Standard concrete trays crack in 2-3 winters, so it is better to use composite materials with a coefficient of thermal expansion of at least 5×10?? 1/°C. Last year, Canadian designs were tested, but it turned out that at -40°C they become brittle.

An interesting solution for the Far East is hybrid systems. During the rainy season, water accumulates in storage ponds, and during drought it is supplied through canals. But here it is important to correctly calculate the volumes - if the load is exceeded, the channels are washed away in a matter of hours. I personally saw how in Primorye after a typhoon it took 4 months to restore the system.

Integration with smart technologies

Many people think that duct systems cannot be automated. This is a misconception - water level sensors and remote shutters allow you to control irrigation with an accuracy of up to 5%. But there is a nuance: unlike drip systems, here the reaction delay reaches 15-20 minutes due to the inertia of the water flow.

CompanyShandong Lingyao Co.,Ltdin its projects it uses cascade control - when the upper sections of the canal begin watering before the lower ones. This reduces peak loads and prevents overflow. For sugar beets in the Voronezh region, this approach gave a 12% increase in yield.

The most difficult thing is forecasting. Simple weather sensors are not always effective; soil moisture at different depths must be taken into account. This year we are testing a system with neural networks - preliminary results show a forecast error of no more than 7% versus 25% for traditional methods.

Economics and Long Term

With proper operation, channel systems last 25-30 years versus 8-10 years for drip systems. But many people forget about the cost of maintenance - cleaning, repairing valves, controlling vegetation. On average, this is 3-5% of the initial investment annually.

For large farms over 1000 hectares, it is often more profitable to build combined systems. For example, the main lines are channels, and in-floor distribution is through perforated pipes. This reduces capital costs by 15-20% compared to all-drip solutions.

Prospects are seen in modular solutions. NowShandong Lingyao Intelligent Agriculture Technologyis developing a system of quick-assembly channels made of polymer sections - installation is 3 times faster than traditional, however, it is still 25% more expensive. But for emergency situations (for example, restoration after a flood) this may be justified.

Ultimately, choosing an irrigation system is always a trade-off between cost, reliability and control flexibility. Canal systems, for all their archaic features, will remain a working tool for large agricultural producers for a long time - especially where water is available but infrastructure is limited.