# Primitive Irrigation System still used?



## iForgeDesigns (May 15, 2013)

im looking to start building a garden, i have 5 acres and i think i might want to use about an acre of it for gardening. But i kinda wanted to use the primitive style of irrigation methods. I always refer to Ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia. 

I will attach photos of examples but i warn you they arent very detailed of what i mean. But youll get the idea. But i want to have a garden that essentially irrigates itself so i dont have to maintain it but every other couple days or run up the water bill by having to use the water hose. My idea was just to use a natural water sources to put into the irrigation system. But first what i want to know is how often must it be maintained, and how does it work? Are there better options that will provide me with the same natural water source and will irrigate it better? Please provide me with every detail and every little bit of info. Spare no details and suggestions.

Thank for your time...
Cadena - iForge Designs


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

I don't think that you have given enough information for any one to assist you. For example: do you have a nearby water source? is that water source on your property? If you have a water source, does it dry up when it gets hot? And if you were to divert that water would your states DNR take exception? And is your water source big enough to handle the project you have in mind? These are just a few of the questions you need to think about.


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## iForgeDesigns (May 15, 2013)

Well the water source in a big pond, and no it doesnt dry up in the heat and yes its my property. like right now in texas today it got around 93 degrees but it doesnt dry up so it fine and yes it would provide plenty of water for the project. And im not sure what the "DNR" is.

But firstly i need to know how this irrigation system works, how does it irrigate and where does the water usually come from. Could i use the pond for this irrigation system? and if i use this irrigation system, how do i maintain it and plant fruits, vegies etc. without them dying with this irrigation system.


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## camo2460 (Feb 10, 2013)

Very good, you could use a pump connected to a home made pipe system, which would be laying between the rows. These pipes would have small holes drilled at intervals along the length of the pipe (6-8 inches) and connected together so that the water flows from your pump into the pipes and comes out of the holes that you drilled. Since it is a pond, even though it does seem to be large, the water is not unlimited unless it is fed from a spring, If that is the case, then simply dig a trench from the pond and connect it to a series of trenches between the rows of your garden. You will still have to tend your garden, pulling weeds and adding fertilizer and such, but you won't have to use water from the house. by the way, DNR stands for Department of Natural Resources


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## iForgeDesigns (May 15, 2013)

ahhh!!!:beercheer: :congrat:


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

Flood irrigation needs level ground, really level ground or lots of careful terracing.

To give you an idea of the amount of water you're wanting to move.....

Every inch of rain is equal to 25 kg (55lbs) of water per square meter. There are 4000 square meters per acre. So for every inch of rain you want to replace you need to move 220,000 lbs of water per acre. Here, where we have limited summer rain, I try to put an inch of water on the ground per week, more if it's really hot less if it's cooler. 

If you have a source of water at a point higher than the field you want to irrigate then flood irrigation works well, if you have to pump, then you need pumps that will have high flow at that head (height) or a delivery system that will feed slowly and evenly over the area needing the water (sprinklers or drip system).


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

This type of irrigation system is still used many places in the west. Commonly it is fed from a reservoir in the hills and canals are dug down to the farmland. The fields are absolutely totally flat. Gates are opened to flood the fields when needed. Your water source has to be a fair amount higher than your field. No electric is used at all.


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## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

You might check out siphon irrigation systems. When I was a kid we used to have to "change water" twice a day.
Moose


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## Marcus (May 13, 2012)

They still use the system in the first photo up in the panhandle of Texas. There, they pump water up from the aquifer into supply ditches which run into the various fields. In the past, gas engines were used for the pumps, but most are electric now. The electric pumps were about $35K, but that was a while back.

There's a lot of preparation that goes into using that system. The fields are surveyed and leveled first. As others have mentioned, the fields are very flat. The aluminum tubes are hand primed (it's called setting tubes) after the water is high enough in the supply ditch. Where I've seen it used, the crops were irrigated twice a day. You'll need a good pair of rubber boots too. It's not a lot of fun setting tubes when it's real cold since your feet will be submerged in the water. Been there, done that with a leaky pair of boots.

You're much better off building a PVC manifold and only doing a row or two at a time for such a small plot. It'll require a much smaller pump too. Just remember to design in a drain valve so the water won't freeze in the manifold on cold nights.


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