Optimal application of irrigation water with drip-tape method for Pashmineh Zar croplands, Andimeshk, Southwest Iran

Author: Abdul Amir Moezi ¹, Kazem Torfi ², Mohammad Albaji ^3* and Arash Mahjoobi ³

Received 7 January 2009, accepted 15 April 2009.

Abstract

A new generation of drip irrigation pipes was innovated a few years ago that revolutionized the pressurized irrigation technology and was known later as Drip Tape Irrigation Technique. The manufacturing of these pipes began in Iran in 1997 by Super Drip International Co. Of the successful irrigation projects executed in Khuzestan Province, southwest Iran using drip tape method was the Pashmineh Zar project in the city of Andimeshk with an area of 50 ha. The method has numerous advantages including high efficiency (almost 90%), lower performance pressure, lacking of need for ground leveling, light weight, ease of transportation and installation and lower cost as compared with classical drip systems. Regarding the studies carried out on the pressurized irrigation systems in Khuzestan province, the drip tape irrigation scheme in Pashmineh Zar area can be considered as a successful project in encouraging farmers to use the system. The success of this scheme can be attributed to the followings: 1) selection of the suitable location in terms of slope, climate, soil texture and structure, high soil permeability, soil fertility and high quality water in the region, 2) using local labor force especially women, 3) experienced operating company in pressurized irrigation field, 4) using standard equipment, 5) using developed storage and nursery systems, 6) applying appropriate managerial practices in operating the scheme and 7) efficient marketing in exporting of the produced crops. Totally, in the drip tape system the water use efficiency (WUE) is significantly higher in comparison to the surface irrigation method so that the WUE of 2.7 kg per cubic meter for the lettuce in surface method was raised to 7.3 kg per cubic meter by drip tape method. Also, the uniformity of the water distribution along the lateral pipes with 150 m long was almost 98%. The conclusions of this study point to the fact that the ultimate success of the Pashmineh Zar project can be related to the effective operational management which is the missing part in most of the pressurized irrigation schemes and has been neglected by solely focusing on the ending of the project and not achieving the set operational purposes. It is thus recommended that, firstly, the current potentials in the Khuzestan province for the execution of pressurized irrigation systems be identified through comprehensive research projects and, secondly, the operational management of the irrigation schemes in the area be conducted by a highly effective managerial crew in order to reduce the operational problems of the installed systems, raise the total performance efficiency and cope with the current water crisis in the region.

Key words: Khuzestan, water crisis, water use efficiency, tape drip irrigation.