Surface Water Sources Stream flow is generally the cheapest source of water for irrigation.
Drip irrigation is quickly gaining popularity as a low-cost and water-saving technique. At its core, it is a network of perforated tubes linked to a water source. The water flows through the tubes and trickles out of the perforations onto the soil.
But the one positive for flood or surface irrigation is that it requires less energy and hardware and is, therefore, usually cheaper than any other method to install and run.
A low-cost irrigation system can be as simple as a series of troughs or gutters moving water by gravity, or it can involve a pump and pipelines to move water to sprinklers or a drip system.
Sprinkler irrigation is probably the most cost-effective way to cover a broad swath of land, like a farm with acres and acres of plants to water. Sprinkler irrigation is versatile. Drip irrigation is difficult to maintain over a large space, while surface irrigation relies on the slope of the land to work properly.
Small systems which are operated by manual labor and gravity flow can cost as little as $50 and irrigate a small garden. Larger systems requiring pumps and permanent piping can cost from $1800 to $2500 an acre. All irrigation systems will cost you time to operate and manage.
The correct answer is Drip Irrigation. Drip irrigation is the most efficient method of irrigation. It is preferred in desert regions.
Lawn irrigation systems cost $6,000 to $10,000 per acre installed, depending on the type, number of zones, landscape design, and yard slope. Professionally installed sprinkler systems cost $2,000 to $4,500 per quarter-acre lot, the average yard size in the U.S.
On the other hand, sprinkler irrigation is more efficient than flood and furrow irrigation, but it is still less efficient than drip irrigation, which is the most effective method of irrigation. Therefore, if you want to cut down water usage and maximize irrigation efficiency, it's best to opt for drip irrigation.
Explanation: Drip irrigation is water economical method because in this irrigation system water falls drop by drop on the position of roots of the plant, thereby reducing both the consumption and loss of water.
Drip Irrigation Dramatically Reduces Water Loss Through Evaporation and More. The can be no doubt, however, that drip irrigation is by far the most efficient system when it comes to minimising water usage and wastage.
Wet pipe sprinkler systems are the most reliable and cost effective. Therefore, they should be the first type considered when selecting a sprinkler system. However, there are times when a wet pipe sprinkler system may not be appropriate.
Budget: Drip irrigation may have higher installation costs, but it can save money in the long run due to its efficiency. Sprinkler systems are more affordable upfront, but their ongoing maintenance costs may add up.
Portable hand-move systems are the least expensive but require the most labor. Permanent solid set systems have the advantage of being easily automated, and can also be used for frost protection.
Manual Watering
All you need for manual watering is a hose and time. Just grab the hose and water it yourself. Manual watering is perhaps the most affordable of all the sprinkler system alternatives, but it also is the most time-consuming.
Drip irrigation is the cheapest and simplest mode of irrigation.
However, spray systems are more expensive than flood and furrow irrigation and also requires energy to run. Drip irrigation uses perforated hopses to release small amounts of water to plant roots. This system is the most efficient, with only about 5% of water lost to evaporation and runoff.
Multi-stream rotational sprinkler heads can be used for irrigation systems in place of traditional fixed-spray nozzles (sprinkler heads). They have a lower precipitation rate and better distribution uniformity compared to traditional pop-up nozzles. They reduce water use and irrigate the landscape more evenly.
For ½ impact sprinkler approximately 25-30 sprinkler heads are enough to evenly water an acre of land.
However, there are many advantages and benefits that go well beyond the convenience a system offers you. An automated sprinkler system certainly saves you time and effort, but it also saves water, increases your home's value, and helps you maintain a healthy, vibrant yard and landscape.
The average cost of a fully installed sprinkler system is between $3,500 and $6,500. Most contractors quote sprinkler jobs by zone — costs range between $500 and $700 per irrigation zone, and an additional $600 for a backflow prevention valve.
Drip or trickle irrigation is one of the most efficient irrigation systems. It minimizes wastage of water by supplying the amount of water required by the plant directly to its roots.
Surface or flood irrigation is the least efficient manner of irrigation. When a field is flooded, more water than is needed by the plant is applied to the field and water evaporates, seeps into the ground and percolates down to the groundwater, where it can be out of reach of the plant's roots.
Subirrigation applies water below the soil surface to raise the watertable into or near the plant root zone. Subirrigation is not often used in arid or semi-arid irrigated areas where irrigation is often needed to germinate crops. It is typically used in conjunction with subsurface drainage, or controlled drainage.