ABSTRACT
Irrigation systems have evolved from flood systems to pressurized sprinkler and trickle systems. In flood irrigation, water is applied to a field in a controlled stream and allowed to flow over the soil surface by gravity, the final distribution being affected by variations in surface slope and water infiltration rates. Well-designed pressurized irrigation systems apply water at sufficiently low rates that it infiltrates with little or no surface movement, thus providing a greater degree of control and improved uniformity of application.
