• Semester 2 (Day)

Pre-requisite: 70666

Synopsis

The  control of the application of water to land (irrigation) and  the
removal  of surplus water from land (drainage) is critical to much  of
Australia's agriculture.  This unit will provide the skills  necessary
for  the  design  and management of effective and  efficient  on  farm
irrigation  systems.   Irrigation  application  methods  (current  and
proposed)  are  studied  with  an  emphasis  on  the  evaluation   and
optimization  of  performance,  and  with  the  theory  reinforced  by
irrigation practical sessions.  Efficient irrigation also requires  an
appreciation  of  the  physical processes of the  entry,  storage  and
redistribution  of  water  in soils; the uptake  of  water  by  plants
(including  limitations caused by soil salinization);  evaporation  of
water directly into the atmosphere; and evaporation through plants  as
transpiration (evapotranspiration).  The unit will also show  students
that  the  long  term  viability of irrigation is dependent  upon  the
provisions  of adequate surface and subsurface drainage.  Finally  the
unit  attempts  to apply all of the above skills in the  planning  and
design of whole farm irrigation systems.