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Example 1. Estimate the monthly and total crop

Calculation of crop water need
water requirement for tomatoes.
using the crop factor:
Month JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY
1. Estimate the duration of the various ETO (mm/day) 4.0 5.0 5.8 6.3 6.8 7.1 6.5
growth stages. Duration of growing period = 150 days
2. Indicate the ETo values at the Planting Date: Feb. 1 (direct sowing)
various growth stages. Planting Date Feb.1
Initial Stage (Kc = 0.45) Feb. 1 to Mar. 5
3. Estimate the crop factor for the Crop Devt Stage (Kc = 0.75) Mar. 6 to Apr.15
Mid-season Stage (Kc = 1.15) Apr.16 to June 5
various growth stages. Late Season Stage (Kc = 0.80) June 6 to June 30
4. Estimate the crop water need. Last Day of Harvest June 30

Approximate Net Irrigation depth (mm)

The Simple Calculation Method Shallow Medium Deep rooting
rooting crops rooting crops crops
 to determine the irrigation schedule/ interval
Shallow and/or sandy soil 15 30 40

1. Estimate the net and gross irrigation Loamy soil 20 40 60

Clayey soil 30 50 70
depth in mm.
2. Calculate the irrigation water need (crop Approximate Root Depth of field crops (cm)
Shallow rooting crops Crucifers (cabbage, cauliflower), celery,
water requirement) in mm over the total (30 – 60 cm) lettuce, onions, lettuce, pineapple, potatoes,
spinach, etc.
growing season.
Medium rooting crops Bananas, beans, beets, carrots, clover,
3. Calculate the number of irrigation (50 – 100 cm) cacao, cucumber, groundnuts, palm trees,
peas, pepper, soybeans, tobacco, tomatoes
applications over the total growing
season. Deep rooting crops Alfalfa, barley, citrus, cotton, dates,
(90 – 150 cm) deciduous orchards, flax, grapes, maize,
4. Calculate the irrigation interval in days. melons, oats, olives, sweet potatoes,
sugarcane

The gross depth of irrigation may be computed by: Example 2. If for example the tomatoes in
𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝒙 𝒅𝑵𝑬𝑻 Example 1 are grown on loamy soil, and utilizes
𝒅𝑮𝑹𝑶𝑺𝑺 furrow irrigation, determine the net and gross
𝒆𝒂
irrigation depths and its irrigation interval.
Field Application Efficiency, ea
Surface 60%
irrigation
Sprinkler 75%
irrigation
Drip Irrigation 90%

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Adjustment of Simple Calculation

Method for the Peak Period Crop Irrigation Requirement, 𝐶𝐼
It is possible to obtain irrigation intervals that  Portion of the Consumptive Use that must be
may cause under irrigation in the peak period supplied by irrigation
due to higher water demand in a crop’s later
growth stage. 𝑪𝑰𝑹 𝑼𝑪 𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇
Where: 𝑈 = consumptive use in m/yr
To ensure that the crop does not suffer from 𝑃 = effective precipitation data (i.e. AAR)
undue water shortage, it is possible to refine the
simple calculation solution by basing the
interval on the peak period only and combining
this with the original solution.

Farm Delivery Requirements, 𝑞

 water required for irrigation in m/yr Farm Irrigation Efficiency, 𝑪𝑰𝑹
𝒒𝒇
𝑼𝑪 𝑷𝒆𝒇𝒇 𝑪𝑰𝑹
𝒒𝒇 • Average efficiency ranges from 40 to
𝟏 𝑳𝒇 𝟏 𝑳𝒇 60%
Where: 𝐿 = Farm Losses due to: • Under favorable conditions, above 80%
1. deep seepage (less than 5%) is possible.
2. surface runoff (should not exceed 5%)
*percolation (15 to 50% of applied water)

Conveyance Losses*, 𝐿
Diversion Requirement, 𝑄 1. Evaporation (in open conveyance system)
 Total flow requirement 2. Transpiration (by vegetation along canal
𝒒𝒇 banks)
𝑸𝑫 𝒒𝒔 + 𝒒𝒇 3. Seepage (in unlined conveyance system)
𝟏 𝑳𝑪
4. Operational wastes (i.e. leakage, losses
Where: 𝑞 = flow to supplement conveyance from overflow and breakage of canals) 
losses should be less than 5%
𝑞 = farm delivery requirement
𝐿 = conveyance losses in *Total Losses range between 15 to 30% and
decimal percentage can be eliminated by using a pipe system. Cost
optimization should be considered.

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Sample Problems:
1. An irrigator takes delivery of 720,000
m3 of water to a 6500-ha farm during a
year in which the consumptive use is
estimated to be 94 cm and the effective
precipitation is estimated to be 39cm.
What is the farm irrigation efficiency?
2. An irrigator plans to irrigate 200 ha of rice
fields whose consumptive use is estimated to
be 0.57 m/yr. Analysis of past rainfall records
indicates that effective precipitation varies from
zero in very dry years to 20cm in wet years.
Water will be delivered to the area by open
canal. Assuming delivery loss of 20% and a
farm efficiency of 60%, what would be the

Farm Irrigation Efficiency, 𝑪𝑰𝑹

diversion requirement 𝑸𝑫 in ha-cm/yr?

𝒒𝒇

3. Assuming the annual consumptive use

for cotton to be 2.6ft/yr and a
consumptive-use percentage of 18.3 in
July, a farm efficiency of 53% and
conveyance loss of 22%, compute the
monthly water requirement for a 160-acre
farm. Assume the average monthly
precipitation for July is 1.8 inches.