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An Irrigation Method For Agriculture

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Water is primarily irrigated; irrigated water is needed for growing the crops this planet survives and flourishes off of. There are various methods of irrigation, such as surface irrigation, drip/macro irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and subsurface irrigation. Surface irrigation involves techniques where water is simply distributed over the soil surface by gravity. It is also the most common form of irrigation throughout the world. Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the root of a plant. This is a very effective method of irrigation because almost no water is lost through runoff or evaporation (Burt,…& Hardy, 2000). However, drip irrigation is rarely used by small-scale farmers, who face some of the worst water shortages, because of the high costs of this particular irrigation system (Burt,…& Eisenhauer, 1997). The selection of an irrigation method for agriculture is dependent on the type of crop, climate of the area, economics, water quality, energy availability, and multiple other factors (Burt,…& Hardy, 2000). The United States exports about one-third of all water it withdrawals in the form of crops and various other goods. Water’s necessity for survival has led to its mismanagement and thus overuse. Societies around the world are finally beginning to realize that water is very limited and must be reserved. The Colorado River used to flow 20 mil ac-ft to the Gulf of California; currently, it only flows around 7 mil ac-ft and no water reaches the gulf

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