In this method, water is distributed over the soil surface by gravity flow of water.

Advantages

▪ Widely used method
▪ Easily understood by local users
▪ Can be developed with minimum cost
▪ Less affected by environmental agents
▪ Highly flexible and can be modified

Disadvantages

▪ Less efficient
▪ Labour intensive
▪ Takes more time for construction
▪ Chance of soil erosion
▪ May affect nearby soil

Types of Surface Irrigation

1. Uncontrolled Flooding

2. Controlled Flooding

3. Check Flooding

4. Basin Flooding

5. Furrow Irrigation

6. Zigzag Method

7. Contour Farming

8. Contour Laterals

1. Uncontrolled Flooding

▪ It is also called wild flooding.
▪ It is suitable for crops that are cultivated closely.
▪ Contour ditches are spaced at 20 to 30m.
▪ The water from main supply ditch is collected in contour ditch or subsidiary ditch or lateral ditch.
▪ The water from contour ditch is allowed to flow freely without control.
▪ It has less initial cost.
▪ It demands high labour.
▪ It has less efficiency.
▪ It is suitable for slopy or irregular land.

2. Controlled Flooding 

▪ It is also called free flooding.

▪ This method involves dividing the irrigation land into several strips having width of about 10–20m and length of 100 to 400m.
▪ It is the controlled overflow of water over the land without any disturbance.
▪ It is done for land preparation.
▪ It is performed on relatively slopy and irregular lands.

3. Check Flooding

▪ In this method water is supplied to a relatively levelled plot or checks which are surrounded by borders or levees.
▪ The check area is 0.2 to 0.8 hectares.
▪ This method is useful in very permeable soils.
▪ It is less costly and require less labor.
▪ Its efficiency of irrigation is low and is not suitable for all crops.
▪ It is less feasible for slopy ground.

4. Basin Flooding

▪ It is special type of check flooding.
▪ Water flows from main supply ditch passes to subsidiary ditches.
▪ Water from subsidiary ditches is transferred to basin that has one or more trees.
▪ This method is suitable for orchard trees.

5. Furrow Irrigation

▪ This method of irrigation is widely used for row crops.
▪ Small furrow (called corrugation) is used for row irrigation.
▪ Furrows are narrow field ditches that can carry water.
▪ Its length is 400 metres and depth is 8 to 30 cm.

6. Zigzag Method

▪ In this method, the agricultural land is sub-divided into small plots in a zigzag manner.
▪ The water is supplied to the plots from the field channel through opening.
▪ Water flows in a zigzag way.
▪ Its efficiency is higher and labour cost is less.
▪ It is possible to apply water uniformly.
▪ Fertilizers can be uniformly applied by mixing with water.
▪ It is only suitable for row crops.
▪ Irrigation cost is higher.
▪ More time is required for irrigation.

7. Contour Farming

▪ Contour Farming is sustainable way of farming where farmers plant crops across or perpendicular to slopes by following slope of a field.
▪ Contour farming reduces soil erosion.
▪ It is effective in slopes having gradient 2 to 10%.
▪ It requires a certain amount of rainfall in a given period for growth of crops.

8. Contour Laterals

▪ It is special type of flooding in which field channel or laterals are aligned approximately along the contour.
▪ Irrigation is only possible on one side.

Last modified: Sunday, 3 August 2025, 6:51 AM