The Effect of Controlled Drainage on Drainage Discharge, water Table and Water Productivity in Maghan Plain

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Dept. of Irr. & Reclam. Eng., Faculty of Engineering and technology

2 University of Tehran

3 Agricultural Engineering Research Institute, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Karaj

4 International University of Imam Khomeini

Abstract

Today the main function of drainage, is not only out excess water, but its main purpose has changed to manage the water table. Controlled drainage is one of the procedures that can fulfill this goal. In this study, controlled drainage system in the lands of the Maghan plain was implemented to reduce the volume of drainage water, water table management, increase efficiency and productivity of water use efficiency in corn and wheat. This study was implemented in 40 hectares' area in three treatments and three repeated included free drainage (FD), controlled drainage with fixed control depth 70 cm (CD70) and controlled drainage with variable depth during plant growth (CDch). The collected information includes the discharge from drains, temporal and spatial changes in water table levels and production of corn and wheat crops in two consecutive seasons. The results showed that volume of laterals drainage in CDch and the CD70 treatment 51.2 and 43.8 percent in corn and 46.6 and 33.1 percentage for wheat declines into significant related to free drainage (FD). Investigation on water table fluctuation revealed that the free drainage has more frequency than the controlled drainage treatments. The wet forage in maize in the treatment of CD70 and CDch was to the 24.9 and 19.1 percent and in grain wheat increased 41.3 and 26.6% percent compared to the treatment of FD. Finally, the results showed that the water use productivity in controlled drainage treatments and especially is the CDch treatment was more than free drainage treatment. By implementing controlled drainage system in addition to reducing drainage water, it will be reduced the environmental damage caused by the drainage for downstream farms.

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