Evaluation of the efficiency of tile drainage systems in heavy clayey soils in Egypt
Abstract: Over the past twenty years, a large increase in the agricultural sector investments have been allocated to drainage projects, which have been made to improve the soil properties and also to increase the crop production. The total area provided with tile drainage until now is about 5.0 million feddans, and by the year 2010 will reach to 7.0 million feddans. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of the collector drains as affected by the huraulic conductivity and cropping intensity of the soil in two experimental areas located at the Eastern Nile Delta (Mahmoudia) and Middle Nile Delta (Nashart) under different soil types and farm management. The areas under study were cultivated with summer crops (rice, maize and cotton). The current study was executed during the summer season of 2005 when the maximum water duties are given to the crops. The field measured parameters were crop intensities per collector, soil hydraulic conductivity, collector discharges and water level in manholes.
The obtained results reveal that the drainage rate in the non-rice growing areas should remain 2 mm/day. It already includes 100% of the safety margin. The drainage rate in rice growing areas was proportional to the area under rice within the command area. The hydraulic performance of some collector drains are classified as good, while the others perform fair to poor due to high pressure observed specially in the upstream reaches. In 5 out of the total 14 collectors, a sudden rise in the water level of more than 0.25 m between two manholes was observed. This indicated of the existence of major blockages in this section of the collectors. It was concluded also that the design rate or the safety factor for non-rice areas is too high as well as the design rate and safety factor for rice areas are reasonable. The hydraulic performance of collectors in both the rice and non-rice areas was generally not satisfactory, except for some collectors. Over pressure prevailed in the system, especially at the upstream parts, even at low discharges. The over pressure is a result of restricted flow area, due to sediments inside the pipes. Effective maintenance is, therefore, required for these systems
Publication year 2006
Availability location Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute, ARC,-معهد بحوث الاراضى والمياه والبيئة
Availability number
Organization Name
City Zagazig
serial title Egyptian Journal of Applied Sciences
ISSN 1110-1571
Department Improvement and Conservation of Cultivated Soils Research
Author(s) from ARC
Agris Categories Drainage
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Clay soils. Permeability. Subsurface drainage.
Proposed Agrovoc drainage efficiency;crop intensity;
Publication Type Journal
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