Furrow irrigation erosion effects on crop production

Furrow erosion and sediment deposition redistributes topsoil within fields. Both of these processes are directly proportional to the energy of the furrow irrigation stream. This stream must be large enough at the application point to provide sufficient water for infiltration along the entire furrow length to meet the purposes of irrigation. Where slopes exceed about 0.7 % on many silt loam soils, the flow velocity combined with the stream size at the upper ends of fields has sufficient energy to erode soil (Berg and Carter, 1980). As the furrow stream size decreases from infiltration along the furrow, the energy to erode and transport evil also decreases. At some point along the furrow the stream energy reaches a level where it no longer erodes soil. Then, further down slope, the energy reaches a level where the stream will no longer carry the accumulated sediment from upstream erosion. At that point sedimentation begins and continues downslope. The quantity of eroded soil. actually leaving the field through the furrow depends upon the sediment load in the furrow stream at the entry point into the drain ditch at the lower en