Furrow irrigation performance under spatially varying conditions

A zero-inertia furrow irrigation model with specified space solution was us ed to investigate the effects of variability in furrow inflow rate and spat ial variability in infiltration, geometry, and roughness on end-of-furrow a dvance, average infiltrated depth, and Christiansen's and distribution unif ormities. Extensive field-gathered infiltration, geometry, and roughness da ta were used as input to the zero-inertia model. Simulations were performed on a single furrow as well as fieldwide. Variable furrow inflow was incorp orated into the fieldwide analysis. Model simulations were evaluated to det ermine the importance to irrigation performance of variability in each inpu t variable. Variability of furrow physical characteristics, in decreasing o rder of their relative impact on furrow irrigation performance, were :furro w inflow rate, infiltration, geometry, and roughness for the conditions stu died.