Mechanical Structures for Farm Irrigation

Mechanical, automatic irrigation structures that can save both water and labor are being developed for surface irrigation systems. These include both timer-controlled and automatic water-pressure-controlled structures and are being tested in various types of irrigation systems. A specially designed mechanical timer is used to control semiautomatic irrigation checks and gates. Generalized design information is presented for a timer-controlled check dam for both lined and unlined ditches. A pressure gate which opens and closes automatically when water in the channel approaches a certain depth is also described. Other structures include a drop gate, metal apron gate and water level control checks. Certain operational problems such as rodent and weed control require greater emphasis with automatic irrigation than with conventional systems.