---
title: "Surface methods and furrow irrigation"
subject: "Irrigation and Drainage Engineering"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering:furrow-irrigation-methods"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering/furrow-irrigation-methods
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Surface methods and furrow irrigation

Irrigation and Drainage Engineering · Chapter 1: Introduction

- Asked in: 2077 Chaitra, 6 marks
- Video: [Furrow Irrigation Method](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaZk_SXdzuA) — Coordinator cas
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering/furrow-irrigation-methods
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering/chapter-1

## Question

Write the different methods of surface and sub-surface irrigation and explain furrow irrigation with their suitability.

## Short answer

Surface methods: wild flooding, border strip, check basin, furrow. Sub-surface: natural and artificial. Furrow irrigation runs water in small channels between crop rows, wetting part of surface. Suitable for row crops (maize, potato, sugarcane) on medium/heavy soils with gentle slopes, efficiency 50-65%.

## Answer

#### Methods of surface irrigation
- Wild (free) flooding
- Border strip
- Check basin
- Ring basin (orchards)
- Furrow

#### Methods of sub-surface irrigation
- Natural sub-irrigation (high water table, canal seepage)
- Artificial sub-irrigation (open ditches or perforated pipes below the root zone)

#### Furrow irrigation
Water runs in small channels (furrows) between rows of the crop and soaks sideways and downwards. Only part of the surface (about 1/3 to 1/2) is wetted.

```text
  ridge  furrow  ridge  furrow  ridge
  /\_____/\_____/\_____/\
   crop   ~~water~~  crop
  head ditch ======================>
```

**Types:** straight, contour (curved) furrows, corrugations (small), and level or graded furrows.

**Design points:** furrow length 60-300 m (shorter for sandy soil), spacing 0.5-1.0 m according to crop and soil, slope 0.2-3% (usually 0.5%), stream size to reach the end without erosion.

**Suitability**
- Row crops: maize, potato, sugarcane, cotton, vegetables.
- Medium to heavy soils; sandy soils need short furrows.
- Gentle slopes; not on very flat clay (waterlogging) or steep land without contouring.

**Advantages:** water does not touch the plant stem, less crusting, good aeration, efficiency 50-65%.
**Disadvantages:** needs levelling and labour; some deep percolation at the head and runoff at the tail.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. How does furrow irrigation wet the soil?
   A. The whole surface is flooded
   B. Water sprays from nozzles
   C. Water runs in channels between rows and soaks sideways and downward
   D. Water rises by capillary action from a water table
   Answer: C. Only about 1/3 to 1/2 of the surface is wetted. (Key point: Furrow mechanism)

2. What are typical furrow length and slope?
   A. Length 5 m, slope 30%
   B. Length 2000 m, slope 0%
   C. Length 60-300 m, slope 20%
   D. Length 60-300 m, slope 0.2-3% (usually 0.5%)
   Answer: D. Shorter furrows are used in sandy soil. (Key point: Furrow design)

3. An advantage of furrow irrigation is:
   A. Water does not touch the plant stem and there is less crusting
   B. No levelling needed
   C. No labour required
   D. Efficiency 95%
   Answer: A. Efficiency is 50-65% and it needs levelling and labour. (Key point: Advantage)

4. Furrows are unsuitable for:
   A. Maize
   B. Very flat clay (waterlogging) or steep land without contouring
   C. Potato
   D. Sugarcane on gentle slope
   Answer: B. Suitable for row crops on medium to heavy soils with gentle slopes. (Key point: Suitability)

## Close variants set in other exams

- [Surface and sub-surface irrigation methods](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Firrigation_and_drainage_engineering%3Asurface-subsurface-methods-suitability) — Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, chapter 1, asked 11×

## Related in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering

- [Short note: Sub-surface irrigation](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Firrigation_and_drainage_engineering%3Asubsurface-irrigation-note) — Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, chapter 1
- [Advantages of surface and sub-surface irrigation](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Firrigation_and_drainage_engineering%3Asurface-subsurface-pros-cons) — Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, chapter 1
- [Surface methods; drip and sprinkler suitability](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Firrigation_and_drainage_engineering%3Asurface-methods-drip-sprinkler-suitability) — Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, chapter 1

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