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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #108779
Title: DROPS OF LIFE IN THE HISTORY OF IRRIGATION

Author
item Howell, Terry

Submitted to: Irrigation Journal
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/27/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This article reviews the historical developments in sprinkler, mechanical sprinkle, and drip/trickle/microirrigation. It chronicles the early developments in sprinkler head development. It discusses the important advances in sprinklers including portable pipes and gasket developments. It summarizes the developments in making the center pivot irrigation an important irrigation system today. The development of side-roll and lateral-move sprinklers were described. Advances into LEPA (low energy, precision application) technology was described. The historical development of drip irrigation into the widely known microirrigation method was described. The U.S. Agricultural Census data were used to illustrate the dramatic changes in the irrigation industry over the past 20 years where center pivots have increased by 72%, drip by 600%, and subirrigation by 150% while surface irrigation declined by 20%.