Extended Assessment of Sprinkler Irrigation Uniformity in Greenhouses Using GIS and Hydraulic Modeling

Iñigo Barberena (), Miguel Ángel Campo-Bescós and Javier Casalí
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Iñigo Barberena: Department of Engineering, Public University of Navarre, Campus de Arrosadía, 31006 Pamplona, Spain
Miguel Ángel Campo-Bescós: ISFOOD—Institute for Innovation & Sustainable Development in Food Chain, Public University of Navarre, Campus de Arrosadía, 31006 Pamplona, Spain
Javier Casalí: ISFOOD—Institute for Innovation & Sustainable Development in Food Chain, Public University of Navarre, Campus de Arrosadía, 31006 Pamplona, Spain

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-12

Abstract: Traditionally, distribution uniformity has been obtained by using rain gauges, which makes it a very expensive process. This paper sought to create a simulation strategy using QGIS and EPANET, both free software, that allowed the simulation of the water application results of all the emitters of an irrigation installation. In this way, it was possible to obtain the geospatial representation of the applied water and finally to know the distribution uniformity in the whole installation. The simulation finally fulfilled its objective and was compared with a study of distribution uniformity with rain gauges. The biggest difference between the measured and simulated data was a difference of 5.76% among the sectors. The simulated uniformity was very similar to the measured uniformity, which allowed us to affirm that the proposed simulation methodology was adequate. We believe that the methodology proposed in this article could be very useful in improving the management of sprinkler irrigation systems, particularly those in which distribution uniformity is of special importance. These improvements in management can also result in savings in water and other inputs, which are becoming increasingly important in the current context of climate change and the reduction in the impact of agriculture on the environment. Finally, similar studies could be carried out with the same tools for other pressurized irrigation systems, such as sprinkler irrigation outside greenhouses and drip irrigation.

Keywords: QGIS; EPANET; irrigation system evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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