5 Irrigation and Drainage in Polish Agriculture …
109
All the improvement and realistic effects of irrigation will depend primarily on
the economic conditions of agriculture, investment costs and operating costs of the
equipment, the quality of irrigation systems management so as the administration.
Lastly, the availability of irrigation water should be taken into account [19].
Modern, energy-saving and water-saving methods and techniques of irrigation
should be implemented: in gravity irrigation—irrigation with a constant water
table and regulated outflow, in pressure irrigation—microirrigation (drip, root,
mini-sprinklers).
It is necessary to vitally increase the available water resources for irrigation,
focusing on the following remarks:
– It needs the form of concepts, directions of actions, legal provisions, etc. solutions
in order to increase the possibilities and the broader use of groundwater resources
for irrigation
– To a certain degree it develops concepts of regional (collective) water supply
systems for irrigated lands
– Seems indispensable to continue the implementation of small retention programs,
with a focus on retention for the sake of irrigated facilities.
The development of irrigation, taking into account the intensive development
of agricultural production focused on vegetables production, should find its place
in agricultural development strategies. Water resources protection is stressed here,
because it needs the basis for further organizational and technical activities for the
creation of modern irrigation systems. Implementation of such a program will require
many instructional and training activities for future users of those systems.
The effects of irrigation and drainage are associated with the quality of exploitation
(O&M—operation and maintenance) of irrigation/drainage systems. Once exploitation of facilities has reached its’ goal, water supply is secured and then the adverse
effects of droughts and water excess could be avoided, leading even to higher productivity score. To achieve a high efficiency of these systems, systematic conservation of
the network of ditches and facilities is necessary. A lack of upgraded, but improper
exploitation of the systems and facilities restrict competent water management and
take effect in crop production decline. The proper use allows effective water management on irrigated and drained areas and greater yield stability. A decision support
system can also play a considerable role in effective irrigation/drainage performance.
In recent years, increase in the area of applied microirrigation, especially drip
irrigation in vegetable and fruit farming has been observed. Estimates said that the
development of this type of irrigation would run in line with the development and
intensification of agriculture. Undoubtedly, emphasis should be laid on negative
consequence of climate changes here. It has already been a matter of dispute, microirrigation systems becoming more popular owing to their high efficiency. It is expected
that this trend will dominate in Polish agriculture. On permanent valley grasslands,
gravitational subirrigation systems will remain in the future as a source of fodder
and a way of safe feeding base for cattle. They also exist for the preservation of
biodiversity and safeguard the state of organic soils in river valleys.
109
All the improvement and realistic effects of irrigation will depend primarily on
the economic conditions of agriculture, investment costs and operating costs of the
equipment, the quality of irrigation systems management so as the administration.
Lastly, the availability of irrigation water should be taken into account [19].
Modern, energy-saving and water-saving methods and techniques of irrigation
should be implemented: in gravity irrigation—irrigation with a constant water
table and regulated outflow, in pressure irrigation—microirrigation (drip, root,
mini-sprinklers).
It is necessary to vitally increase the available water resources for irrigation,
focusing on the following remarks:
– It needs the form of concepts, directions of actions, legal provisions, etc. solutions
in order to increase the possibilities and the broader use of groundwater resources
for irrigation
– To a certain degree it develops concepts of regional (collective) water supply
systems for irrigated lands
– Seems indispensable to continue the implementation of small retention programs,
with a focus on retention for the sake of irrigated facilities.
The development of irrigation, taking into account the intensive development
of agricultural production focused on vegetables production, should find its place
in agricultural development strategies. Water resources protection is stressed here,
because it needs the basis for further organizational and technical activities for the
creation of modern irrigation systems. Implementation of such a program will require
many instructional and training activities for future users of those systems.
The effects of irrigation and drainage are associated with the quality of exploitation
(O&M—operation and maintenance) of irrigation/drainage systems. Once exploitation of facilities has reached its’ goal, water supply is secured and then the adverse
effects of droughts and water excess could be avoided, leading even to higher productivity score. To achieve a high efficiency of these systems, systematic conservation of
the network of ditches and facilities is necessary. A lack of upgraded, but improper
exploitation of the systems and facilities restrict competent water management and
take effect in crop production decline. The proper use allows effective water management on irrigated and drained areas and greater yield stability. A decision support
system can also play a considerable role in effective irrigation/drainage performance.
In recent years, increase in the area of applied microirrigation, especially drip
irrigation in vegetable and fruit farming has been observed. Estimates said that the
development of this type of irrigation would run in line with the development and
intensification of agriculture. Undoubtedly, emphasis should be laid on negative
consequence of climate changes here. It has already been a matter of dispute, microirrigation systems becoming more popular owing to their high efficiency. It is expected
that this trend will dominate in Polish agriculture. On permanent valley grasslands,
gravitational subirrigation systems will remain in the future as a source of fodder
and a way of safe feeding base for cattle. They also exist for the preservation of
biodiversity and safeguard the state of organic soils in river valleys.