Problems and Constraints of Small Scale Irrigation

13 September 2018

A lack of water is one of the biggest issues facing many plants. As you probably know water is essential for every form of life; without it, you’ll struggle to grow weeds; never mind decent flowers or crops.

That’s why you need an irrigation system to get your water to the plants; it simply isn’t possible to water them regularly and effectively enough manually.

Contents

1 Create A Small Scale Irrigation System:
2 Cost Of Pumps:
3 Water Wastage:
4 Water Rights:
5 Local Rules:

Create A Small Scale Irrigation System:

Of course, you’ll need access to a good supply of water. You’ll also need quality dewatering pumps; one may be enough if you are very small scale but two is often better to give you a backup option.

You’ll also need a network of pipes with tiny holes in; allowing the water to soak into the soil below ground level. This will help to prevent evaporation and allow the plants to pick the water up with their roots.

Valves and other small pieces of equipment will make it easier for you to control the amount of water each group of plants gets.

However, there are several issues when dealing with small-scale irrigation:

Cost Of Pumps:

To get the water from the source to the crops requires a pump or two. However, this will run on electricity and can cost a considerable amount if you need it running most of the time.

A good alternative is to fit a solar panel; or more than one if necessary and use the electricity generated to power your pump. The cost of your irrigation system will be dramatically reduced!

Water Wastage:

It is also possible that you’ll be wasting large amounts of water when you irrigate. You can’t be sure that every part of your land needs water without checking and this is very time to consume as well as impractical.

You can buy sensors to check the moisture content of the soil; these will help you to decide if you need to water or not.

You can also buy a timer for your pump system that only switches it on and off at set times of the day. You can choose these for when it is most beneficial for your plants.

Water Rights:

You may not need to take water from the mains supply if you have a body of water or a steam near you. However, you’ll then have to consider the rights associated with that water.

It may have already been claimed by someone else or it may be important for a group of people further downstream.

It may even be that you inadvertently pollute the water or someone else has. To save yourself a lot of agro you need to establish the facts regarding any water source before you start using it.

This is especially true if you’re thinking of adding a dam or similar to the water.

Local Rules:

If water is a relatively scarce commodity then there are likely to be constraints on how much you can use and when. This can make it extremely difficult to irrigate your plants; especially if you have no other source of water.

It’s important you’re aware of the local rules before you start your farming activities.

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Ariana Smith

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

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What’s new in soil stabilization

With increasing urbanization, population growth and the need for reliable infrastructure, it’s not surprising that the need for a diverse set of soil stabilization techniques suitable for a variety of soil and project conditions has seen matching growth. In 2017, the global soil stabilization market reached a massive US $22 Billion, and is expected to reach US $29 billion by 2023. Here we take a look at some of the soil stabilization techniques leading the field in innovation and market growth. Chemical stabilization through the addition of Lime: The addition of lime, lime kiln dust or quicklime is a popular form of soil modification and stabilization for all types of soft soils, especially wet, fine-grained and clay soils. Essentially it reacts with clay molecules, which hardens and dries out the soil with which it is mixed, improving stability and soil compressibility.Lime is the oldest soil stabilization technique still in use today and can be greatly advantageous for particularly muddy construction sites which make accessing the site difficult, and it’s also cheap. It does, however, have several disadvantages too. The production process is very energy intensive, resulting in large CO2 emissions, as high as 1.2 tons of CO2 per ton of lime produced. Achieving homogenous application is tricky, there is risk of environmental toxicity, and application over very soft soil is problematic due to the heavy earth-mixing equipment required for application. Mechanical soil stabilization through the use of Geocell engineering: Although geocells have been around since the 1970’s, the increasing global demand for more environmentally sustainable and cost-effective construction techniques has seen renewed interest in their use. Geocells – a type of geosynthetic – are constructed from strips of a novel polymeric alloy called Neoloy, which are welded together to form a honeycomb-like grid when stretched out on site. They are then filled in with local granular materials that are readily available, such as sandy soils or even recycled asphalt paving (RAP).The main environmental benefits include the ability to utilize local granular materials for infill rather than hauling in high-quality aggregates from quarries, a reduction in the required pavement thickness, improved durability of projects, and the ongoing cost benefit of reduced maintenance requirements.While awareness of this technology remains its biggest challenge, it is gaining a reputation as a good option for projects with poor soil or challenging environmental conditions. One prime example of this was the construction of an all-weather access road for MEG Energy in the Muskeg peat bog, which made use of geocell engineering in Canada. Some of the challenges facing the engineers on site included moving vehicles and materials around on the saturated, acidic soil, as well as subzero winter temperatures, extremely poor drainage and heavy rains which meant much of the site was essentially a swamp – described, in fact, as an ‘engineering nightmare’.An example of the less than ideal working conditions – geocell layer visible in backBecause the peat bog soil was too deep and poorly drained for soil replacement, it soon became clear that the use of heavy-duty Neoloy geocells was the only feasible solution. Local geocell experts designed a reinforced road using one to three layers of Neoloy geocells, depending on the saturation level of the area in question. Once in place, the geocells were filled in with sand from locally available borrow pits and then compacted. The geocell layers formed a semi-rigid mattress, or a ‘floating road’ over the swampy soil. The benefits of geocell mechanical soil stabilization include: reducing stress by distributing vertical loads and extending the life of the road – meaning that even heavy rigs and construction equipment could now traverse the peat bog on a regular basis. Compaction grouting for sinkhole remediation: Building much-needed apartment housing is one thing but doing so on an area of land which is essentially one giant sinkhole is another matter altogether! This was the challenge facing contractors trying to put up a new five story complex in King of Prussia in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Understandably, no work on the apartment building could begin until the underlying dolomite subsoil was stabilized. The solution they arrived at was the use of compaction grouting, which involves drilling columns in a grid-like pattern, and then injecting a low-mobility soil-cement grout into the holes at high pressures. This process compacts coarse-grained soils and displaces fine-grained soils, allowing the construction site to withstand higher bearing pressures and reduce settlement – both very important in an area to prone to sinkholes.Under normal conditions, a soil profile increases in strength with depth – but on this site, the dense clays were on the surface, with weaker soils above the bedrock – hence the tendency for sinkholes to form. Drilling down to reach the unstable layer was therefore the best solution in this scenario. To complete the stabilization, the contractor - Compaction Grouting Services, Inc. or CGS - needed to drill 626 separate holes, and pump in 820 cubic yards of grout at an average pressure of 300 psi. And despite a number of challenges, including snow, rain and muddy conditions as well as a small sinkhole which opened up in an area which hadn’t been grouted – they managed to finish a day ahead of schedule.Read Also:Proper Waste Disposal And Recycling: Things To Remember Edmonton Landscape Maintenance Tips

The Brilliance of Metal Prints

Top-quality metal prints are made using a sublimation process that creates sleek, vibrant, and long-lasting pieces. A boutique shop like Print Partner, that services professional photographers and artists, infuses dyes directly into a specially-coated, precision-cut aluminum panel. The image is therefore durable, scratch-resistant, water-resistant, resists fading for many years and is easy to take care of.If you want to know how to create aluminum photo prints using easy online tools and selections, Print Partner is happy to answer any questions about the process.The image has great resolution and precise detail, with a luminous, high-definition look. The colors are accurate and true to the original photo. Metal prints have a wide, brilliant color range that stays put. The panel is borderless and frameless providing a clean and modern look that is sure to impress in the home or in commercial settings. You can also choose a gloss white or matte white finish. Matte white reduces reflective qualities, while gloss white enhances them and enriches contrasts.These prints can be made to be several feet wide and larger images can be printed onto multiple sheets to create an attractive photo set.Virtually any image looks great as a metal print. The HD aluminum panel improves all elements of the image: its durability, color appearance, fade-resistance, etc., for any style of image, whether it be full color, black & white, or monochrome. A panoramic landscape and close-up photography both look optimal when printed onto metal. However, because of a metal print’s presentation qualities – borderless, sleek, and modern, and with glossy and reflective options – there are some styles of images that really shine when printed onto this medium.Metal’s specialty is vibrant colors and contrast. So, photos that feature interesting interplay between light and shadow are excellent. Think about when you have taken a photo on your phone or have accessed the editing tools on your computer. Turning up the contrast bar makes images bolder and creates a more dramatic difference between the light and dark. Metal prints do this in a much subtler way that stays true to the accuracy of the image (unlike cranking up your phone’s contrast to the extreme). It’s even more pleasing to the eye than the original photo.What subject matter and types of images look particularly good printed onto metal?Landscapes: a classic choice, especially ones with a broad range of nature’s stunning colors, sunlight, and shadows Sunsets & Sunrises: one of the most popular choices for photo prints in general, the gorgeous spectrum of colors of a unique sunset or sunrise are prime for metal Seasonal features: particularly fall for fantastic leaf colors and those beautiful autumn palates everyone loves Water: the reflective qualities of water look brilliant and striking on a high dimension metal print Black & White or Monochrome: though true and rich color ranges are great for metal, blacks look deeper, and, while contrasting with white, creates a spectacular effect Macro & close-up: the detail contained in these unique shots make for curiously attractive printsThe professionals working at a boutique print shop can help you alter your image to meet the best specifications for your metal print. Look for teams comprised of professional photographers and artists to make the most of your metal masterpiece.

Sustainability Expert Vikki Gerrard La Crosse Explains How You Can Still Help Climate Change In Your Golden Years

We all know that climate change is a huge problem. And it's one that we need to start solving now. But what can we do? We're not all scientists or politicians with the power to make significant changes.According to sustainability expert Vikki Gerrard La Crosse, we can still make a difference even in our golden years. We can do many small things to reduce our energy consumption and help the environment.Here Are Some Steps To Help You Climate Change In Your Golden Years:Here are a few of her suggestions.1. Reduce Electricity ConsumptionThe easiest thing we can do for the planet is to be conscious of the energy we waste. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average U.S. household wastes 10,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. This is the equivalent of leaving a 100-watt light bulb on for 10 hours a day.Households can reduce their electricity consumption and lower their electricity bill with simple changes. Turn off the lights when a room is not being used. If it's daytime, take advantage of natural light.Unplug electronics that don't need to stay on when you leave the house, like the TV, coffee maker, and computer. These devices use energy even when turned off, so it's important to unplug them completely. Using a power strip makes it easy to do this because you can turn off the power strip when you leave instead of unplugging each device individually.Related Resource: Follow These Simple Steps to Compare Electricity Rates Online2. Take Advantage Of Public TransportationTake advantage of good public transportation if you live in an area with good public transportation. It's not only good for the environment, but it can also be a nice break from driving. Public transportation can decrease your carbon footprint because buses and trains emit less pollution per passenger mile than cars.Some areas, like more prominent cities, even offer discounts on public transportation for seniors. Check with your local transit authority to see what's available in your area.The American Public Transportation Association reports that if every U.S. household took just one trip on public transportation each week, we would save 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually.This would also avoid emitting 27 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. If public transportation isn't an option, Vikki Gerrard La Crosse suggests carpooling or biking for an eco-friendly way to get around.3. Plant Trees And GardensTrees and plants are natural carbon dioxide absorbers. They take in the greenhouse gas and release oxygen back into the atmosphere. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, one tree can remove up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide yearly.You don't need a lot of space to make a difference. Even a small garden can have an impact. If you don't have a yard, you can grow plants in containers on a balcony or patio.Gardening has many other benefits, too. It can help you relax, connect with nature, and get some exercise. And, of course, you'll enjoy your labor's fruits (or vegetables).4. Recycle And CompostRecycling and composting are great ways to reduce waste and help the environment. When you recycle, you're keeping materials out of landfill. And when you compost, you're creating natural fertilizer for your plants.You can recycle many items that you use every day, like paper, plastic, and glass. Most communities have recycling programs, so it's easy to do. Vikki Gerrard La Crosse recommends checking with your local municipality to see what's accepted.Composting is a little more work, but it's worth it. You can compost food scraps and other organic material, like dead leaves and newspaper, to create a nutrient-rich soil amendment for your plants. Many different containers make composting easy, even for small spaces.5. Use Less WaterWater is a precious resource, so it's important to use it wisely. We never really think about it not being readily available, but climate change is affecting water availability in many parts of the world.There are a few easy ways to conserve water at home. Turn the faucet off while you're brushing your teeth or shaving. Don't let the water run the whole time while doing the dishes. And water your plants during the cooler hours of the day to minimize evaporation.If you can, consider adding a rain barrel to your garden. This will save you money on your water bill and is a great way to water your plants during dry spells.To reduce water usage, you can also install low-flow fixtures, like faucet aerators and showerheads. These devices restrict water flow without affecting performance, so you'll still get a good clean while using less water.Finally, consider supporting organizations that are working to conserve water resources. One example is the Waterkeeper Alliance, which is a nonprofit organization that works to protect and restore waterways worldwide.They have more than 300 local chapters in over 40 countries, making them one of the largest environmental organizations in the world. The Waterkeeper Alliance uses a grassroots approach to advocacy, working with individuals and communities to uphold the rights of waterways. They also work with the government and industry to ensure that water is protected for future generations.Final ThoughtsEven in our golden years, we can still make a difference regarding climate change. Educating ourselves about the issue and taking small steps to become more sustainable can significantly impact the world.Try implementing some tips above to reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment. And don't forget to spread the word to your friends and family. We can all make a difference!Read Also:Rainwater; A wonder of natureBest Paying Jobs In Electric Utilities CentralSix Main Reasons Why You Need to Care for Environment