irrig

Irrig is an abbreviation commonly used in agriculture and water management to refer to irrigation, the artificial application of water to soil or land to assist crop growth and sustain landscapes. The term derives from the Latin irrigare, to water. Irrigation systems are designed to supply water when rainfall is insufficient or irregular, enabling higher yields, crop diversification, and year-round production in arid and semi-arid regions, as well as in water-limited ecosystems.

Common irrigation methods include surface irrigation (flooding or furrow), sprinkler systems that simulate rainfall, drip or micro-irrigation that delivers water directly to the root zone, and subsurface irrigation where water is supplied below the soil surface. Systems can be gravity-fed, pumped, pressurized, or gravity-flow with earthworks to control distribution.

Key components include a water source (river, dam, groundwater, recycled water), conveyance and distribution networks, control structures, and end devices such as emitters or sprinklers. Management focuses on matching water supply to crop water requirements, using evapotranspiration estimates, soil moisture sensors, and weather data to schedule applications and minimize losses due to evaporation and runoff.

Environmental and economic considerations include water-use efficiency, energy consumption, salinization, soil structure, drainage, and the risk of groundwater depletion. Sustainable irrigation practices emphasize precision irrigation, reuse of treated water where feasible, and monitoring of soil and water quality.

History notes that ancient civilizations developed canal systems; modern irrigation expanded with pumps and large-scale networks in the 19th and 20th centuries, followed by precision techniques and automated controls in recent decades.