Buried pipelines for surface irrigation
The book aims to present a less well-known, alternative technology to conventional canal distribution systems for surface irrigation in developing countries – the low pressure buried pipeline system. This offers improvements over canals, without the sophistication and high cost of pressurised sprinkler and trickle irrigation
Background
Sprinklers or trickle irrigation systems supplied through high or medium pressure pipelines can provide flexible delivery with lower losses than conventional surface delivery systems, but they tend to have considerably higher capital and operation and maintenance costs in the South than surface systems. Low pressure, buried pipeline systems offer improvements over conventional surface irrigation systems with canals, without the sophistication and high costs of pressurised sprinkler and trickle irrigation.

The book
The book, based on research findings, provides guidelines on the selection, design and construction of buried pipe distribution systems for surface irrigation, particularly in the South. These guidelines apply to the full range of pipe systems with varying water sources, pipe materials and pipe layouts. The book also aims to help identify situations in which pipe systems are attractive alternatives to canal systems. The book endeavours to encourage planners and practitioners to consider using buried pipeline systems, and provides all the information necessary to follow this through.

What it covers
The range of pipe systems and their component structures are described and classified to enable selection of the most appropriate pipe system under a range of criteria. This is assisted by the use of a number of flow charts.

Specific recommendations on design and construction are made where they are of relevance to buried pipe systems or where they deviate from accepted practice for canal systems. Emphasis is given to the design of the pipe layout, particular aspects of hydraulic design and design considerations for component structures.

The book also includes suggestions for including farmers at all stages of implementation - from planning through design and construction to operation.

  The appendices include useful worked examples for the design of a closed buried pipe system and for the design of a float valve stand for a semi-closed pipe system.

This book could potentially be of use to newcomers in the field of irrigation as it begins with a basic chapter covering the standard terminology on irrigation and the various methods for irrigation distribution, followed by a description of a typical pipeline distribution system. The book then becomes more detailed, with chapters on system selection, hydraulic design, design considerations, system construction and post construction issues, cost analysis and trends in upgrading and development of buried pipeline systems.

Photographs of buried pipelines for surface irrigation
This separate volume of photographs is intended to give a pictorial view of the different features of buried pipe systems as they have been observed in operation in a number of Asian countries. A brief summary of the location and function of the subject of each photograph is given. It is recommended that the photographs should be studied alongside the main report.

Contributors
Water Engineering & Development Centre, Loughborough University of Technology, UK; Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation.

Intended users
The book and the volume of photographs are primarily intended for irrigation planners and practitioners.

van Bentum, R and Smout, IK, 1994. Buried pipelines for surface irrigation. ITDG publishing, London. ISBN 1 85339 187 5.

van Bentum, R and Smout, IK, 1994. Photographs of buried pipelines for surface irrigation. WEDC, Loughborough. ISBN 0 906055 43 1.


For a hard copy of the book contact:
ITDG publishing, 103/105 Southampton Row, London, WC1B 4HL, UK
Tel: +44 (0)20 7436 9761, Fax: +44 (0)20 7436 2013, Website: http://www.itdgpublishing.org.uk/
For a hard copy of the Photographs of buried pipelines contact:
Publications office, WEDC, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1509 222618, Fax: +44 (0) 1509 211079, E-mail: WEDC@lboro.ac.uk,
Website: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/cv/wedc/