The performance of a low pressure irrigation pipeline, El Hammami, Egypt
This report describes an investigation into the performance of a low pressure pipeline system, the first introduced into Egypt to serve some 330 ha (780 feddans) at El Hammami, near Cairo. General lessons and implications for the design and management of similar systems are drawn.
Background
Low pressure pipelines for irrigation are widely used in countries such as the United States, the Peoples Republic of China, India and Pakistan to reduce water loss in conveyance and improve areal coverage. While the details of the design and operation vary widely, it is common to limit the operating pressure to around two to six metres head. Water is supplied through risers to controlled outlets.

Design and construction guidelines have been produced by a number of authors, for example, Buried pipelines for surface irrigation (1994, Van Bentum and Smout) produced with DFID support.

To date, very limited information on the longer term performance of pipelines in developing nations has been available so as to permit comparisons to be made with design assumptions and to guide further developments.

The report
The report describes an investigation into the performance of a low pressure pipeline system, the first introduced into Egypt to serve some 330 ha (780 feddans) at El Hammami, near Cairo. To serve its command area, water must be supplied in rotation between outlets to a large number of small farmers. General lessons and implications for the design and management of systems are drawn.

  What it covers
The report summarises the findings of the hydraulic investigation and observations of the operational practice of the pipeline. Implications for design are then discussed.

Outline guidelines for the design of smaller and simpler pipeline systems at tertiary level are given in an appendix.

Contributors
HR Wallingford Ltd, UK; Water Management Research Institute, National Water Research Centre, Egypt.

Intended users
The report will be of use to designers and managers of pipeline systems in arid and semi-arid regions.

Hinton, RD; El Quosy, DED; Mankarious, WF; Talaat, AA and Khedr, M, 1997. The performance of a low pressure irrigation pipeline, El Hammami, Egypt. HR Wallingford, UK. Report no. OD/TN 85.

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