# Flood Irrigation



## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Any LF members have experience with Flood Irrigation?

It would make sense to me that granular apps aren't really going to be an option even with proper berms set up to maintain the water. But how about spray apps? If I were to spray hours before a flood irrigation app - think there would be issues?

We just moved to Phoenix, AZ (home for us) and are looking at a house that has both flood irrigation and sprinkler...best of both worlds in my opinion. I'm super excited about flood because it is ~$250 for the entire year and it would provide me the ability to deep water twice a month in the summers.

Need someone to validate and crush my dreams. I'm in limbo right now.


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## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

Cool that you will have both options. My in-laws flood irrigate their pasture and their lawn and it works out really well. Our summers are similar to yours with temps being over 100 every day with minimal to no rain. On their lawn applications are usually applied the week or so before irrigation and are watered in that evening with impact sprinklers. For their pasture they do apply fert and amendments that just flood irrigated. All of their applications are granular.


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## robbybobby (May 15, 2017)

Wiley said:


> Cool that you will have both options. My in-laws flood irrigate their pasture and their lawn and it works out really well. Our summers are similar to yours with temps being over 100 every day with minimal to no rain. On their lawn applications are usually applied the week or so before irrigation and are watered in that evening with impact sprinklers. For their pasture they do apply fert and amendments that just flood irrigated. All of their applications are granular.


That makes sense. My worry was granular washing away and congregating to one section with the flood. Guess I will need to make a big effort to level it well. For the most part I am all spray apps so I guess I shouldn't worry too much.

My biggest crutch is learning more about the irrigation and how it works - there is not an abundance of literature on the mechanics of it all.


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## TSGarp007 (May 22, 2018)

What exactly is flood irrigation?


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## Wiley (Dec 2, 2019)

In my area flood irrigation is king in farmlands and pastures. Water is transported through a series of canals and ditches at set intervals and literally floods a desired area for irrigation purposes. This works on a gate system so only a few areas have access to the water at any given time. One bonus is that ground water is returned efficiently. I think my in-laws pay about $150 a year for access. Each each irrigation (twice a month) will provide about 3 inches of standing water that will dissipate within 48 hrs.


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## TSGarp007 (May 22, 2018)

Do you have access to this b/c you are near farmland? Interesting...


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## PhxHeat (Oct 18, 2019)

Here's a link from SRP (Salt River Project) about flood irrigation. They are one of the water companies here in the Phoenix Area. Phoenix used to be a MAJOR agricultural area for all types of farming. My neighborhood used to be grapefruit and pecan orchards. When land value out weighed a lifetime of farming profits, the farms started disappearing and neighborhoods started booming.

https://www.srpnet.com/water/irrigation/howitworks.aspx


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