METHODS OF INFILTRATION ESTIMATION FOR FURROW IRRIGATION †

Infiltration is an important evaluation parameter for furrow irrigation. In this study, most common methods for estimation of furrow irrigation infiltration, their weaknesses and strengths, have been reviewed and discussed to select the best method based on field conditions. Intake families, based on soil characteristic data, could be used as a starting point for analysing surface irrigation infiltration. Since furrow irrigation infiltration is affected by parameters such as soil characteristics and furrow irrigation hydraulic behaviour, the methods of estimating this parameter should reflect field irrigation conditions. In other words, the methods based only on advance time, such as the two‐point method, which is a small part of an irrigation event, could not have considered the soil infiltration during irrigation time. Infiltration is simulated more precisely using methods based on advance time and runoff data such as the multi‐level calibration method and volume balance approach. The execution times and iteration through the simulation algorithms were less for the volume balance approach when compared to the multi‐level calibration method. The variance techniques (based on average infiltration and considering infiltration variation) simulated infiltration almost the same as field measurements using a neutron probe. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.