Geha Foods Evaluation of Irrigation for Processed Tomatoes

structures appear more improvised than designed, with many needing some maintenance
attention that varies from simply removing lodged debris to full reconstruction to reestablish
the design height and cross section (Fig. 10 & 11). Several have been filled with some form
of riprap to approximate the intended control, but with substantial leakage.
At the field level the controls are even less apparent with water flowing through cuts in the
canal banks and wander over several meters of access land to reach the head ditch (Fig. 12).
Usually concrete or other non-erosive control structures are beneficial all the way to the head
ditch to assure uniform supply of water to the fields. Renovating and expanding the control
structures on-farm would reduce the overall leakage and assure more water is available for
irrigating each furrow. This in turn would allow the furrow and fields to be irrigated more
quickly applying less total water that would reduce the water leaching to the groundwater.
Fig. 10. Improvised check/drop structure made of some riprap
used to attempt to control canal water.
Fig. 11. A similar improvised control structure to divert water,
but with considerable leaking occurring.
11