supervising the exploitation and maintenance of modern irrigation systems at the level of 10,000 hectares

Water management in the agricultural sector is of great importance in adapting to water scarcity and sustainable development. Development of new irrigation systems as a strategy of the country, which is emphasized in the documents and legal duties.

One of the most significant measures that can be put on the agenda to optimize water consumption in the agricultural sector, the development and improvement of new irrigation systems have an irreplaceable role in intelligent water management and productivity improvement. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to modern irrigation systems

 In this regard, one of the important steps is monitoring the maintenance and exploitation of the completed projects, pathology, measuring the efficiency and of optimal water consumption, and the obtained results from the process of monitoring the new irrigation systems after implementation. Therefore, Mouj Ab Fan Consulting Engineering Company, by forming a monitoring group to study the introduced projects, decided to provide an analysis about the current status of the projects in terms of exploitation, maintenance, pathology, and solutions to solve the problems. 

This being the case, the project of supervising the exploitation and maintenance of modern irrigation systems was assigned to Mouj Ab Fan company at the level of 10,000 hectares and in the form of 2 contracts in 2016 and 2021.

The objectives of the project can be listed as follows:

· Planting, growing, and harvesting management

· Providing the necessary training in the field of maintenance and management of irrigation systems

· Technical supervision over the use of under-pressure irrigation system and farm/garden management

· Investigating and recognizing the problems of using irrigation systems

· Reflecting the problems of production and the usage of irrigation systems to soil and water management and technical engineering affairs for consideration in executive and research planning

The necessity of monitoring the maintenance and exploitation of under-pressure irrigation systems

One of the effective factors in the low efficiency of water consumption in farms and gardens is the inability of farmers to adjust the time and amount of irrigation water practically. This causes problems in the management and exploitation. Proper maintenance and exploitation of modern irrigation systems while achieving maximum system life will improve irrigation water efficiency.

Performed activities:

1- Controlling and reviewing the beneficiary’s ID card, the project’s ID card, and temporary delivery proceedings in line with the objectives of maintenance and exploitation of the new irrigation system

2- Maintaining the modern irrigation systems during operation (irrigation season)

3- Maintaining the new irrigation systems outside the operation season

4- Examining the irrigation program in accordance with the cultivation pattern to apply the irrigation planning and monitor its implementation

5- Investigating and calculating the efficiency of water consumption and comparing it with the design efficiency

6- Checking and measuring the uniformity of water distribution

7- Flow rate and pressure control in different parts of the irrigation system to optimal exploitation

8- Checking after-sales services, warranty, and insurance of supplies and equipment of modern irrigation systems

9- Evaluating the performance of irrigation systems after the implementation of the maintenance and exploitation supervision period (cost, physical and economic efficiency of each cubic meter of consuming water, etc.)

10- Field training of each project about the maintenance and exploitation of the new irrigation system, and holding training classes

11- Preparing the exploitation and maintenance instructions

12- Preparing the monthly and final periodic report on the maintenance and exploitation supervision, and presenting the necessary suggestions