The paddy fields in the Makake and Yogoiri areas, which are two representative paddy fields along Lake Kasumigaura, have been investigated with respect to water balance and material balances during times of irrigation.The amount of the area in Makake and Yogoiri to be irrigated are 35 ha and 233 ha, respectively.
The Makake area is irrigated and surfacedrained using the same pump, and usually the surface-drained water is used again as irrigation water.In Yogoiri area, irrigation water is naturally let in by intake gates and drainage operations are carried out by pumps.
Results of investigation:
1) The total amount of water used for irrigation in Makake is 1, 338mm (rainfall, 861mm;water taken from the lake, 314mm;reused surface-drained water, 163mm), with the amount of water being drained off totaling 565 mm.
Therefore, the irrigation system in this area is a type which economizes on water.
In contrast, in the Yogoiri area, there is a large quantity of water, with the amount of water for irrigation totaling 3, 840 mm and drainage water amounting to 3, 270mm (
Fig.2).
2) T-N concentrations of irrigation water from Lake Kasumigaura are slightly higher in Yogoiri than in Makake.This is probably due to the fact that the intake gates for Yogoiri are nearer to the mouth of the Ono river.However, T-N concentrations of drainage water are higher in Makake.
3) The T-N load taken from Lake Kasumigaura in Makake is 8.5 kg/ha and the T-N load drained into the lake is 9.0kg/ha.In Yogoiri, these values are remarkably higher (the load taken in, 44kg/ha; the load drained, 41kg/ha).
4) In Makake, the T-P load taken in is 0.11 kg/ha and the load drained is 0.29kg/ha. In Yogoiri, the former is 0.74kg/ha and the latter is 0.72kg/ha.
5) May is the time when the T-N and T-P loads drained into the lake are the highest, when manure used for planting is made.Therefore, it is important that the manure utilization technique be improved.Moreover, it has become clear that proper circulating irrigation and economization of water are two effective means to reduce the unnecessary drainage of manure to outside areas.
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