This paper is the fourth of a series of reports on the pond-regulated pipeline irrigation systems in operation in Tonami Plain of Toyama and deals with some central aspects of these systems that previous papers did not address.Analyses of the observation data on three of the systems obtained over an eight-year period have yielded the following findings:
(1) Out-of-pond discharges (
Qfi) usually peak between 6 and 7 a.m.and/or between 7 and 8 p.m.The maximums of
Qfi during the morning peak hours often far exceed the maximum gross water requirements for the ordinary irrigation period (
q).
(2) Pond uses (
Qpo), which are meant to compensate for the excesses of
Qfi over inflows into the ponds (Qin), are devoted for the most part to morning irrigation in keeping with the peaking of Qfj.
(3) Data on
Qin,
Qfi and
Qpo, graphically plotted, show that there are three patterns in how they are related to each other, i.e.morning peak type, two-peak type and evening peak type.
(4) Let us define
Tpo as a per-day discharge excess over the discharge average (avr, Qfi), calculated in terms of the discharge average multiplied by
nhours and for convenience expressed simply as
nhours.Then we obtain a formula
V=
Tpo·avr QM where
V stands for the design capacity of a regulating pond.
(5) I chose the 10 topmost of per-day
Qpo and averaged out the
Tpo values for these
Qpo data. These
Tpo averages range from 3 to 6 hrs. Since they reflecting the actual demands of the benefited paddies, they can be expected to be optimal design criteria for pond capacities.
(6) The smaller the acreages of the benefited paddies (A), the greater are the
Tpo values. Besides, as I pointed out in my previous paper, the smaller the acreages, the greater are the values of
Qpo/
Qfi. These facts suggest that the
Tpo value of 6 hrs, which was obtained in the smallest pond-regulated irrigation system can be regarded as the safest capacity for a regulating pond.
(7) The foregoing consideration of
Tpo would allow us to draw the following conclusion: since the actual
Tpo values range from 3 to 6 hrs, the values of
Tpo in the formula
V=
Tpo·avr
Qfi should be determined within this range and since, as I reported in my previous paper, the maximums of pond uses are concentrated between the latter half of July and August, the value of avr
Qfi should be pegged at
qfollowing a generally accepted criterion for irrigation facilities. Needless to say, in determining the values of
Tpo, we need to take into account several related factors, such as the characteristics of water sources, the meteorological conditions of the areas concerned and the characteristics of benefited paddies including, importantly, their acreages. We now know that, the smaller the acreages, the greater are the
Tpos. At any rate the
Tpo value of 6 hours can be regarded as a safe enough criterion for determining the design capacities of regulating ponds.
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