Hydrology and Irrigation Systems for Agriculture

To learn about the main hydrological processes, the quantities that characterize them, the instrumentation and technologies for their measurement. To learn methods of investigation and monitoring techniques to describe the dynamics of water fluxes in the soil-crop-atmosphere system, in order to be able to estimate the irrigation requirements and schedule irrigation events in a rational way. To learn methods of investigation and monitoring techniques to characterize high intensity precipitation events and to describe processes of flood generation, for the design of hydraulic defense structures and river restoration interventions. To learn about collective and on-farm irrigation systems, with particular attention to high-efficiency irrigation systems (sprinkler and micro-irrigation). To explore the different components of on-farm irrigation systems and their management and maintenance. To investigate the criteria for choosing the proper irrigation method and system in the various environmental conditions. To learn about the general and hydraulic design of on-farm irrigation systems and the evaluation of their irrigation efficiency.

The student will develop expertise related to the acquisition and analysis of meteorological and hydrological data; to the use of GIS software for the processing of spatial information at the farm and territorial scales; to the implementation of a dynamic water balance model for the simulation of the soil-crop-atmosphere system and its use for the scheduling of irrigation events; to the implementation of a dynamic model for the estimation of the flood hydrogram at the closing section of a hydrographic basin and its use for the design of hydraulic defense structures and river restoration interventions. Moreover, the student will be able to find and process data needed for the design of on-farm irrigation systems, to perform the general and hydraulic design of the systems, also using calculation and GIS/CAD tools. The student will acquire skills for assessing technical and economic implications of the project implementation, and will be able to consult technical and scientific material concerning the irrigation sector.