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Basin irrigation means that water is trapped by low retaining walls around the edge of the field until the earth becomes thoroughly soaked. Rice is the major crop to be cultivated in such a way. Furrow irrigation is most suitable for row-grown crops like corn or cotton. Furrows up to 500m (1,640ft) in length are ploughed between the rows. They slope very gently away from the water source, so that water running along them does not cause water irrigation excessive erosion but can soak slowly into the soil surrounding the crops.

The only drawback with surface irrigation is the difficulty of giving all parts of a field an equal amount of water. In the process of ensuring that all parts receive enough, many receive too much and, as a result, valuable water is wasted. The final watering method is overhead irrigation. Spray lines or sprinklers are use water irrigationd in an effort to simulate natural rainfall. Sprinklers can deliver water in a variety of concentrations - from fine mist to a heavy downpour. They are generally set up in rows and connected by pipes to a central pumping unit. The main advantages of Sprinkler irrigation are that the land requires no special preparation and the application of water can be efficiently controlled by the farmer.

From the very beginning the availability of water was a major factor in determining the type and quality of the local agriculture. In many areas irrigation had to be practised from the beginning. However, coupled with the problem of irrigation was the nature and suitability of the soil. Man soon learned that intensive cultivation exhausted the soil and this reduced the value of irrigation.