Irrigation of agricultural land is a basic technological measure aimed at ensuring the optimum growth and development of cultivated plants. It is the addition of water to plants during the growing season when the soil is deficient. Irrigation systems can also be used to prevent spring frosts by irrigation. Irrigation ensures stable crop production and a higher proportion of high quality crops, which in turn makes the supply of crops to the market more stable. The natural conditions for developing irrigation in Slovenia are good, but there is a great deal of spatial variability. This means that water availability depends on the proximity of the surface source, the geological substrate, rainfall, evapotranspiration and the water infrastructure built.

The impact of irrigation on surface and groundwater quality is a matter of divided opinion among the scientific community. According to some interpretations, irrigation of agricultural land is also beneficial for water quality, as it prevents unused nutrients from leaching into the soil and further into aquifers and surface waters during dry periods. On the other hand, there is concern that the increased intensity of agriculture under irrigated areas also means that there is a greater potential for nutrients to leach into water.

Authors:
Luka Žvokelj, Matjaž Glavan, Matic Noč, Rozalija Cvejić, Marina Pintar, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Ljubljana
Janko Urbanc, Geological Survey of Slovenia

Year of publication: 2023

ISBN 978-961-6498-75-3 (online)

• Handbook (PDF, 19 MB)