Q: What are the main types of ditch and canal lining/piping?
A: Four main types of lining are used in canals and ditches for conveying water: 1) paved or hard surfaces like concrete, 2) exposed membrane, i.e., asphaltic membranes, plastics, or synthetic rubber films, 3) buried membrane which are similar to exposed membranes that have been prefabricated, and 4) soil sealants like polyacrylamides (PAM). Advantages and disadvantages vary per lining. Some linings are sturdier like concrete but may cost significantly more whereas chemicals used to mix sealants like urethane may be hazardous to the health of the environment.  Additional considerations include the size of the canal, its intended capacity for peak consumptive use, cost of maintenance for optimal performance, and climate. 

Q: What is the most efficient way to convey water?       
A: Pipeline delivery systems may either be buried pipe or surface installed pipe, portable pipe, or large diameter plastic tubing.  They are the most efficient way to convey water because they eliminate water loss from evaporation that may otherwise be lost in surface conveyance systems. They also limit seepage that might occur in unlined or lined material like those of thin membranes of the canal. Generally, pipeline systems depend on either pumps or gravity flow to deliver water within farms, between fields, or from the original source.

Q: What are water recovery / reuse systems?
A: Water recovery systems are used in conjunction with any surface irrigation system (flood or furrow) that results in significant quantity of field runoff. A return-water system captures both irrigated and rain water from the field in a reservoir and is available for reuse via a pipeline and pumping system that conveys the recovered water back to the field for a second application. This type of recovery system requires ditches for runoff collection, drainage conveyance system, land to build reservoirs or catchments, a pump and power unit or gravity induced water ways, and a pipeline or ditch for re-distribution.