Monitoring of flooding of rice irrigation systems via laser scanning and digital imaging

Abstract

Abstract The paper presents the study of various technologies to monitor flooding of rice irrigation systems and hydraulic engineering structures as such. It considers planning and prospects of improvement through the introduction of modern systems of laser scanning and digital imaging. It also analyzes the condition of planning works on rice fields in Lower Kuban. This year it is planned to sow 134.5 thousand hectares of rice this year in Krasnodar Krai, which is nearly 8 thousand more than last year. The region produces 87% of rice in Russia. Rice irrigation systems within the rice cultivation region cover huge territories with different agrometeorological and hydro-reclamation conditions. The cultivation of this culture is critical in relation to humidity of top soil, its temperature and surface microrelief. Rice industry in Krasnodar Krai is still reviving. Today the productivity of this culture in Russia makes about 200 thousand tons of grain annually. This is quite sufficient to satisfy the domestic needs of the country. Russia even has an opportunity to import about 50 thousand tons of grain annually. The total length of flood embankment from the Krasnodar reservoir to the mouths of the Kuban and the Protoka rivers is 650 km. Since 1998 and till present, the flood embankment systems were examined several times to detect sites in unsatisfactory technical condition threatening the emergency burst. Technical condition of the flood embankment system of the Kuban and the Protoka rivers is considered emergency. The design of rice irrigation systems is based on the modular principle satisfying the integrated approach to internal network. It is recommended to introduce the new way of planning thus ensuring the maximum approximation of surfaces of rice fields to a horizontal surface.