Irrigation

irrigation, in agriculture. the artificial application of water to land. Some land requires irrigation before it is possible to use it for any agricultural production. In other places, irrigation is primarily a means to supplement rainfall and serves to increase production. Some land, of course, does not need any irrigation. Although the practice may be used for nonagricultural purposes to improve the environment, this article is limited to irrigation in agricultural contexts.

Irrigation and drainage improvements are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Often both may be required together to assure sustained high-level production of crops. For a discussion of the role of drainage practices in agriculture, see drainage.