History of Drip Irrigation

History & Origins of Drip Irrigation

Drip Irrigation, also commonly referred to as micro-irrigation, trickle irrigation, low volume irrigation or xerigation. This is a method of irrigation which efficiently delivers water to the soil surface or the root zone; this is done by having water drip slowly from emission devices, most commonly called "drip emitters" or “drippers”.

Early forms of drip irrigation can be traced back to ancient times where clay pots were filled with water and then buried in the ground, this allowed the water to gradually leak out and into the root zone of nearby vegetation. The first formal development of drip irrigation supplies began around 1866 in Afghanistan, where they tested drip irrigation and drainage systems by using various types of clay pipe. A researcher at Colorado State University, Mr. E.B. House, began applying subsurface water directly to the root zone in 1913. Perforated Pipe was first used for irrigation in Germany around 1920.

After WWII, the ability to mold plastics became widespread and more cost effective. This helped pave the way for innovations in the manufacturing of drip irrigation system components. At this time, Polyethylene (PE) tubing, also referred to as "micro tubing" or"spaghetti tubing", and early versions of emitters (drippers), became more common and began to be installed throughout the US and Europe.

In Israel, Simcha Blass & Yeshayahu Blass were innovating in the area of emitter design. They created a method that allowed water to flow through longer and wider passageways inside of the emitter. These “labyrinths” as they were called, resulted in less clogging. The velocity of water moving through the labyrinth, and resulting turbulence, helps to slow it down, creating a "drip". In 1959 Kibbutz Harzerim partnered with Blass to form a company called Netafim, to further develop and test this concept. Netafim was then able to patent the first drip irrigation emitter. This development helped the technology of drip irrigation rapidly expand to Australia, North America, & South America in the late 60's.