SURDEV
Wageningen University & Research
The SURDEV computer package was developed by the International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement (ILRI), Wageningen Environmental Research, and the Institute of Land and Water Management of the Catholic University of Leuven (ILWM), Belgium, in 2001. SURDEV consists of three software programs, BASDEV (for level basins), BORDEV (for sloping borders), and FURDEV (for graded furrows). Surface irrigation relies on gravity to spread water over the farmers’ fields. Following the pull of gravity, the water flows over the fields from one end to the other, infiltration into the soil as it goes. The most common surface irrigation techniques are level basins (with or without level furrows), sloping borders, and sloping furrows to distribute irrigation water. The purpose of all of these techniques is to supply water in the right quantity, at the right time, and in an even layer, to achieve a uniform crop stand and minimize water losses.