The objective this paper was to evaluate the water management in the Pirapora Irrigation District in the State of Minas Gerais during 1999 to 2000. The irrigation demands of crops were simulated using the soil water balance for the entire district. The water volumes obtained in the simulations were monthly integrated and compared with the water volumes measured in the field by hydrometers. According to the results it may be concluded that, excessive water application occurred in the district, except for the months of January 1999, January, February, March and April 2000, when the crops were sub-irrigated. Thus, it is necessary to implant an irrigation scheduling program to optimize the water use.
water use; efficiency; irrigation district
