Farmers have been trying to predict the weather for as long as they have been cultivating the land. As the climate continues to shift, so do the associated weather patterns in each region. While irrigation systems are common in arid regions, in other regions farmers didn't all need to rely on them, as they received enough rainfall. With drought areas becoming more common, it's important a farmer now has at least a backup system in place if they want to make sure their crops are safe. Here is a look at the best irrigation systems available.

Drip Irrigation

There are two types of drip irrigation systems. One is a surface drip irrigation system. This is where tubing with a hole placed every 12-18 inches is placed directly on the soil. Water slowly drips from the holes, keeping the soil consistently moist. This reduces evaporation. The hoses must be removed at harvest and reinstalled the following season. Because of this added labor and materials expense, this irrigation system is used primarily for crops with a high value.

A subsurface drip irrigation system is similar to a surface drip system, but the tubing is buried to a depth of about 10-14 inches, depending on the crop. This allows the water to keep the entire root system irrigated. This is a permanent rather than temporary system and is commonly used in fruit orchards.

Surface Irrigation

This system uses sprinklers to "rain" down on crops. There are three main kinds used. One type is the center-pivot irrigation system. A system of pipes is mounted on wheels, and the water then radiates out as it pivots, creating a circular pattern of irrigated crops. Farmers who use this system typically plant their crops in circles to coincided with the irrigation system. This type of irrigation system can only be used on a flat terrain as the wheels, powered by an electric motor, need to be able to move freely.

In a linear move irrigation system, a similar type of piping system is used, but it does not pivot. This allows farmers to keep their traditional rectangular fields. Another option is an in-ground sprinkler system called solid set. A network of permanent PVC pipes are installed in the field. These irrigation systems are effective, but more water can be lost due to evaporation and leaf burn can occur if a good schedule isn't kept to.

Precision Mobile Drip Irrigation

Mobile drip irrigation is a newer, innovative system that combines the best of drip irrigation and surface irrigation, making it the best irrigation system for most applications. Rather than using nozzles to sprinkle crops or only directly water the soil, a series of long hoses with periodic emitter holes are hung from the metal framework that moves through the fields. The hoses drag along the ground, watering both the crops and the soil.