Optimal design of irrigation networks using a genetic algorithm

Irrigation installations consist of a water distribution network and a computer system to control it. In the design of water distribution network several requirements have to be met. The problem of designing the irrigation network has been solved using different heuristic methods which do not assure that the network design is optimum. This paper describes a genetic algorithm for designing an optimal network of an irrigation system. The algorithm determines the optimal network for an irrigation area in terms of the economical cost.