How does one foot of head relate to system pressure?

One foot of head is directly related to system pressure because head is commonly used to express the height of water in a system, and this height creates pressure at the base of the water column due to the weight of the water. Specifically, for every foot of water height (or head), there is approximately 0.433 psi of pressure generated at the base of that column. This relationship is foundational in understanding how gravitational forces work in irrigation systems.

When you increase the head, you are effectively increasing the height of the water column, which generates a corresponding increase in pressure. This concept is essential for irrigation system design, as it allows irrigators to calculate how much pressure they will need to deliver water effectively at the required distances and through various types of irrigation equipment. Therefore, recognizing that head and pressure are directly proportional is critical for optimizing system performance and efficiency.