Abstract: Irrigation experiment is an essential basis for developing highly efficient water saving irrigation and promoting irrigation area modernization. According to experiences of irrigation experiment and management of irrigation experiment station for many years and in light of the demands of irrigation area modernization, we made an in-depth exploration on the construction and management of irrigation experiment station. The main functions of irrigation experiment station should include experimental research, data collecting, technique popularizing and training, academic exchanging, and water saving science education. The construction of irrigation experiment station should involve field experiment area, leaching-pond experiment area, lysimeter experiment area, meteorological observation station, laboratory, water source project, irrigation and drainage project, and office and living quarter. The location selection, designing, construction and quality acceptance management should be enhanced. Finally, suggestions on the operational management of irrigation experiment station were put forward from the points of group construction, financial support, scientific research cooperation, and assessment and evaluation. The results provide reference for the construction and planning of new irrigation experiment stations, and for the upgrading and reconstruction of existing experiment stations.

Key words: irrigation experiment station, irrigation area, irrigation scheduling, irrigation modernization, construction and management