Mobile Irrigation Machine With Underground Water Application

4-5. (canceled)

10-15. (canceled)

An irrigation assembly comprising a main pipeline connected to a water supply, the pipeline being supported at intervals by mobile towers, a plurality of drop tube assemblies downwardly extending from the main pipeline, a collector associated with each drop tube assembly and in fluid communication therewith for receiving water from the pipeline, each collector having walls defining a water inlet and a water retaining cavity, the movement of the collectors over a ground surface defining a respective plurality of collector paths and a plurality of stationary targets positioned on the ground with at least one target in each collector path for receiving water from the collector and with each collector being pivotally mounted to the irrigation assembly about a top end of the collector.

(canceled)

(canceled)

A method of operating an irrigation assembly of the type having a main pipeline connected to a water supply and supported at intervals by mobile towers, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a plurality of collectors in fluid communication with the pipeline for receiving water from the pipeline and selectively discharging it, each collector having walls defining a water inlet and a water retaining cavity and being pivotally mounted to the irrigation assembly about a top end of the collector;
• controlling at least one of the flow rate into the collector and the flow rate out of the collector such that during a first mode of operation there is a net flow into the collector;
• controlling at least one of the flow rate into the collector and the flow rate out of the collector such that during a second mode of operation there is a net flow out of the collector.

(canceled)

33-44. (canceled)