Normally this of irrigation is practiced in alluvial and deltaic regions where river water level is available in hot seasons, with this soil is kept submerged and thoroughly flooded with water to thorough saturation of land. The water can be supplied to the land by flow, or partly by flow and partly by lift.

In perennial irrigation, system water is supplied at a constant and continous rate from perennial water sources, which get their supplies from melting snow, in accordance with the requirements of crop. Water is supplied by canal distribution system using a weir or reservoir.

It is a system in which open joint drains is artificially laid below the soil, to supply water to the soil by capillarity. So, therefore it is very costly and can only be practiced in special cases, like favorable soil conditions and for cash crops of good return.

 As perennial irrigation system works on perennial water sources, the flow of water in those sources can be controlled by the construction of canals, weirs, check dams, dams etc. So in this way there is no sudden rush of water during irrigation unlike in uncontrolled irrigation.

In this system solid barrier, such as a dam or a storage weir is constructed across the river and water is stored. Volume of storage requires depends upon requirments of crops, or hydroelectric power generation and flow of water in the river, unlike the other type of irriggation systems.