Abstract: Field experiments were conducted to investigate the performance and limitations of surge irrigation technique in the Nile Delta of Egypt. The experiments consisted of different surge irrigation treatments compared with continuous discharge; all evaluated using two irrigation discharges-2.4 (Q1) and 3.2 (Q2) L s-1 per furrow. The irrigation treatments were: continuous discharge (I1), surge flow with a cycle ratio (CR) of 0.33 (I2), surge flow with a CR of 0.50 (I3), surge flow with a CR of 0.67 (I4) and surge flow with a CR of 0.75 (I5). The suitability of surge irrigation was assessed based on consumptive use of water, water advance rate, grain yield and several efficiencies. Results obtained on the average basis of two discharge treatments indicated that I5 could save 11% (75 mm) and 12.1% (84.4 mm) of the water applied in 2002 and 2003, respectively. For consumptive use of water, 14 treatment could save 2.7% (14.6 mm) and 2.9% (15.8 mm) under Q1 and Q2 irrigation discharge respectively, for the two studied seasons. Applying the surge irrigation technique increased maize grain yield by 9.8% (746.7 kg ha-1) and 4.4% (344.4 kg ha-1) under respective discharge treatments for the two studied seasons. Increased irrigation discharge led to increased water application efficiency and improved water distribution uniformity. The highest mean values (kg m-3) of water utilization efficiency were 1.284 (2002) and 1.30 (2003) from the interaction between Q2 irrigation discharge and surge I3.