The agricultural crop that is particularly important to the world is maize, and its development is frequently impacted by a crucial factor known as moisture stress. It is crucial to understand how maize reacts to different irrigation depths, especially in dry and semi-arid locations where it has high irrigation requirements and is sensitive to water stress. Using the furrow irrigation method, an experiment at Birr Farm in the irrigation seasons of 2022-2023 examined the effects of varying irrigation depths (from 50% ETc to 150% ETc) on maize yields and related components. The experiment is set as a randomized complete block design with three replications. The outcomes showed that different irrigation depths had a substantial (P < 0.001) impact on yield characteristics. The highest grain yield, reaching 6.08 t/ha and 5.83 t/ha, occurred at 100% ETc in the second and first seasons, respectively. Similarly, the peak above-biomass yield, at 14.28 and 14.94 t/ha, was observed at 100% ETc in the second and first seasons, respectively, diminishing with further deviations in irrigation depth. From an economic standpoint, applying 100% ETc proved financially viable for small-scale farmers. Notably, utilizing a 50% ETc irrigation depth allowed for water savings of 4345.95 m(3)/ha, subsequently enabling the irrigation of an additional 0.43 ha, demonstrating a practical water-saving approach for downstream users in irrigation schemes, even if it was 8.9 kg m(-3) yield reductions.