Spiral water pumps

Tajikistan
Spiral water pumps can carry water from the river to fields
that are up to 30 metres higher than the river without the
input of electricity or fuel.
A Spiral tube water pump is a method of pumping water by using an undershot water
wheel which has a scoop connected to a spiral tube. As the wheel turns, the scoop will
alternatively introduce either water or air into the spiral tube. The pressure from the
hydrostatic head generated from the column of water introduced by the scoop, is added
to the pressure from previous scoops, and so as the wheel turns it will increase the
water pressure with every turn of the spiral. The main characteristic of the spiral water
pump is that it can pump water without the input of electricity or fuel. It works with the
power of the water flow. Once built, the spiral water pump is able to push water up to
30 metres high (horizontal push) and up to 70 metres away (vertical push). The water
push (how far water will be pushed horizontally and vertically) depends on how big the
wheel of the Spiral Water Pump is built, and how much tube is put around the wheel.
The spiral tube water pumps were installed with the aim to provide irrigation water
from rivers to higher level crop fields. Land users in GBAO are dependent on irrigation
water to grow their crops and without the use of water pumps they can not access the
water from rivers that are at a lower level than the fields.
The type, size and thus material costs of a spiral water pump will depend on 2
parameters: first, the irrigation needs (how far the water needs to go and how much is
used per day) and second, the available water flow (the velocity and depth of the water
source). There is only an initial investment in material for the water wheel, after that
the pump should work without any further costs incurred.
The spiral water pumps were installed in 4 different districts of the semi-arid to arid
GBAO region where the availability of irrigation water is crucial to crop production. So
far, 4 spiral water pumps have been installed for test runs but it is very likely that they
will be adopted by other farmers as they observe the benefits created by the ones that
are already in place.

left: Spiral water wheel on a river in

GBAO providing water to fields further
uphill (Photo: MSDSP Khorog)
right: Spiral water wheel being
transported to the site (Photo: MSDSP
Khorog)
Location: GBAO
Region: Roshtkalah, Ishkashim, Vanj,
Rushnan
Technology area: 100 km2 - 1,000
km2
Conservation measure: structural
Stage of intervention: prevention of
land degradation
Origin: Developed externally /
introduced through project, recent
(<10 years ago)
Land use type:
Cropland: Annual cropping
Climate: arid, temperate
WOCAT database reference:
T_TAJ394en
Related approach:
Compiled by: Mizrob Amirbekov, Aga
Khan Foundation
Date: 2011-05-13
Contact person: Artur Khudonazarov,
Manager of the "Centre for Sustainable
and Innovative Technology", a project
of MSDSP, e-mail:
artur.khudonazarov@yahoo.com,
mobile: +992 93 582 72 27

Classification
Land use problems:
- There has been less snow cover during winter time, and less precipitation in the spring, resulting in a lack of irrigation water,
and a decline of soil fertility. (expert's point of view)
Land use

Climate

Degradation

Conservation measure

Annual cropping
full irrigation

arid

Soil erosion by water: loss of topsoil / surface

erosion, Soil erosion by wind: loss of topsoil,
Chemical soil deterioration: fertility decline and
reduced organic matter content

Structural: Others ()

Stage of intervention

Origin

Prevention
Mitigation / Reduction
Rehabilitation

Level of technical knowledge

Land users initiative
Experiments / Research
Externally introduced: recent (<10 years ago)

Agricultural advisor
Land user

Main causes of land degradation:

Direct causes - Natural: change of seasonal rainfall, droughts
Main technical functions:
- water harvesting / increase water supply
- water spreading

Secondary technical functions:

Environment
Natural Environment
Average annual rainfall
(mm)
> 4000 mm
3000-4000 mm
2000-3000 mm
1500-2000 mm
1000-1500 mm
750-1000 mm
500-750 mm
250-500 mm
< 250 mm
Soil depth (cm)
0-20
20-50
50-80
80-120
>120

Altitude (m a.s.l.)

Landform

> 4000
3000-4000
2500-3000
2000-2500
1500-2000
1000-1500
500-1000
100-500
<100
Growing season(s): 170 days
Soil texture: coarse / light (sandy)
Soil fertility: low
Topsoil organic matter: low (<1%)
Soil drainage/infiltration: medium

Slope (%)

plateau / plains
ridges
mountain slopes
hill slopes
footslopes
valley floors

flat
gentle
moderate
rolling
hilly
steep
very steep

Soil water storage capacity: medium

Ground water table: < 5 m
Availability of surface water: poor / none
Water quality: poor drinking water
Biodiversity: low

Tolerant of climatic extremes: temperature increase, seasonal rainfall increase, heavy rainfall events (intensities and
amount), wind storms / dust storms, droughts / dry spells, decreasing length of growing period
Sensitive to climatic extremes: seasonal rainfall decrease, floods
If sensitive, what modifications were made / are possible: Of course the technology only works if there is a water flow
available, therefore a decrease in seasonal rainfall could negatively impact the performance of the spiral water pumps.

Human Environment
Cropland per
household (ha)
<0.5
0.5-1
1-2
2-5
5-15
15-50
50-100
100-500
500-1,000
1,000-10,000
>10,000

Land user: groups / community, Small scale

land users, common / average land users,
mainly men
Population density: 10-50 persons/km2
Annual population growth: 1% - 2%
Land ownership: state, individual, titled
Land use rights: communal (organised)

Importance of off-farm income: less than

10% of all income:
Access to service and infrastructure: low:
employment (eg off-farm), roads & transport,
financial services; moderate: health, education,
market, energy, drinking water and sanitation;
high: technical assistance
Market orientation: mixed (subsistence and
commercial)
Mechanization: animal traction
Livestock grazing on cropland:

Technical drawing
Spiral water pump: When the wheel rotates
with the power of the water, a gulp will add
water and air into the tube at every rotation.
The combination of water and air in the tube
will create an increasing pressure at every
rotation of the wheel. This build-up of pressure
will allow the water to be pushed to a definite
height. (MSDSP Khorog)

Implementation activities, inputs and costs

Establishment activities
- Putting in polyethylene tube
- Painting wheels white
- Building a steel frame to fix two empty water tanks
that keep the water pump floating (if the water source
is a river, not a canal)
- Setting up the outer steel frame connected with axel,
outriggers, pedals

Establishment inputs and costs per unit

Inputs

Costs (US$) % met by land

user

Labour
- all materials together
TOTAL

Maintenance/recurrent activities
- maintenance of pump

45.00

100%

651.00

100%

696.00

100.00%

Construction material

Maintenance/recurrent inputs and costs per unit per year

Inputs

Costs (US$) % met by land

user

Labour

10.00

100%

TOTAL

10.00

Remarks:
The material needed to build such a spiral waterpump is the most important factor determining the costs.
The costs apply to the construction of 1 spiral pump.

Assessment
Impacts of the Technology
Production and socio-economic benefits

Production and socio-economic disadvantages

increased water availability / quality

increased irrigation water availability quality
Socio-cultural benefits

Socio-cultural disadvantages

Ecological benefits

Ecological disadvantages

improved harvesting / collection of water

Off-site benefits

Off-site disadvantages

Contribution to human well-being / livelihoods

This has improved the amount of area that can be utilised for cultivation of several varieties of crops.

Benefits /costs according to land user

Benefits compared with costs

short-term:

long-term:

Establishment

positive

not specified

Maintenance / recurrent

positive

not specified

the spiral pumps were only installed in 2011, therefore long-term returns can not be assessed yet

Acceptance / adoption:
100% of land user families (4 families; 100% of area) have implemented the technology with external material support. It was
the Social Unit Development Village Organisations (SUDVO) who received the spiral water pumps from MSDSP
There is no trend towards (growing) spontaneous adoption of the technology. not yet determined, as the technology has been
installed only recently

Concluding statements
Strengths and

how to sustain/improve

Spiral water pumps can provide water up to 30 m higher than

the river due to the system of compressed air in the spiral
tubes

Weaknesses and

how to overcome

Relatively high initial investment

cover the initial investment

A micro-loan might help to

It may be expensive to replace some of the parts if they wear

out in a few years time.
Buy replacement parts in advance.

Increase of irrigation water quantity

The impact on crop production and thus increased farm income
can not yet be assessed as the pumps were only been installed
in 2011
The pumps provide water without the need for fuel or
electricity which is very useful for poor rural communities
Spreading this technology among rural areas in GBAO
Once established the pumps do not require any further
investments
The water pumps are easy to build using the manual provided
Provide an user friendly manual, listing the detailed steps of
construction including materials and prices
The land was not productive and now I have a good yield of
fruit
Training on fruit tree cultivation.

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