Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
The performances of 2 National Irrigation Systems (NIS), 6 Communal Irrigation Systems (CIS) and 2
Small Water Impounding Projects (SWIP) in Ilocos Norte were evaluated from the standpoint of their
dry season irrigation intensity, which is defined as the ratio of the actual area irrigated during the dry
season to the irrigation service area. Some important design criteria and features of these sample
irrigation systems were investigated to help explain their performances. Field observations of the
existing physical structures of these systems were carried out to assess their overall capacity to
convey and distribute the required water efficiently. Frequency analysis of the maximum rainfall totals
measured at the nearest weather station during the period 19762005 was carried out to gain insights
on the return periods of the 1-d, 2-d, 3-d and 4-d rainfall totals brought about by a typhoon that heavily
damaged the headworks of two of the sample irrigation systems. The study showed an average dry
season cropping intensity in crop year 20052006 of only 27%. This very low irrigation intensity can be
partly attributed to the extensive damage of the dam of the Madongan River Irrigation System (RIS),
the largest irrigation system within the province. The results of frequency analysis indicated that the
1-d, 2-d, 3-d and 4-d rainfall totals had associated return periods ranging only from 2.4 to 4.3 yr. The
poor performance of the irrigation systems studied can be traced to their design shortcomings and
undesirable design features. The potentials for improvements in hydraulic structures were evident.
Key Words: canal irrigation, design criteria, design shortcomings, Ilocos Norte, systems rehabilitation
Abbreviations: AFMA Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act, CIS communal irrigation system, NIS
national irrigation system, PIS pump irrigation system, RIS river irrigation system, ROTR run-of-the-river,
SWIP small water impounding project
irrigated was only about 56% of the irrigation service implement under real field condition (Plusquellec et al.
area (David 2003). 1994; Horst 1998; Plusquellec 2002).
Since the late 1990s the modernization of the Over the years, the poor performance of many canal
agriculture sector was accorded top priority by the irrigation systems has been attributed to shortcomings in
government in an effort to provide enduring solutions to either the design and technology, management and
the twin problems of food insecurity and rural poverty. institutional setup, policy or a combination of these
The primary instrument for this initiative was at least to factors. Horst (1998), Plusquellec (2002) and Ersten
maintain the canal irrigation base and sustain growth in (2009) summarized from a historical perspective the bulk
the private sector-led minor irrigation systems. In 1997, of available information on the problems of irrigation and
the Philippine Congress passed the Agriculture and irrigated agriculture and the usual solutions that had been
Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA), which was an taken to address these problems.
expanded version of the Irrigation Crises Act In the 1970s, wastage of water below the farm outlet
(Department of Agriculture 1998). Despite these efforts was viewed as the primary reason for the poor
the engineering performance of canal irrigation systems performance of canal irrigation systems. The common
did not improve significantly. In fact, the gap between response then included promotion of on-farm
projected or expected and actual performance of canal development including introduction of modern water
irrigation systems has been increasing with time (David application methods and precise land leveling, creation of
2008, 2009). water users groups at the level of tertiary canals, and
The above considerations would imply that faulty refining of flow measuring techniques. However, these
design was the root cause of the poor performance of solutions failed to push the performance of irrigation to
many of the existing canal irrigation systems. This paper the expected level. The focus then of the efforts to
aimed to identify some of these design shortcomings. It improve the performances of irrigation systems shifted to
reports the observed design shortcomings on the the management and institutional aspects. To date, the
headwork and the water distribution and control facilities results left much to be desired.
of the sample irrigation projects in Ilocos Norte. Several authors (David 1986, 2003; Horst 1998;
Plusquellec 2002) argued that overoptimistic assumptions
during the planning stage and faulty and unrealistic
REVIEW OF LITERATURE design were the main causes of the poor performance of
gravity irrigation systems. Results of the 1997 study of
Canal irrigation systems with lower economic rates of the Operations Evaluation Department (OED) of the
return, cropping intensities and actual area irrigated than World Bank on 6 gravity irrigation systems in Thailand,
the expected values during the project planning stage are Myanmar and Vietnam corroborated this claim (Rice
not unique to the Philippines, but a common experience 1997). Findings from this study contradicted the
in many Asian countries (Horst 1998; Skutsch and dominant paradigm attributing low economic returns of
Rydzewski 2001; Plusquellec 2002; Clemmens 2006; government-operated, gravity-fed irrigation schemes to
Malano and Hofwegen 2006). There is now a growing poor O&M and inadequate farmer organizations. The
consensus among irrigation researchers that the primary study concluded that the primary reasons for the
reasons behind the poor performances of canal irrigation performance gaps were falling paddy prices,
systems include: (1) inadequate data base for planning, overoptimism about the crop area to be served and
(2) inadequate institutional capacity and mechanisms for project design faults including the choice of unsuitable
project planning and development, (3) design errors, (4) technology.
poor quality of construction, (5) inadequate and The recognition of poor design as the main reason for
fragmented irrigated agriculture support services, (6) the poor performance of irrigation systems has been
overoptimistic assumptions of water use efficiency and slow. Plusquellec (2002) summarized the studies,
irrigation service area during the project planning stage, publications and events that acknowledged directly or
and (7) failure to manage and distribute irrigation water indirectly the importance of design and technology in the
efficiently and effectively. Because of inadequate performance of irrigation systems. He noted that although
baseline information and institutional capacity for project such studies, publications and events were sponsored by
planning, designers and builders of the irrigation facilities international organizations [World Bank, International
fail to establish appropriate design criteria (Horst 1998; Water Management Institute (IWMI), International
Plusquellec 2002; David 2003, 2008, 2009). Quite often, Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), and Food
the design criteria used pay insufficient attention to and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United
operational procedures. As a result, many design Nations], they remained the initiatives of individual
assumptions or stipulations for efficient operation or experts rather than the result of a policy shared at the
management of the system are difficult to realize or highest decision level of their organizations.