Chapter 6.

4: METHODS FOR IMPROVING CANAL IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT

Irrigation management is an interdisciplinary system process with a built-in learning mechanism
to improve system performance by adjusting physical, technological, and institutional inputs to
achieve the desired levels of output.
Methods for Improving Canal Management:
Cropping pattern
 It is described in terms of the area under various crops at different periods of a year. An
optimum cropping pattern for an area can ideally be determined by using systems analysis.
Conjunctive use
 It means that water lifted from below the ground is used in conjunction with canal waters.
 It results in the coordinated, combined, and creative exploitation of ground water and
surface water so as to minimize the dislocation caused by nature’s inconsistent rainfall
pattern.
 It implies use of surface water (from either reservoir storage or diversion works) during
periods of above normal precipitation for irrigation and other activities to the extent possible
and letting the balance reach the ground water storage (through artificial recharge) which
would be utilized for supplementing surface water supplies during years of subnormal
precipitation.
Channel Capacity
 The discharge capacity of the channel system should be decided on the concept of
evapotranspiration.
 The evapotranspiration of a crop is the total amount of soil water used for transpiration by
the plants and evaporation from the surrounding soil surface.
 the crop evapotranspiration represents the amount of water utilized by the crop and its
environment.
 It is commonly expressed in millimeters of water used per day (mm/day)
 Factors that effect on crop evapotranspiration

Canal Lining

 Lining of canals is a means to reduce the seepage losses from canals.

 In order to prevent damage to lining, the slope of a lined channel is reduced. This reduces
the sediment carrying capacity of an existing channel which is being lined. Therefore,
measures for sediment exclusion are to be considered whenever an existing canal is being
lined. Alternative to the lining of canals is the conjunctive use of surface and ground water
which should be opted for after comparing the unit cost of water saved by lining with the
unit cost of pumped water.

Regulators and Escapes

 For ensuring proper distribution of irrigation water according to the adopted management
policy, a suitable number of canal regulators and canal escapes must be provided on the
channel network in general and on main canals and branches in particular. Canal escapes
are needed for the safety as well as for regulating canal supplies in areas which have
received excess rainfall.
Canal Outlets
 It is a small structure built at the head of the water course so as to connect it with a minor
or a distributary channel.
 Another important aspect of designing canal irrigation system is the selection of suitable
type of outlet which is crucial in controlling the distribution of water and providing a link
between the administration and the farmer.

Main System Management

 Operational management of the main system refers to management aspects of the future
allocation, scheduling, delivery of water on main systems down to and including outlets,
and the disposal of water in drains
 According to the present system of operation, the main canal and branches run
continuously with either full or reduced supply depending on the availability of water.
 Obtain the cropping pattern, preferably an optimum one, for irrigation during the
ensuing season,
 Estimate weekly evapotranspiration and corresponding effective rainfall based on past
records,
 Determine the irrigation demand,
 Decide upon the amount of canal water and ground water to meet the irrigation demand
such that the desired intensity of irrigation on the optimum cropping pat- tern can be
obtained along with a stable water table, and
 Prepare a roster of regulation of distributaries and minors and notify the concerned
farmers well in advance to enable them to plan their sowing and irrigation programs
accordingly.

Night Irrigation
 The practice of irrigating during the night time to allow water to soak into ground while
evaporation rate is low.
 Darkness, cold, fear, normal working hours and desire for sleep discourage the irrigation
staff, farmers, and labourers to work at night.
 Disadvantages:
 Loss of sleep and disruption in the normal sleeping duration,
 Discomfort due to cold night and difficulty in moving around in sticky soils and mud,
 Danger and fear of snakes, scorpions, accidents, violence including murder, and other
problems related to law and order,
 Inefficient application of water due to darkness
 Higher costs due to higher night wages, non-availability of family labour (especially
women, old people and those very young to work at night), and need of firewood,
beverages and lighting.
 Advantages:
 In warmer regions, farmers find it more comfortable to irrigate at night.
 Part-time farmers having other work during the day would prefer night irrigation.
 Tail-end farmers may get relatively more adequate and reliable supply during night.
Water Delivery Systems
 It is defined as a system of equitable water distribution by turns according to a
predetermined schedule specifying the day, time, and duration of supply to each irrigator
in proportion to land holdings in the outlet command.
 Water delivery system can be of three (3) types:
 Demand based
 Continuous
  Rational (preferrable)

Irrigation Scheduling
 It is estimating the starting time, stopping time, and the quantity of water for different cycles
of irrigation during crop period
 Irrigation scheduling can be determined by using one of three approaches:
 Soil moisture depletion Approach
 Climatological Approach (evapotranspiration & rainfall data)
 Farmer’s existing schedule Approach

Irrigation Methods
 Most of the surface irrigation methods yield reasonably high field application efficiency
provided the land has been prepared properly and due care has been taken during
irrigation.

Use of Waste Water

 It would, obviously, be very beneficial even if half of this used water is suitably treated and
used for irrigation.

Conservation of Water on the Field

 Rice fields have to be kept flooded for a sufficiently long time, and this results in large
percolation losses from 50 to 80 % depending upon the type of soil.
 Therefore, rice cultivation should normally be restricted to soils of relatively low
permeability. The percolation losses can also be reduced by puddling the soil using
improved puddlers and the saving of water can be between 16 and 26 per cent depending
upon the type of soil and puddlers used.

Water Logging
 Waterlogging results in lowered yields, loss of lands for useful activities, and health
hazards.
  Conjunctive use of surface and ground water is the most cost- effective means of fighting
waterlogging in canal-irrigated lands.
Soil Reclamation
 Saline and Alkaline soils need to be reclaimed on a high priority basis and in a planned
manner by the joint efforts of agricultural chemists, agronomists, agricultural experts, and
irrigation engineers.
 If the reclaimed soil is not suitable for food grain production, it can be used to grow certain
species of trees

Command Area Development Programme

 This programme was to include systematic programming of land consolidation, scientific
land shaping, construction of watercourses and field channels to carry water to individual
fields, field drains to carry surplus water away from field, and a system of roads which will
enable farmers to carry the produce to the market.

Irrigation Manager
 This is a person who manages Canal Irrigation.
 Any improvement in the existing canal irrigation management, scheduling, reducing losses
at night, etc. can only be initiated by the canal managers who are mostly engineers.

Chapter 6.5: OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF CANAL IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

Operation and maintenance of an irrigation and drainage system implies management of the
system.
Plan of Operation and Management (POM) or the Management Plan includes a set of
documents and instructions, organization charts, work procedures and rules, programs and
schedules which aim at achieving efficient and optimal functioning of the irrigation system.
 Operation Policy
 The project management may frame appropriate rules, proceed with activities for
regulation and conservation of water and for the protection of quality of water
 System Operation rules:
 Detailed operation policy, rules and specifications
 Irrigation plan (seasonal and annual operating plan)
 Operational Procedures
 Emergency Procedures, and
 Operations beyond farm outlet
 Maintenance Aspects
 Maintenance and repair works form an important part of the project management
soon after commissioning of the project
 Proper maintenance of an irrigation system is necessary because of the following :
 To retain system’s operation efficiency.
 Practical, predictable and equitable deliveries to the outlets will increase crop
productivity from the existing irrigation systems
 Conservation of water resource.
 Types of Maintenance
o Normal — usual; done annually
o Emergency — done under unusual conditions affecting adversely the
safety of the system.
o Deferred — routine/normal ones deferred because of shortage of
funds/machines, affects adversely hydraulic performance.
 o Catch-up — programme that takes care of deferred maintenance
o Preventive — takes care of the causes creating the maintenance needs
when they are only minor
o Rehabilitation — renovation needed due to accumulation of deferred
maintenance; otherwise, only for ageing structures
o Modernization — updating/improving the system to meet enhanced social,
technical, economic activities.
o ‘Walk-thru’ — two or three individuals walking along canals, taking notes
on maintenance needs
o Special — due to unforeseen mishaps such as breaches.

 Maintenance Policy
o The maintenance policy should include directions on:
 degree to which preventive maintenance is to be relied upon
 appropriateness of deferring maintenance of components for which plans have
been approved for rehabilitation or modernization
 relationship among maintenance, rehabilitation and modernization
 using improved technology for maintenance
 transparency of maintenance
 involvement of water users, and
 execution of maintenance
 Sources of Maintenance Data
o The data to be used in preparing maintenance plans may originate from one of the
following:
 reports from field personnel
 inspection report from superior officers
 performance measurement data, and
 research reports on maintenance (material, equipment, method)
 methods of execution (departmental, contact-labour/material)
 assignment of responsibilities
 principles in light of policy
 maintenance of services
 approval, and
 notification and liaison
Chapter 6.6: EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE OF CANAL IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
To manage a system properly, the physical effectiveness of past operations must be considered
against the original criteria set forth for the project.
Some of the diagnostic analyses that can be considered are:
 Farmer’s Operation Performance
 Adequacy of crop production techniques for irrigated farming including adequacy of
supply of inputs such credit, certified seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, etc.
 Adequacy of irrigation methods
 Farm management and economic results
 Soil management and erosion control, and
 On-farm efficiency of water use
 Delivery Operation Performance
 water use efficiency in distribution
  water losses (physical including evaporation)
 project overall water use efficiency
 deep percolation
 canal seepage
 spillage from canals
 dam and foundation seepage
 water operational losses (such as leakage from gates, etc.)
 adequacy of delivery scheduling, and
 energy use
 Drainage Operational Performance
 Drainage requirement area-wise
 Water table fluctuations by season and years
 Water quality changes reach-wise for drain effluents, and
 Soil salinity changes area-wise
 Maintenance of individual components
 Civil works (such as for canals, hydraulic structures, drains, building and roads), and
 Equipment (pumps, hoists, earthmovers, trucks, loaders, computers, measuring
devices, gates, office and communication equipment) degradation and prediction of
replacement schedule
 Overall project review: Efficiency and Effectiveness
 documentation of project costs and revenues
 adequacy of revenue sources to meet O & M needs
 benefit flows from project farmers, governments, and others
 comparison of benefits generated to revenue required
 relevant agricultural and engineering issues, and
 social and environmental changes and concerns and resulting implications