Assessment of Sarda Sahayak Canal water quality for irrigation using different indices

Abstract

Suitability of canal water for irrigation is a useful tool for careful management of canal water resources that can impact soils and thereby effect agricultural production. The present work was conducted at Kunda Tehshil in Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, India for the assessment of variation in water quality of Sarda Sahayak Canal. Canal water samples were collected and important parameters deciding irrigation water quality were analysed viz., pH, electrical conductivity (EC), chloride, calcium, magnesium, carbonate, bicarbonate, sodium, potassium and sodium, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), permeability index levels (PI) and Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI). Correlations between studied parameters were deduced to derive at relationships existent between different water quality parameters. Results showed that monthly variation of water quality of the Sarda Sahayak Canal were under permissible limits and classified as good for irrigation with respect to pH, Na%, SAR, RSC and Cl parameters. EC values ll water samples were under medium /good range for irrigation whereas irrigation water quality index of 50% of water samples were under no restriction category and the rest 50% samples showed low restriction category, and hence canal water could be satisfactorily used for irrigation purposes. Further, soils of the studied area were saline, and hence canal water could be safely used for leaching the excess salts out from root zone to achieve high yields without risking and any other soil related problems that could arise out of the use of canal water.