Irrigation Efficiency Performance Assessment of Modern Spate Irrigation Scheme: In Case of Kobo Woreda, North Wollo, Ethiopia

Abstract

Spate irrigation is form of water management that is unique to arid and semi- arid area where floods are diverted in to cultivated crops by constructing diversion weir across the river. The general objective of the study was Assessments of irrigation efficiency Gobu-I and Gobu-II modern spate irrigation schemes. To achieve the study primary data were collected which includes measurement of soil moisture contents before and after irrigation, measurement of field discharge. The parameters used to compare the efficiencies at the farm field levels were application, storage and distribution uniformity efficiency. The application efficiencies of Gobu-I was 62.75, 72.61 and 77.56% and for Gobu-II was 57.88, 66.12 and 70.14%. The storage efficiencies of Gobu-I schemes were 89.06, 88.71 and 87.8% and for Gobu-II schemes were 90.97, 89.81 and 88.1%. Distribution efficiency for Gobu-I scheme were 92.65, 87.67 and 96.38% and For Gobu-II schemes were 85.05, 89.95 and 95.03% in the head, middle and tail field respectively. Application efficiencies of both schemes were not good because of it’s under limit but storage and distribution efficiencies were good. By strengthening the capacity of DA’s and farmer’s frequent evaluation and follow-up are critical to maintain sustainable performance of the modern spate irrigation schemes.