Major Irrigation Projects Research Articles

Participatory irrigation management for efficient water use and enhanced rice productivity in Tamil Nadu, India

Rivers, lakes, and wells are the main sources of irrigation water in India. The country has exploited its rivers as efficiently as possible during the last five decades. The number of dams constructed has increased from less than 300 in the 1960s to 4,300 today. The number of major and medium irrigation projects increased considerably during the 1960-95 planning periods. In spite of the impressive buildup of water resources, current per capita availability of water in India is only 2,200 m3, compared with 65,000 m3 in Japan and 62,000 m3 in the U.S. With increasing population, per capita availability of water in India may even be halved by 2025. In addition, poor transmission of water (50% wastage) is responsible for the sub-optimal operation of many irrigation projects, resulting in low efficiency (<35%) of a few major projects. The tank-irrigated area of 3.56 million ha in 1975 has now been reduced by 22% because of improper maintenance and siltation of tanks. Overexploitation of groundwater is also posing serious water-use problems for agriculture and other sectors. Data from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) show that rice output per liter of water was 0.5-0.7 g at research stations but only about 0.2 g in farmers' fields, suggesting a potential to develop and pro- mote improved technologies for efficient water manage- ment in irrigated agriculture.

Particular barriers and issues associated with projects in a developing and emerging economy. Case study of some abandoned water and irrigation projects in Nigeria

Abandoned projects have become a common sight in Nigeria. The root causes and probable solutions were studied using some major regional water and irrigation projects as case studies. Parameters assessed include source of funding, appropriateness of the contract conditions, unilateral enactment of government laws, inflationary trends and Contractors’ management technique. Despite stringent project management, successful project completion was negated by certain factors in each case. These include inadequate source of funding, price variation and corruption. Feasible approaches to overcoming these barriers were identified as definition of alternative sources of funding, phased completion of projects and the review of certain clauses in the Particular Conditions.

Geoenvironmental effects of groundwater regime in Andhra Pradesh, India

The Indian subcontinent has the largest semi-arid tropical (SAT) area among developing nations. The State of Andhra Pradesh falls under the SAT region in India and is mostly covered by compact and hard rocks, characterized by seasonal rainfall of a highly fluctuating nature, in both space and time. As a consequence of the green revolution and an increase in industrial activity, there has been an increase in the utilization of groundwater resources during the last two decades in Andhra Pradesh. The development has also caused a number of problems, such as water table decline, decrease in well yields and seawater intrusion. Although major irrigation projects have contributed to improved agricultural production, the associated problems of waterlogging, salinization and loss of valuable bioresources have led to the gradual degradation of the land, affecting agricultural productivity. Surface water and groundwater have also been polluted in several parts of the State because of untreated discharge of effluents from the industries into nearby streams or open lands. A brief account of the overall scenario of the hydrogeological framework and geo-environmental effects on the groundwater regime in Andhra Pradesh is presented. Possible management practices and conservation methods are suggested.

Multicriterion decision making in performance evaluation of an irrigation system

The selection of the best alternative in irrigation development strategies is examined in the multiobjective context. Sri Ram Sagar Project, a major irrigation project in India is taken for the case study. The study deals with the performance evaluation of five canal distributories by considering eight different criteria. Two Multicriterion Decision Making (MCDM) methods, namely, Multi Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) and Stochastic extension of PROMETHEE-2 (STOPROM-2) are employed to select the best one among the five. Taguchi experimental design technique is employed to minimise the computational burden arising in the sensitivity analysis studies. The proposed methodology can serve as a model to choose the best one for formulating guide lines for improving the efficiency and performance of similar other distributories.

Application of Irrigation Optimisation System (IOS) to a Major Irrigation Project in India

The Irrigation Optimisation System (IOS), a decision support tool and an extension of the combined hydraulic-hydrological modelling system for canal-command, is applied as a planning tool to the Mahanadi Reservoir Irrigation Scheme, a large irrigation project in Central India. Besides the MIKE 11 and MIKE SHE modelling systems, for the hydraulic and hydrological simulations respectively, it has an optimisation module to govern the canal releases. The results show that presently the canal releases are inefficient and lead to the wastage of a significant amount of water during the monsoon season. It is shown that the application of IOS reduces this wastage and results in higher irrigation intensity and physical productivity of water in the command. The case study also illustrates the capability of IOS as a planning and decision support tool.

Irrigation in Nepal: Opportunities and Constraints

Agriculture accounts for nearly two‐thirds of the gross domestic product of Nepal, one of the least developed countries of the world. Thus, irrigation is important to sustaining the country's economy. While irrigation has been practiced for decades, there is considerable need both to expand the currently irrigated area and to improve the efficiency of existing systems. There is no question that for the future economic development of an agrarian country like Nepal, irrigation development and management must play an important part. This paper reviews the potential of large‐ to medium‐size irrigation projects in the Terai, small‐size irrigation projects in the hill areas, groundwater development, farmer‐managed irrigation systems, and rehabilitation of existing irrigation projects. The role of irrigation as a means of expansion of production and income of the country and institutional implications is also discussed. It should, however, be noted that before major irrigation projects can be developed, treaties with India have to be negotiated for using the waters of international rivers. Thus, realistically, it is somewhat unlikely that major developments will occur before the year 2000.

Water resources utilization in an irrigation project in India

Quantitative information on the adequacy of current operating procedures and available water resources in a typical major irrigation project in India (the Mahi Right Bank Canal project in Gujarat, India) is provided by comparing monthly and seasonal irrigation demands with canal releases and groundwater draught over a four‐year period. A strategy based on water conservation and the use of groundwater in the monsoon season for the full exploitation of reservoir potential in the subsequent seasons is proposed.

Crop coefficients and water requirements of irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the Nigerian savannah zone

Daily water use of irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum L., var. ‘Siete Cerros’) was determined for three seasons between 1983 and 1986 using a hydraulic weighing lysimeter at Kadawa in the Kano River Irrigation Project of Kano State, Nigeria. Crop coefficients were determined for various time intervals during each growing season using the lysimeter data and a grass-based reference crop evapotranspiration estimated with Class A pan evaporation data. Mean crop coefficients for each ten-day period of crop growth were then determined. Observed length of a season ranges between 110 and 120 days. Seasonal crop water use ranges between 395 mm and 456 mm. Wheat crop water requirements (CWR) were then estimated for major irrigation projects in the Nigerian Sudan and Sahel savannah zones, between latitudes 10°N and 14°N, using the crop coefficients obtained and long term mean climatic data. The estimated CWR agreed with values obtained from the lysimeter experiments. Seasonal CWR values estimated by designers of three existing irrigation projects in the area agreed with the experimental results, but the designers' short term, ten-day period estimates differed from the results obtained.

Economics of salinity control in Sri Lanka: Some exploratory results

This paper documents the results of a financial and economic analysis of salinity control in one of the major irrigation projects in Sri Lanka. Conventional benefit-cost analysis was adopted in computing the benefit-cost ratios on the basis of plausible assumptions. The study indicates the returns to salinity control to be high, both from the financial and the economic points of view. The sensitivity of the results to changes in key parameters revealed that the returns are most sensitive to the yield gains achieved through drainage installations. In the economic analysis, the largest impact was observed for the price of paddy. The rates of return obtained in the economic analysis are higher than the financial returns, indicating the usefulness of government policy instruments such as subsidies for salinity control.

A review of the special credit programme in an irrigation project in India

This paper gives a brief account of the special credit efforts undertaken by the Command Area Development Authority in a major irrigation project in synchronization with assured irrigation supplies. Co-ordinated action with credit societies in the co-operative sector and with commercial banks in the banking sector proved effective. An analysis of factors behind defaults in the repayment of loan dues showed that the characteristics which usually distinguish between the two groups of prompt repayers and defaulters were found to be statistically significant.

Administration of major-medium irrigation projects in Indian federation

When India launched planned development in 195 1, it was realised that the large land resources of the country could not be put to productive use without simultaneously expanding irrigation facilities. Subsequently, a policy of integrated development of the land and irrigation was adopted. In pursuance of this policy, a large share of the outlays of successive Five Year Plans has been allocated for the development of irrigation potential. As a result, the irrigation potential of the country has more than doubled since the commencement of the First Five Year Plan. Prior to 195 1, the total area irrigated in the country was 22.6 million hectares (mha)-9.7 mha by major and medium irrigation projects and 12.9 mha by minor irrigation schemes. The irrigation potential increased to 44.1 mha at the end of the Fourth Five Year Plan in 1973-74, of which 20.6mha was by major and medium projects and 23.5 mha by minor schemes. The total irrigation potential created at the end of 1977-78 was 52.2mha (24.9mha from major and medium projects and 27.3 mha from minor schemes). The ultimate irrigation potential of the country has been assessed as 113.1 mha-58.5 mha by major and medium projects and 54.6 mha by minor schemes.’ For administrative convenience, irrigation projects are classified into three categories-major, medium and minor. Projects costing more than Rs.* 5 crores? and with a culturable command area of more than 10,000 ha are classified as major, those costing between Rs. 25 lakhs? (Rs. 30 lakhs in hill areas) and Rs. 5 crores and with a culturable command area ranging between 2000 and 10,000 ha as medium and those costing less than Rs. 25 lakhs (Rs. 30 lakhs in hilly areas) and with a

Otomi Obscene Humor: Preliminary Observations

THE OTOMI ARE A GROUP of approximately ninety thousand Native Americans living in the arid zone of the Mezquital Valley. This zone comprises approximately forty percent of the State of Hidalgo in Mexico. Nearly all the Otomi are bilingual today (Otomi/Spanish); of the ten percent of the population that remains monolingual, at least ninety percent are women. The Otomi have lived under conditions of political and economic repression for at least six hundred years. They were, as a major source of grain and manpower only one hundred miles away from Tenochtitlan, subjugated by the Aztecs, to whom they paid direct tribute. The Otomi subsequently participated in the rebellions against the Aztecs during early Spanish Colonial times. Over the years, the Otomi were pushed into the desert regions of the Mezquital Valley to eke out a living in a world of cactus and small game. Agriculture has been spotty at best, in an environment which averages under twelve inches of rainfall per year. During the last twenty years the Otomi have become a showcase for Mexican governmental programs of economic development. The main population center of the Otomi, Ixmiquilpan, lies astride the principal north-south highway leading to Mexico City. Since Ixmiquilpan is only one hundred miles from the capital, it has been convenient for program administrators; and, indeed, the results have been remarkable. Major irrigation projects have remade much of the desert land; bilingual schools have reached most of the population and there are virtually no Otomi children who remain monolingual; rural clinics have brought the idea (if not the practice) of modern medicine to the Mezquital. In brief, there is not a single aspect of life which remains untouched by modern Mestizo Spanish influence. This can be seen in Otomi folklore, a compendium of which is in preparation.1

Cost‐Benefit Analysis of Irrigation Projects in Northeastern Brazil

AbstractCost‐benefit analysis using empirical estimation of labor's shadow price and linear programming for crop selection is applied to major proposed irrigation projects for Brazil's Northeast. Over half the project area is approved. However, these capital intensive projects should rank below investments with similar rates of return but larger employment effects.