Water Users Association and Irrigation Management - Institute for ...

The incidence and prevalence of salinity and waterlogging in the study villages are
explored. Some of the factors contributing to irrigation-induced salinity and waterlogging
include over irrigation, lack of infrastructure maintenance, insufficiency of drainage,
violation of cropping pattern, etc. as identified by both farmers and irrigation officials. The
next chapter discusses some of the strategies employed by various stakeholders to mitigate
the adverse effects.
Summary and Conclusion
Farmers' perceptions are used to classify the fertility status of the soils in the study
villages. Their classification and characterization of the soils into good soils, waterlogged
soils and saline soils are mainly based on the potential and constraints of their soil. Crop
performance and quality of yield are the most important criteria for classification. Also the
problems of waterlogging and salinity are analyzed not only from a soil deterioration point
of view, but also from an irrigation point of view, because these problems are essentially
associated with water use practices. Although perceptions are not as accurate as technical
measurements they offer useful insights of ground realities.
The extent of waterlogging and the associated soil salinity is found to be more in Hagedal
than Gundur. Also the percentage of farmers operating within the safe limits of
waterlogging and salinity in Gundur is more in comparison to Hagedal. In Gundur, where
the WUA takes proactive steps, the adverse effects have been controlled more effectively,
than in the other villagc without WUA. Although the trend of problematic soils remained
constant over a period of time, the rate of increase in the problematic soils was much faster
than the declining trend in both the villages.
Irrigation officials see insufficiency of drainage infrastructure, violation of cropping pattern
and under pricing of water as the dominant reasons for waterlogging and salinity in the
Tungabhadra command area. On the other hand, farmers in both the villages view over
irrigation as the main factor causing adverse effects. In Gundur, however, the WUA
prevents over irrigation by adopting strictly the irrigation schedules. In Hagedal, illegal
appropriation of water is widespread, and the undependable supply of water makes farmers
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