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

actual water input in both the villages. However, it can be clearly noted that use and
frequency of irrigation water during all the growth stages of the paddy plant is more in
Hagedal as compared to Gundur.
In Gundur, the WU A ensures greater water control by farmers and fairness in water
distrihution. Greater water control by farnlers permits less water to be used per unit of
production, which translates into reduced energy consumption, waterlogging and salinity
(Mathur 19RR; Reddy, 1986). This corroborates the high correlation coefficient between
irrigation and yield in waterlogged and saline soils of Gundur (see Table 8.2). Improving
water distribution heIps in preventing waterlogging and salinity, but may not necessarily
mean more water is saved to irrigate new land. The physical boundary of the WUA is fixed
and any amount of saved water cannot be used to irrigate lands outside the WUA. Ostrom
(1992) cites clearly defined boundaries of both service area and people who have access to
water as the first design principle for long-enduring, self-organized irrigation systems.
In Hagedal, use of excess water could be mainly attributed to availability of water, low
irrigation duty. coupled with lack of a regulatory mechanism. Farmers' perception here is
that the more water they apply the more yield they should get. Although adequate water is
avaIlable throughout the command area, the timing of water availability to certain plots is
unreliable. As control over water diminishes it becomes necessary to apply increasing
quantities of water whenever available. Hence, over-irrigation even in the context of
general false water scarcity can lead to waterlogging and salinity. It can be noted that
irrigation acts as a yield-retarding variable in the affected lands of Hagedal (see Table 8.3).
Pant (1986) has pointed out in a study of large irrigation projects that the net result of the
broken legitimacy is that tail enders do not get water when they need it and their fields are
waterlogged when no water is required. Indeed it is largely operated "on demand", which
means water is supplied in abundance rather than the actual needs for crops and the outlets
are rei:,'lIlarly adapted by farmers to meet these requirements. Thus, the breakage of
regulatory structures has led to over use of water. Farmers constantly defy existing
regulations and the irrigation authorities find themselves helpless in enforcing discipline.
Non-booking of irrigation offences is a common practice in the village.
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