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

,
Sathyanarayana et al. (200 I) documented the progress of the IDNORP Project (Indo-Dutch
Network Operational Research Project) that was started in 1996, to study drainage and
water management for salinity control in canal commands. Both surface and sub-surface
drainage systems were piloted by IDNORP at the Konanki site (in the Nagarjuna Sagar
Project Right Canal Command area), an area that suffers from salinity, sodicity and
waterlogging. The drains were manually installed in the pre-monsoon period when the
groundwatcr was at its lowest level. The sub-surface drains were installed with 30 and 60 m
drain spacing, and the open drains had 50 m spacing. Since the land could be !,'favitydrained,
and the effluent could be disposed in a conveniently close natural drain, there was
no need for pumped drainage. The cost of sub-surface drainage was Rs. 23,000 per hectare
and the cost for the open drain system was Rs 5,000. With 9.5t salt discharged in these
drains the rice yield has improved from 2625 kglhectare (prior to drainage installation), to
4125 kglhectare.
To address the environmental and socio-economic issues of the Fordwah Eastern Sadiqia
South (FESS), the Government of Pakistan initiated in 1993 the FESS Irrigation and
Drainage Project. The project envisioned sustained reclamation of 3,00.000 acres of land by
lowering the water table through lining of distributary, by controlling seepage. construction
of surface drain and creation of Farmers Organization to participate in operation and
maintenance. The study by Waheed-Us-Zaman (2000) describes the post-project results of
farmers' perceptions on the impact of irrigation and drainage project. The parameters
approached were depth to water table, crop yields. cropping pattern, migration, abandoned
lands, water distribution and seepage reduction. The farmers' perceptions revealed their
satisfaction with the project interventions to reduce the adverse effects on soil. There have
been improvements in the soil fertility, drainage, irrigation efficiency and the socioeconomic
condition of the region. But at some locations, the groundwater quality was
affected adversely. One revealing feature of the study is that farmers' perceptions. when
compared with the technical data from previous technical studies of some selected
parameters were found to be reliable.
Improvement in yield levels due to the installation of subsurface drainage has been reported
by IPTRID (1991). Its report noted that in the Nubariya Irrigation Project of Egypt. due to
IS E C L15~?~Y~.t~.~~~~.~~.
Ace. No ..... •·•• ... •••
35