INTRODUCTION

Definition of Irrigation
Irrigation can be defined as human manipulation of the hydrologic cycle to improve
crop production and quality and to decrease economic efforts of drought.
Irrigation is the artificial application of water to plants for their growth and maturity.
Irrigation water is supplied to supplement the water available from rainfall and the
contribution of soil moisture from ground water.
Necessity of Irrigation
Irrigation is normally required under the following situations:
1. Rainfall is less than the water requirement of the plants.
2. Rainfall is sufficient, but the spatial distribution of rainfall is not as per requirement.
3. Rainfall is sufficient and the spatial distribution is also good, but the temporal
distribution is not as per requirement.
4. Advanced scientific development (HYV-High yield variety)

Objectives of Irrigation
(i) Ensure enough moisture essential for plant growth
(ii) Provide crop insurance against short duration of drought
(iii) Cool the soil and atmosphere to provide a suitable surrounding
(iv) Wash out or dilute harmful salts, chemicals in the soil
(v) Reduce hazards of soil piping
(vi) Soften the tillage pans.
Advantages of Irrigation
The following are some of the advantages of irrigation:
1. Increase of food production
- Multiple cropping
- Growing high-yielding varieties
- Timely agricultural operation
- Control of weed
2. Modify soil or climate environment - leaching
3. Lessen risk of catastrophic damage caused by drought
4. Increase income/national cash flow
5. Increase labor employment
6. Increase standard of living
7. Increase value of land
8. National security: - self sufficiency
9. Improve communication and navigation facilities
10. Domestic and industrial water supply
11. Improve ground water storage
12. Generation of hydro-electric power
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Ill-effects of Irrigation
The following are the disadvantages of irrigation:
 Water logging
 Salinity and alkalinity of land
 Ill aeration of soil
 Pollution of underground water
 Results in colder and damper climate causing outbreak of diseases like malaria.

Irrigation as a subset of production systems and the environment

One cannot simply start the irrigation without also improving other production inputs (which
may also limiting crop production)
Inputs:
- Fertilizers
- Labour availability
- Markets of produce
- Pest control
- Cultivation Equipment
- Drainage

Yield-water application criterion

Fig: General Crop water Production Function

The above curve is parochial in nature.

Shape= f(soil, climate, crop type, fertility, precipitation)
Therefore, it is not transferable to other areas.

Hydrologic and Environmental Relationship

Irrigation is a subset of the hydrologic cycle.

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Law of Conversion of Mass

- Water cannot be created or destroyed.
- It must be accounted for with in an irrigation system or river basin.
- The only “Consumptive” or consumed portion of diverted water is
Evapotranspiration or Et.

Return Flow
The balance of diverted irrigation water (diversion – Et) will either:
- Runoff of the surface
- Percolation below the root zone
- Seep from canals and reservoirs
- Be spilled from canals
All diverted water in excess of Et will eventually return to a stream or groundwater at a
lower elevation where it can be reused by another user.
The portion of diverted water which returns to a water course or ground water is called
return flow.
Water Rights
In addition to determining the adequacy of a water sources, one must also consider the
effect of a diversion or change in water use on other users. Many of the users may hold
“Water right”.
A water right is a legal deed detailing the ownership of the right to divert and
beneficially and consumptive use of water.
A water right has usually has three parts:
1. Length of the time
2. Maximum rate of diversion
3. Maximum land area which can be irrigated.

Unfortunately, there is no overall water law, formal system of water rights or regulatory
instruments for water use and allocation in Bangladesh. Followings are available:
1. The Irrigation Act (1876)
2. Bangladesh water and power development board ordinance (1972)
3. Local Government ordinance (1983)
4. Irrigation water rate ordinance (1983)
Main thing is that in practical there is no law maintained and there is no monitoring.

Irrigation Engineering
- Is an applied subject dealing with investigation, planning, design, execution, control and
servicing of irrigation and related works.
- Is an interdisciplinary area subject requiring the knowledge of various subjects, such as
hydrology, hydraulics, soil science and soil mechanics, botany, economics, geography, social
sciences etc.

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Types of Irrigation Development

a. Based on Procurement Process of Water
1. Storage-type
Where the rainfall is seasonal, the stream flow varies from scanty or no flow during the
summer season to a large quantity of flood discharge during the monsoon months. Such
situations can be avoided by storing the excess water during the monsoon months and
releasing it during the lean period. Water can be stored in reservoirs by constructing
dams across rivers, in tanks and lakes as well as underground reservoirs. The method of
storing will depend primarily on the topography, soil and subsoil conditions.
2. Diversion-type
When the river is perennial and has ample flow during the dry weather season, river
flow can be diverted into irrigation canals by the construction of diversion weirs and
barrages across the river. The primary function of such weirs and barrages is to obstruct
the river flow and thereby raise the level of the water surface so that the agricultural
areas lying at a higher elevation can be irrigated by gravity flow.
3. Combined of storage and diversion
Here dams are constructed in the hilly areas for storing water and weirs are constructed
in the plains for picking the flow released from single or multiple reservoirs and
diverting the water into the adjoining agricultural land.
4. River pumping
The introduction of river pumping, employing heavy-duty pumps driven electrically or
by diesel engines has been very popular as their initial cost is low.
5. Groundwater pumping
In all storage- or diversion-type developments there is considerable loss of water due to
evaporation and percolation. The development of groundwater resources by the
construction of shallow or deep wells or by underground cut-offs (for raising the natural
water table by obstructing the groundwater flow) has many advantages. Not only does it
help in the exploitation of the infiltrating water resources lying underground, but there
is greater flexibility of operation resulting in greater efficiency of use.
6. Reclamation of waste water and sewage
Where there are a large number of industries and the industrial wastes are of large
quantity and poor quality, the government rules prevent their outflow into the river
without adequate treatment earlier. Such treatments of wastes and sewage not only save
the river from hazards of pollution but yield a substantial quantity of water for irrigation
purposes.
b. Based on Coverage
1. Major irrigation project > 10,000 ha
2. Medium irrigation project: 2,000 – 10,000 ha
3. Minor irrigation project <2,000 ha
Medium and minor schemes are more efficient. They can be brought into operation in a
shorter period as compared to major schemes and normally do not require highly specialized
knowledge and skill in planning, investigation, design and construction. However one of the
serious drawbacks is that because of their low storage capacity, they are totally dependent on
the annual rainfall. If the rain falls short of the mean value for consecutive years, these small
schemes cannot fight the drought. It is only through creating large storage that the drought
situation can be avoided by storing excess flow in the years of abundance and supplying the
same during the lean years.

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c. Based on Purpose
1. Single purpose project -> where there is a single objective,
2. Multipurpose project
Multipurpose Project
- A multipurpose project is one which services more than one purpose
- Such as irrigation project can serve the following purposes
 Storage, control, utilization of water
 Hydroelectric power
 Flood control
 Silt control
 Inland navigation
 Water supply
 Fish culture
 Recreation
- A multipurpose entails the study of different sciences. Such as-
 Engineers
 Agriculturalist
 Soil scientists
 Hydrologist
 Meteorologist
 Administrators
 Planners
 Farmers – Beneficiary
 Economist
 Sociologist
Considerations for Development of a Water Resources Project
1. Economic considerations :
- cost benefit ratio C/B <1
- Cost involves: Investigation, planning, design, construction, operation and
maintenance
- Benefit: which can be converted to money.
2. Social and economic considerations of beneficiary
- land ownership pattern
- local availability of labour
- existing farm practice
- Crop type and calendar
- transportation, storage and marketing facilities
- banking facility
- technical advisory
- Educational level/consciousness
- People participation
3. Environmental Considerations
- EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment)
- Submergence of land and forestry
- Atmospheric pollution due to organic decomposition
- Water logging
- Water borne diseases
- Fish habitats

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Basic Data Collection

For any irrigation scheme to succeed, utmost importance must be given for the collection of
basic field data. Any haste and negligence can result in serious, unforeseen difficulties. A
variety of data needs to be collected relating to
- Land and soil
- Topography
- Geology
- Rainfall and climate
- Crops
- Transportation and storage
- Socio-economic conditions, etc.

Land Resources
Bangladesh has a total area of 14.7 Mha and a net cultivable land of 8.3 Mha. But at
the end of 2025, this will be reduced to about 7.7 Mha.
An important parameter is to be consider, Depth of flooding. It determines type of
crop, which should be planted. For example, in deeply flooded areas, rice is broadcast as
deep water aman. In less flooded areas, the rice is transplanted and farmers can grow HYVs
(High yielding varieties) where the flood risk is low.

Cropping Patterns
 Kharif I (March to July): Pre-monsoon season. Aus is planted. Jute is other crop.
 Kharif II (July to December): The monsoon. Aman is planted.
 Rabi (November to April): The winter season. Boro is main crop and others are
wheat, pulses, oilseeds, vegetables etc.

** Rabi season is the main irrigation season and favorable for high yield (Why?)

Irrigation Practice in Bangladesh

Water management in Bangladesh involves a wide range of interventions in the country’s
land and water regime, but two main categories can be distinguished;
- Irrigation
- Flood control and drainage

Categories
Two categories of irrigation : minor and major irrigation
- Minor irrigation is mostly farmer operated and owned tubewells and low lift pumps
and 92% of the total
- Major irrigation is mostly by BWDB surface irrigation project.
- Shallow tubewell irrigation is most developed inn NW, NC and SW regions.
- Surface water irrigation is mainly in NE, SE and SC regions where there is a higher
density of small perennial channels and other water bodies.

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Table: Irrigated areas in 1997-98

Category No. of Million ha % of total

operating units area
Minor Irrigation(1)
1. Modern Irrigation:
- Private shallow tubewells 633,315 2.18 57
- Deep tubewells 25,354 0.47 12
- Low-lift pumps 66,250 0.62 16
Subtotal 724,919 3.27 85
2. Traditional and unmechanized irrigation 0.26 7
Total 3.53 92
Major Irrigation (BWDB project) 0.30 8
Total Irrigation 3.83 100
Source: National Minor Irrigation Census
Note: (1)These are the area irrigated in the rabi season.

National Water Policy

Main objective is to promote agricultural growth through private development of
groundwater and where feasible, with surface water development.
There are six main elements in the Government policy.
1. Encourage and promote continued development of minor irrigation without affecting
drinking water supplies.
2. Encourage future ground water development for irrigation by both the public and
private sectors, subject to regulations that may be prescribed by government from
time to time.
3. Improve resource utilization through conjunctive use of all forms of surface water and
ground water for irrigation and through various efficient measures.
4. Strengthen crop diversification programs for efficient water utilization.
5. Address the problem of agricultural chemicals polluting surface water and ground
water.
6. Strengthen systems for monitoring water use, water quality and groundwater recharge.
Problem: Groundwater irrigation conflicts with domestic water supply system when water
table drops under the reach of HTW (hand pump tubewells).

Remedy: DTWs (Deep tubewells) are a possible solution where arsenic is not a problem.

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Social and Environmental Aspects of Irrigation

 Agricultural is the largest sector of the Bangladesh economy
 The largest source of employment
 Of 17 million rural households, 11 million are engaged in farming.
 Two types: small holding famers and medium holding farmers
 Constraints to productivity and expansion of irrigation among small holders include
lack of access to cheap credit, low incentive to invest in inputs and irrigation,
insecurity of crops, lack of knowledge etc.
 Require good attention to low interest credit and information packages.
 Main environmental issue is the effects on ponds and stream flows in dry season.
 Use of fertilizer deteriorates water quality.
 Some research shows that arsenic problem may also relate with the ground water
irrigation.
 Irrigation structures reduce fish migration of the river system. Some fish friendly
structures reduce this problem. Example: Pilot Fish-pass project connecting the Manu
river and Kawadighi Haor in NoHaor in NorthEast region.