MIRPUR UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST), MIRPUR
DEPARMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
IRRIGATION ENGINEERING
CE-481
Lecture [3] : Water Sector Challenges
Engr. Muhammad Hassan
(Assistant Professor)
Date: April 30, 2020
Water Sector Challenges
Growing water shortages
Progressive deterioration of irrigation infrastructure
Low water and agriculture productivity
Flooding and drainage problems
Lack of transparency and inequities in water distribution
Over-exploitation of groundwater
Increasing environmental hazards
Lack of financial sustainability
Irrigation Engineering 3
River flows and Canal with-drawls in UIB
700.0
Average Westren Rivers
600.0 Flows
Average Canals Withdrawals
500.0
Discharge in 1000 Cs
400.0
300.0
200.0
100.0
0.0
1- 11- 21- 1- 11- 21- 1- 11- 21- 1- 11- 21- 1- 11- 21- 1- 11- 21- 1- 11- 21- 1- 11- 21- 1- 11- 21- 1- 11- 21- 1- 11- 21- 1- 11- 21-
10 20 30 10 20 31 10 20 30 10 20 31 10 20 31 10 20 30 10 20 31 10 20 30 10 20 31 10 20 31 10 20 29 10 20 31
April May June July August September October NovemberDecember January February March
Irrigation Engineering 4
Designed vs. Actual Irrigation
Irrigation Engineering 5
Yield Gap for Major Crops
Crop Progressive National average Yield difference
farmers (%)
Wheat 4.6 2.6 44
Cotton 2.6 1.8 31
Rice 3.8 2.1 45
Maize 6.9 2.9 58
Sugarcane
Punjab 200 55 73
Sindh 130 50 62
Irrigation Engineering 6
Water Availability (Cubic Meters/Capita/Year)
Irrigation Engineering 7
Addressing Water Shortages
Short term measures
1. Strict implementation of notified canal operation plan
2. Effective control over water theft
3. Priority rehabilitation of canal infrastructure
Long term measures
1. Construction of new storages
2. Augmenting the inter-river transfer capacity
3. Policy interventions for sustainable cropping patterns and water use
regimes
4. Water conservation through lining, precision land leveling,
improved agricultural practices, and sprinkler / drip systems
Irrigation Engineering 8
Irrigation Management Information System
Irrigation Management Information System (IMIS) has been
developed and the water account of 25 main canals and daily data of
3096 channels are posted on the website
http://irrigation.punjab.gov.pk
Daily analysis report of the channel operations and suggesting
corrective measures
Fortnightly Performance Evaluation Report of Canal Divisions, Circles
and Zones
Accountability system put in place on the basis of Performance
Evaluation analysis
Discharge observations, calibration of gauges and preparation of
discharge tables
Irrigation Engineering 9
Small Dams
The Idea of building small dams in the Potohar Plateau was conceived by
I&P Department as early as 1954
In 1973 Small Dams Organization was established and since then the
responsibility of planning, design, construction and maintenance of Small
Dams has been entrusted to it.
Small dams provide irrigation and drinking water supplies to the rural
population of less developed barani areas in Chakwal, Jhelum, Attock and
Rawalpindi districts.
These schemes have the potential of contributing significantly towards
poverty alleviation and social uplift of the local population.
Small dams are local area development schemes and generally have
nominal storage potential. These dams therefore can not substitute the
multi-purpose large storage dams.
Irrigation Engineering 10
Way Forward
Enhancing storage capacity to provide system flexibility for addressing
impacts of climate change
Ensuring the early rehabilitation, remodeling and up-gradation of existing
irrigation infrastructure in the country, which can sustain the climate
change related expected extreme weather events
Enhancing public awareness to underscore the importance of conservation
and sustainable use of water resources and providing incentives for
adoption of more efficient irrigation techniques
Conservation of existing water availability by:
Lining of channels and water courses
Change of cropping pattern to suit the existing water availability and switching over
to low delta crops as compared to crops requiring more water
Improving irrigation techniques and switching over to drip and sprinkler irrigation
methods wherever possible
Irrigation Engineering 11
Way Forward
Strengthening the present hydrological network to monitor river flows and
flood warning systems
Protecting groundwater through management and technical measures like
water licensing, artificial recharge especially for threatened aquifers,
regulatory framework and adopt integrated water resources management
concepts
Enhancing national capacities for monitoring temporal changes in glaciers,
snow cover, and meteorological parameters
Development contingency plans for short-term measures to adapt to water
shortages that could help to mitigate drought
Irrigation Engineering 12
Way Forward
Addressing the issues of pollution of water bodies including sea water
intrusion and taking measures to preserve the ecology of dry-river reaches
of eastern rivers
Safeguarding Pakistan’s rights on trans-boundary water inflows according
to international norms and conventions
Irrigation Engineering 13
THANKS
