Feasibility of Pipe Distribution Network (PDN) over Canal Distribution Network (CDN) For Irrigation

Abstract

Water, which is a valuable, finite, renewable and shared resource required by various sectors, must be managed optimally. Stress due to scarcity of water is growing at an alarming rate. To reduce this stresses and to meet water demand of all the sectors, construction of new water projects is essential, but it involves huge investment and social problems like land acquisition, rehabilitation etc. Therefore, it is essential to search innovative alternative for modernization of existing water distribution system. The Pipe Distribution Network (PDN) system is one of the best possible alternatives to overcome the limitations of conventional gravity flow Canal Distribution Network (CDN) system. The present paper is based on the experience of the Nagthana-2 Minor Irrigation (MI) project, Amravati district and the irrigation project of Dongarwadi Lift Irrigation (LI) scheme, Sangli district, Maharashtra state. Nagthana-2 MI project, which was initially designed as a CDN for Culturable Command Area (CCA) of 643 Ha and now implemented for gravity PDN and result implies that the same volume of water could irrigate CCA of 1207 Ha. This paper also covers a case study of Dongarwadi LI scheme, where PDN system comes out to be feasible alternative over other.