Land Capability and Land Irrigability Classification in Garakahalli Micro- Watershed of Karnataka

Abstract

Land suitability for irrigation in semi-arid regions is important for agricultural development and to overcome water scarcity. The detailed soil survey of Garakahalli micro- watershed (447 ha) of Karnataka was carried out and mapped into 85 mapping units. The soil units were evaluated for surface irrigation method. The suitability maps showed 74.06 per cent arable land, out of which 69.19 per cent of land is suitable for surface irrigation and remaining is unsuitable due to the limitation of the topography and stoniness. The detailed land resource data base in association with GIS and remote sensing was highly efficient in modeling and developing land suitability maps which can be used as a planning tool to optimize the agriculture in semi-arid regions of Karnataka.