ALIGNMENT OF WATER COURSES

  • Though the responsibility of maintenance of the water courses is that of farmers, still in new irrigation works.
  • The alignment, of the water courses is fixed by the government.
  • This work is being done these days by canal area development (C.A.D.) department or collonisation department.
  • Following points should however be considered while fixing the alignment of water courses.
  • Separate water courses should be provided for high lands and low lands of the same village.
  • They should not cross through field but should be laid along the boundries of the fields.
  • Sufficient water should be available to fields lying at the farthest point from the outlet.
  • The water courses should be aligned along the ridges of the area of the village.
  • If low lying area is near the outlet and high land is at the further end of the village.
  • The water course which has to carry water for high lands should be made in heavy embankments.
  • Such water courses should preferably be lined.
  • In order to ensure equitable distribution of water to all the fields.
  • The watercourse levels for each square of land, should be fixed and made permanent.
  • If this is not done, the farmer whose land is low dig the watercourses deep, and when a farmer whose land is high takes water from the same deep watercourse.
  • Has to fill the water curse by the water from his own time of watering, because otherwise, water will not rise to higher fields.
  • This causes less availability of water to high fields. Again if the turn of, watering of a farmer whose land is low, he gets water course full for water and this causes advantage to him.
  • To curb this injustice, it is very very important to fix the watercourse levels for each square and these levels should be made pucca.
  • This will make irrigation water available to all the fields at desired levels.
  • Deep excavation of watercourses will not give any advantage to the farmers whose land is low.