CHAPTER : X

INSPECTION OF CANALS

From initial survey right upto the maintenance, canals are inspected by the officers from
EE to the Chief Engineer level. Preparation for inspection in different stages of work is
different, which is elaborated below :
1. When the alignment is tentatively marked :

(i) Mark the alignment at site by erecting white flags fixed on straight bamboos
at every 150 m interval. Change points should also be flagged in the same
manner.

(ii) Prepare a statement showing tentative cutting & filling at different chainage.

(iii) Erect temporarily chainage stones all important drainage and canal offtake.
These stones shall have details like location, catchment area, cutting or filling
in m, CCA, Name of branch, distributaries or minor.

(iv) Prepare a not to scale “View Point Map” A specimen view point map is shown.
All the approaches from main roads shall be provided with chainage stones
showing direction & numbered 1,2,3 etc.

(v) The field staff should have following records with them-

1. Index map 2. Survey of India toposheets (1 cm 500 m) of the area having

alignment marked. 3. Village maps duly marked with tentative alignment
with red ink & tentative offtakes. Continuity arrow should also be marked
to connect adjoining village map.

4. Cut off statement 5. Plan & “L” section of surveyed alignment

6. Alignment correspondence file of SDO/EE

7. Register of Bench marks

8. Inspection notes file of Division/Sub Division

9. Design criteria

10. A copy of detailed Project report

In addition to the above following items should be kept –

(1) Engineering calculator(2) White papers(3) Carbon paper (4) Pins (5) Colour
Pencils (6) sketch pens (7) sets-squares (8) 1”=330 ft scale
(9) Foot scale (10) Note book having salient features of canal & Dam/P.U.
weir etc. (11) Erasure (12) Protector (13) Officer’s rubber seal (14) Ink
 pad (15) File covers with lace (16) Poker (17) Slip pad (18) water bottle
(19) Gum paste
(2) When the alignment is to be walked over :

(i) Follow all the steps as illustrated above

(ii) If possible construct temporary approach road along the alignment.

(iii) Keep cutting & filling details at every chain in tabulated from.

(1) When the canal is under construction :

(i) A Copy of the estimate & drawing as approved by the competent

authority.

(ii) Cloth mounted “L” sections & Plan of the canal.

(iii) Site order book

(iv) Profile book

(v) Specifications

(vi) Copy of the tender document

(vii) USR

(viii) Registers of quality control tests

(ix) Details of quantity executed & to be executed

(x) Guidelines to the field staff if any circulated by the EE/SE/CE

(xi) Previous inspection notes

Calculators etc. (Item 1 to 19) as mentioned previously, are also required.

(2) When the canal is under maintenance :

(i) Cut-off statement (ii) village map

(iii) Design reports for canal sections & canal structures

(iv) completion drawings.

(v) Details of water logged area

(vi) seepage study details (vii) Potential created & utilized

(viii) Details of irrigation in last three years (ix) Annual inspection register

Things like calculators etc. (Item 1-19) as mentioned previously. As per

technical circular Volume I-A,
The Sub Engineer incharge should maintain a Maintenance Register having following
details :-

(1) Name of the channel with the (a) Head Discharge (b) Bed width at head (c)
Length of channel (d) Predominant soil classification (2) Repairs to Dowel on
main canal & branch canal (Rs.) (3) Renewal to changed section (Rs.) (4) Repair
to road or path including moorum topping (Rs.) (5) Silt Clearance (Rs.) (6)
Repairs to breaches (Rs.) (7) Repairs to gauges & chainage stones (Rs.) (8)
Repairs to masonary work (Rs.) (9) Repairs to buildings (Rs.) (10) Jungle
clearance (Rs.) (11) Leveling & Surveying (Rs.) (12) Repairs to outlets (Rs.) (13)
Regulation of water (Rs.) (14) Miscellaneous (Rs.) (15) Work establishment
charges to maintenance (Rs.) (16) Progressive total of expenditure for the
financial year (Rs.) (17) Progressive total of expenditure for the repair year (Rs.)
(18) Actual maintenance cost per ha. (Rs.) (19) Permissible maintenance cost per
ha. (20) Name or names of section subordinates (21) Remarks

The Sub Engineer will brings his register to the Sub Division not less than once in
three months & tally the figure with the audited work abstract of the Sub
Division.

The EE & SDO when inspecting a canal will enter a note in the register to show
what check has been made & whether he considers the expenditure reasonable.

At the end of the repairs year (1st July to 30th June) the SDO will collect all the
maintenance registers & prepare an abstract of the cost of maintenance of each
channel or head works for the repair year, showing the cost of maintenance per
ha. & cost per ha. of eventual irrigation.

The Executive Engineer, will have the totals of abstracts checked in his office
from the register of works in the Division & will prepare a consolidated abstract
for each work in his Division major or minor work & submit to the SE by the 1 st
September each year the following details :

(a) Name of Canal (b) Irrigable capacity (c) Area fixed by Govt. for irrigation
(d) Total Length of main, distributaries & minors (e) Actual expenditure on
maintenance on Main, Distributaries & minors (f) Cost of maintenance per ha.
Main canal, Distributaries, Minor (g) Actual cost of maintenance per ha. Fixed for
irrigation. (h) Remarks of SDO & EE
 The figures of expenditure in the annual inspection registers will be taken from the
maintenance registers which show details of expenditure under each head. As per
Volume II of technical circulars –

Following items are to be covered in SEs/EEs inspection notes : (For construction

work)

1. Date of inspection 2. Officers present 3. Salient details of the work.

(i) Nature of work (Extension & Improvement) original work, Special repairs)

(ii) Date of starting of work

(iii) Anticipated date of completion

(iv) Cost (v) Area to be irrigated

(vi) TBL, MWL, HFL, FTL, LSL, Nalla Bed

(vii) Construction quantities

(a) Casting (b) Hearting (c) Pitching (d) Boulders etc.

4. Position of designs & estimates

(i) Cut-off statement (ii) Canal design (iii) masonry structures (iv) Detailed
estimate for canals

5. Progress on work with special reference to the targets & fulfillment of these targets.

(i) Earthwork on main canal, distributor & Minors

(ii) masonary works (iii) Land acquisition

6. Machinery & Labour

(a) Transport equipment, trucks, screppers, dumpers etc.

(b) Compaction equipments

(c) Labour available

7. Construction materials & quality control

(i) Construction materials quality & Quantity

(ii) Compaction results

(iii) Measures suggested for improving the quality

 1. Financial :

(i) Estimated Cost (ii) Expenditure to the end of previous financial year

(iii) Budget allotment for the (iv) Expenditure to date during the current financial year
current year

(v) Revised budget allotment (vi) Anticipated expenditure by the end of current financial
required if any year

(vii) Revised anticipated cost (viii) Amount of administrative approval

of the scheme

(ix) Action taken to obtain revised administrative approval, if required.

9. Irrigation Potential & Utilization –

(a) Design potential of the project
(b) Proposed development
(c) Anticipated development as per proposal in (b)
(d) Actual irrigation
(e) Shortfall if any
(f) Reasons for shortfall
(g) Whether projected crop pattern is satisfactory & is being followed or whether
any change in the projected crop pattern.
10. Establishment
(a) Establishment i.e. Sub Engineers, on the job
(b) No. of Sub Engineers required as per norms
(c) Short fall or excess if any
11. Bottle-necks, if any
(a) For want of approval to design
(b) Technical sanction
(c) Administrative sanction
(d) Establishment
(e) Machinery
(f) Construction material
(g) Quality control

12. Special feature & problem, if any

Items to be covered in SE/EE inspection notes :-
(For Maintenance only)
1- Date of inspection
2- Officers present
3- Irrigation potential & Utilisation
 (a) Design potential-Kharif, Rabi, Perennial
(b) Potential Utilised- Kharif, Rabi, Perennial
(c) Shortfall, if any- Kharif, Rabi, Perennial
(d) Reasons for shortfall
(e) Suggestions for improving utilization
4. Establishment-
(a) Sub Engineers incharge of section
(b) Numbers as required by norms
(c) Shortfall or excess if any
5. Special problem & or features if any.
The annual/periodical inspection which the various officers shall carry out are as follows-
C.E.-
(i) Canal with carrying capacity more than 30 cumecs annually & canals carrying
discharge 10 cumecs to 30 cumecs atleast once in four years.
(ii) Water logged area if any & prolem area of the command area of Major projects
during irrigation season.
(iii) Emergency repair works if any.
S.E. –
(i) Canals with carrying capacity more than 10 cumecs annually & canals carrying
discharge of 3 to 10 cumecs atleast once in four years.
(ii) Water logged area if any & a portion of command of major & medium projects
during irrigation season.
(iii) Emergent & special repairs of major & medium projects, if ant.
E.E.-
(i) Canals with carrying capacity of more than 3 cumecs annually & canals carrying
less than 3 cumecs atleast once in four years.
(ii) Water logged area if any & a portion of all projects with CCA above 500 ha.
During irrigation season.
(iii) All special repair works
A.E.-
All works in his jurisdiction annually.

Programme Register :-

A 4 yearly programme of inspection of works shall be framed by the inspecting

officer. This programme will indicate the works to be inspected yearwise. The programme
should be written in a register kept with inspected officer & should be handed over to the
reliver on transfer. As soon as a work is inspected, the date of inspection should be noted in
red link in the programme register. This system will ensure that all works are inspected and
no work remains to be inspected during that period.

Date of submission of Annual Inspection Register.

AE to EE Ist Nov. to 15th December

EE to SE Upto 15th January

SE to CE Upto 15th February

Note :-

1. CE will return the register to SDO through SE & EE

2. Register of canals carrying less than 3 cumecs shall be returned by EE after scrunity
to SDO.