UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF

ENGINEERING AND
TECHNOLOGY, SARGODHA

IRRIGATION ENGINEERING

SUBMITTED TO: Engr. Owais

SUBMITTED BY: Atif Minhas
ROLL NUMBER: BCEF16E034

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1.Indus Basin Irrigation System

1.1: Introduction:

Pakistan’s Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) is the strong heart of the country’s
economy. Its creation is a tribute to the British irrigation engineers who created the original
system (1847-1947) that Pakistan inherited in 1947 and to the Pakistani irrigation engineers
and institutions (particularly the Water and Power Development Authority [WAPDA] and the
provincial irrigation departments) who have spent the last 60 years adding new dams and
barrages, building new link and branch canals, and modernizing and maintaining the world’s
most complex and extensive irrigation system. From the 1950s onward, the IBIS has also
been the product of the generosity and intellectual input of a host of international experts and
international institutions, particularly the World Bank. This paper starts with a review of what
has been accomplished in order to put the IBIS into perspective and illustrate the magnitude
of the effort put into building the present system. The paper’s aim is to sketch the task ahead
and develop a coherent national strategy for the preservation of the IBIS for the future.

1.2: History of Indus Valley and Ancient Civilization:

The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) was a Bronze Age civilization (3300–1300

BCE; mature period 2600–1900 BCE) that was located in the northwestern region  of
the Indian subcontinent, consisting of what is now mainly modern-day Pakistan and
northwest India. Flourishing around theIndus River basin, the civilization primarily centred
along the Indus and the Punjab region, extending into the Ghaggar-Hakra River valley and
the Ganges-Yamuna Doab. Geographically, the civilization was spread over an area of some
1,260,000 km², making it the largest ancient civilization in the world.
The Indus Valley is one of the world's earliest urban civilizations, along with its
contemporaries, Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. At its peak, the Indus Civilization may
have had a population of well over five million. Inhabitants of the ancient Indus river valley
developed new techniques in metallurgy and handicraft (carneol products, seal carving) and
produced copper, bronze, lead, and tin. The civilization is noted for its cities built of brick,
roadside drainage system, and multistoried houses.
The Indus Valley has been the host to one of the most ancient civilization of human
history, the Indus Valley Civilization. After the extinction of the Indus Civilization, new
settlements especially in doabs grew slowly. New irrigation systems started to evolve.

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Inundation canals and small dams were constructed and population grew all around this area.
In order to reduce the occurrence of low irrigation water supply the British authorities,
towards the middle of the last century, started modernizing and expanding the irrigation
system of the Indus Basin.

1.3: Indus Basin Irrigation System - IBIS

Today we have the world's marvelous and the largest contiguous irrigation system that
currently irrigates over 16 million hectares of land, out of 34 million hectares of cultivable
lands available. This land lies within the plains formed by river Indus and its tributaries.
Britishers started the barrage irrigation system during 1930s.

In order to fully utilize the river water resources, the IBIS has emerged as the largest
contiguous irrigation system in the world. The IBIS comprises of three large dams, eighty
five small dams, nineteen barrages, twelve inter-river link canals, forty-five canal commands
and 0.7 million tube wells In monetary terms, this network is the biggest infrastructure
enterprise of Pakistan accounting for approximately US$ 300 billion of investment.

1.4: Salient Features

It is world's largest and unified irrigation system that consists of three major
reservoirs (Chashma, Mangla, and Tarbela); 18 barrages (Ferozepur, Sulemanki, Islam,
Balloki, Marala, Trimmu, Panjnad, Kalabagh, Sukkur, Kotri, Taunsa, Guddu, Chashma,
Mailsi, Sidhnai, Rasul, Qadirabad, and Marala); 12 link canals; 45 irrigation canals; and over
107,000 water courses and millions of farm channels & field ditches. The total length of main
canal system is estimated about 585000 Kilometer (36932 miles) and that of watercourses
&field channels exceeds 1.62 million Kilometers (over 1.02 million miles).

Catchment area of Indus is most unique in the sense that it contains seven (7) of the world’s
highest peaks after Mount Everest.
Among these include the K2 (28,253 ft), Nanga Parbat (26,600 ft), Rakaposhi (25,552 ft) etc.;
Further to above, seven(7) glaciers situated in the Indus catchment are among the largest in
the world, namely, Siachin, Hispar, Biafo, Baltura, Baltoro, Barpu and Hopper.

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2. Salient Features of Barrages in Pakistan

 Barrages Over Indus Ravi

 Tounsa Barrage

Year of Completion 1958

River Indus, 20 km south-
Location
east of Taunsa City
Design Discharge 750,000 cusecs

Length 4,436 ft

No. of Bays 53

No. of Under Sluices 12

Crest Level -

Off taking Canals 4

 Ghazi Barotha Barrage

Year of Completion 2004

Location River Indus

Design Discharge 500,000 cusecs

Length 170,560 ft

Off taking Canals 1

 Jinnah Barrage

Year of Completion 1946

River Indus, Kalabagh I
Location Mianwali District north-
west of Punjab
Design Discharge 950,000 cusecs

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Length 3,360 ft

No. of Bays 42

Off taking Canals 1

Chashma Barrage

Year of Completion Between 1967-1971

River Indus, 25 km south-
Location
west of Punjab
Design Discharge 11,76,000 cusecs

Length 3,356 ft

No. of Bays 52

No. of Under Sluices 11

Crest Level -

Off taking Canals 2

Guddu Barrage

Year of Completion 1962

River Indus, Near
Location
Kashmore
Design Discharge 12,00,000 cusecs

Length 3.840 ft

No. of Bays 64

Off taking Canals 5

Sukkur Barrage

Year of Completion 1932

River Indus, Near Sukkur
Location
City
Design Discharge 15,00,000 cusecs

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Length 4,490 ft

No. of Bays 54

No. of Under Sluices 12

Crest Level 177

Off taking Canals 7

 Kotri Barrage

Year of Completion 1955

South-west of Karachi near
Location
Hyderabad
Design Discharge 750,000 cusecs

Length 3000 ft

No. of Bays 44

No. of Under Sluices -

Crest Level 48 S.P.D

Off taking Canals 4

 Barrages Over River Ravi

Balloki Barrage

Year of Completion 1914

Location River Ravi

Design Discharge 140,000 cusecs

Length 1,644 ft

No. of Bays 35

No. of Under Sluices -

Crest Level 625 S.P.D

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Off taking Canals 2

Sidhnai Barrage

Year of Completion 1965

Location River Ravi

Design Discharge 167,000 cusecs

Length 712 ft

No. of Bays 15

No. of Under Sluices 4

Crest Level 454 S.P.D

Off taking Canals 2

 Barrages Over Jhelum River

Mangla Dam

Year of Completion 1967

River Jhelum, 100 km from
Location Islamabad in Azad Kashmir
district
Design Discharge 11,00,000 cusecs

Length 10,300 ft

Off taking Canals 1

Rasool Barrage

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Year of Completion 1968
River Jhelum, 72 km from
Location
Mangla Dam
Design Discharge 876,000 cusecs

Length 3,209 ft

No. of Bays 42

No. of Under Sluices 6

Crest Level 703S.P.D

Off taking Canals 2

 Barrages Over Sutlej River

Sulemanki Barrage

Year of Completion 1927

Location River Sutlej

Design Discharge 309,000 cusecs

Length 2,220 ft

No. of Bays 24

No. of Under Sluices 16

Crest Level 560 S.P.D

Off taking Canals 3

Islam Barrage

Year of Completion 1927

Location River Chenab

Design Discharge 300,000 cusecs

Length 1,650 ft

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No. of Bays 29

No. of Under Sluices 4

Crest Level 435.5 S.P.D

Off taking Canals 2

Mailsi Siphon

Year of Completion 1965

Location River Sutlej, Near Mailsi

Design Discharge 429,000 cusecs

Length 1,601 ft

No. of Bays 24

No. of Under Sluices -

Crest Level 415.5 S.P.D

 Barrages Over Chenab River

Maralla Head Works

Year of Completion 1968

River Chenab, Near Sialkot
Location
City
Design Discharge 11,00,000 cusecs
Length 4,472 ft
No. of Bays 66
No. of Under Sluices 13
Crest Level 800 S.P.D

Off taking Canals 2

Khanki Head Works

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Year of Completion 1889
River Chenab, Gujrat
Location
District
Design Discharge 750,000 cusecs

Length 4,000 ft

No. of Bays 48

No. of Under Sluices 56

Crest Level 726.5-727 S.P.D

Off taking Canals 1

Qadirabad Barrage

Year of Completion 1967

River Chenab, Phalia Tehsil
Location
of Mandi Bahaudin
Design Discharge 900,000 cusecs

Length 3,373 ft

No. of Bays 50

No. of Under Sluices 5

Crest Level 684.5 S.P.D

Off taking Canals 1

Trimmu Barrage

Year of Completion 1939

25 km from Jhang city on
Location the Confluence of river Ravi
and Chenab
Design Discharge 645,000 cusecs

Length 2,856 ft

No. of Bays 47
Left Portion :5
No. of Under Sluices
Right portion: 6

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 Main Weir: 477..5
Crest Level
Under Sluice: 472.0 S.P.D
Off taking Canals 3

Punjnad Barrage

Year of Completion 1929

Location River Chenab

Design Discharge 700,000 cusecs

Length 2,856 ft

No. of Bays 47

No. of Under Sluices -

Crest Level 325 S.P.D

Off taking Canals 2

 Barrages Over River Ravi

Balloki Barrage
Year of Completion 1914

Location River Ravi

Design Discharge 140,000 cusecs

Length 1,644 ft

No. of Bays 35

No. of Under Sluices -

Crest Level 625.5 S.P.D

Off taking Canals 2

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 Sidhnai Barrage
Year of Completion 1965

Location River Ravi

Design Discharge 167,000 cusecs

Length 712 ft

No. of Bays 15

No. of Under Sluices 4

Crest Level 454 S.P.D

Off taking Canals 2

3. Salient Features of off-taking Canals from the Barrages of Pakistan

S.N Barrage River Year of Area Year of Discharg

Canals
o Names s Completio Irrigate Complet e at Head

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 n of d in
ion (cusecs)
Barrage Km2
Above Rim Station
Amandr 1. Upper Swat
1 Swat 1915 1,557
Canal
1915 96
a
1. Lower Swat
2 Munda Swat 1885 /1917
Canal
1885 55
Warsak Canal (L&
1890 / 1962 14
R)
3 Warsak Kabul
2. Kabul River
1962 1890 13
Canal
Below Rim Station
4 Jinnah Indus 1947 26,900 1. Thal Canal 1949 311
Chashma Jhelum
Chashm 614
5 Indus 1971 28,317 Link 1970
a 2. CRBC/Peharpur 142
Taunsa Punjnad
1970 340
Link
6 Taunsa Indus 1959 21,237
Muzaffargarh Canal 1959 235
3. D.G. Khan Canal 1959 249
Ghotki Feeder 1962 241
2a. Desert Pat
1962 365
Feeder
7 Guddu Indus 1962 25,485
2b. Pat Feeder
1962 235
Canal
3. Begari Feeder 1962 439
Nara Canal 1932 379
Khairpur East
1932 76
Canal
Rohri Canal 1932 317
8 Sukkur Indus 1932 42,475
Khairpur West
1932 54
Canal
North West Canal 1932 144
6. Rice Canal 1932 289
Akram Wah (Link
1955 116
Canal)
Fuleli Canal 1955 391
9 Kotri Indus 1954 25,485
Pinyari Canal 1955 408

4. Kalri Canal 1955 255

Rasul- Qadirabad
1967 538
Link
Jhelu
10 Rasul m
1967 24,069 Lower Jhelum
1901 150
Canal
LJC Feeder 154

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 4. Rasul Power
101
Canal
Marala Ravi Link 1956 623
Chena
11 Marala b
1968 31,148 2. Upper Chenab
1912 467
Canal
Chena 1. Lower Chenab
12 Khanki b
1892 29,732
Canal
1892 326
1. Qadirabad –
Qadirab Chena
13 b
1967 25,485 Balloki Link and 1967 527
ad LCC Feeder
Trimmu Sidhnai
1965 311
Chena Link
14 Trimmu b
1939 18,406
Haveli Canal 1939 183
3. Rangpur Canal 1939 77
Balloki Sulemanki
1954 524
Link
15 Balloki Ravi 1965 63,712
2. Lower Bari Doab
1913 198
Canal
Sidhnai Mailsi Link 1965 286
Sidhnai Mailsi Bahawal
16 Ravi 1965 4,709
Link
1965 110
(New)
3. Sidhnai Canal 1886 127
Eastern Sadiqia
1927 139
Canal
Suleman
17 Sutlej 1928 9,911 Fodwah Canal 1927 95
ki 3. Upper Pakpattan
1927 169
Canal
U & L Bahawal
1927 132
18 Islam Sutlej 1928 10,987 Canal
2. Qaim Canal 1927 213
Punjnad Canal 1335 231
19 Punjnad Chenab 1932
Abbasia Canal 1338 65
Ghazi 1. Ghazi Barotha
20 Indus 2002
Power Channel
2002 132
Barrage

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