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Introduction to Irrigation Canals and Design

Presentation · May 2017

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.22799.79524

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Sanjeev Gadad
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
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 CANALS
•  Definition,
•  Types of canals,
•  Alignment of canals,
•  Design of canals by Kenedy’s and Lacey’s methods
•  Problems

Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore

•  Defined as –
Canal is a artificial channel, generally trapezoidal in section,
constructed to carry water to fields from source (River/
Reservoir).
Classification of canals based on
1.  Nature of source of supply
2.  Financial output
3.  Function of canal
4.  Discharge & Relative importance of canal in network
5.  Canal Alignment

Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore

1.  Nature of source of supply
i.  Permanent canal –
–  Is fed from permanent source of water
–  Aka perennial canal
–  made of well graded channel with permanent structures
–  Non-perennial canals – get supply only during particular time of year
ii.  Inundation canal –
–  Gets water when stage in river is higher
–  Headworks for diversions are not provided
–  Head regulators are provided, generally 5-6 km d/s from offtake point

2.  Financial output

i.  Productive – once fully developed yields enough revenue to recover
initial investment
ii.  Protective – after construction serves as relief work during famine and
protect area against future famines, generates employment
Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
3. Function of canal
i.  Irrigation canal – carries water to the agricultural field
ii.  Carrier canal – along with irrigation, carries water for other canals
iii.  Feeder canal – it feeds 2 or more canals
iv.  Navigational canal – used for navigational purposes
v.  Power canal – carries water from reservoir to turbine houses, it is located
on canal where fall is available.
4. Based on Discharge and relative importance of Canal
i.  Main canal – carry water from rivers (dams) and feed to branch canals,
distributaries. They do not supply water directly to fields. Q will be in
range of 30 – 150 cumecs
ii.  Branch canal – they branch out at regular intervals from main canal on
either sides. They are feeder canals & supply water to major and minor
distributaries. Not for direct irrigation. Q in range of 10 – 30 cumecs.
iii.  Major Distributaries – aka Rajbha – take off from branch canal and/or
main canal & distribute water to field. Q in range of 1 – 40 cumecs.
iv.  Minor distributaries – aka Minors – similar to major distributaries, but
have Q in range of 0.3 – 1 cumecs
v.  Field channel – small channels, carry water from outlets to fields. Owned
and constructed by farmers.
Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
5. Canal Alignment
•  Such that it commands entire area under irrigation with shortest length and
least cost of construction
•  Shorter length- reduces frictional head loss, evaporation & seepage losses.
•  Additional irrigation can be achieved by reduced losses.

Based on alignment we have Ridge/Watershed, Contour and Side slope canals.

•  Ridge canal – runs along the watershed for most of its length.
Can irrigate on both sides of canal.
Do not require cross drainage works (CDW).
In case of sharp loops, then alignment will be along straight line, which
may need CDW.

Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore

Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
•  Contour canals
These canals are aligned nearly parallel to
the contour.
They can irrigate only on one side.
Ground level on one side is higher, so no
need to construct bank.
There can be single and or double bank
canal
CDW are required for these canals.
In case of hilly area, it can be aligned
along watershed
These canals cannot follow single contour
throughout as canal bed continuously
changed. Hence shifted from one to
another contour

Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore

Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
 •  Side slope canal
Aligned roughly at right angles to the contour
Canal is almost parallel to natural drainage, hence no CDW required
Irrigation is possible only on one side.
Canals have very steep bed slope, because the direction of steepest
slope of ground is at right angles to contour.

Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore

Considerations for Canal alignment
•  Canal alignment shall be such that it should distribute the water in most
economical way and larger command area
•  Number of CDW shall be minimum
•  Length of main canal between source to watershed shall be minimum
•  When the canals deviate from one contour to another, the alignment shall
have less number of CDW
•  Alignment should avoid places of importance and valuable properties.
•  Alignment shall follow balanced depth of cutting and filling or minimum
depth of cutting or filling
•  Number of curves should be minimum
•  Alignment shall not be through rocky or fishered rocks
•  Field canals shall be laid along boundaries
•  Separate field canals for high and low lands
•  In hilly areas, it is difficult to align canal along ridge, as water flows in
valley and ridge may be several hundred meters high. A contour canal may
be adopted.
Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
 Curves
•  Should not be provided along the length of canal, except if
necessary.
•  Curves disturb the regime of channel
•  Concave side will have erosion and Convex side will have
deposition/silting.
Lined Canals
Capacity of Minimum radius
Unlined Canals channel (cumec) of curve (m)
Capacity of channel Minimum radius of < 0.3 50
(cumec) curves (m)
0.3 to 3 100
< 0.3 100
3 to 10 150
0.3 to 3 159 10 to 40 200
3 to 15 300 40 to 70 300
15 to 30 600 70 to 140 450
30 to 85 900 140 to 200 600
> 85 1500 200 to 280 750
Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore > 280 900
Hydraulic design of a channel is governed by
–  Quantity of silt in water carried in the channel
–  Type of boundary surface of channel
•  3 types: Alluvial, Non- Alluvial, Lined/Rigid body

Alluvial Channels
•  Excavated in alluvial soils
•  Generally carry a lot of silt with water
•  Velocity of flow: if high scouring
If low then silting/settlement of silt
•  Aim of designer: to keep the velocity such that, no silting/
scouring occurs.

Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore

Non-alluvial channel
•  Excavated in soils other than alluvial (loam/red/clay etc)
•  Generally free from silting problems
•  Higher velocity of flow than alluvial channels

Rigid/Lined Channels
•  Sides & bottom are made of rigid material

Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore

Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
There are 4 unknowns, 2 equations are required.
Additional equations may be obtained from
a.  Use channel of bed discharging section getting eq’n b/wn A
and R
b.  Limiting eq’n of velocity from considerations of scouring &
silting
c.  Using slope by available ground slope
d.  Fixing suitable B/D ratio by experience.

•  Criteria a. is not suitable for alluvial soil – where non-silting/

non-scouring velocity is must
•  Woods table provides B/D ratio for various discharges

Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore

Design of alluvial channels Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore

•  Silt is carried in channel getting supply from river

•  Silt is either in suspension or along the bed
•  Silt load imposes difficulty in designing
•  Velocity of flow – higher than silting, lower than scouring
•  Known data For design are ‘Q’, surface & soil properties –
rugosity coefficient – ‘N’ & silt factor – ‘f’
•  Design consists of determination of
–  Area of c/s – A
–  Hydraulic mean depth – R
–  Velocity of flow – V
–  Bed slope – S Kutter’s equation
Manning’s equation ⎡ 1 0.00155 ⎤
⎢ 23+ + ⎥
2 1 V =⎢ N S ⎥ RS
1 ⎢1+ ⎛ 23+ 0.00155 ⎞ N ⎥
V = R3S 2
N ⎢⎣ ⎜⎝ ⎟
S ⎠ R ⎥⎦
Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
 Dr. Sanjeev Gadad, AIT Bangalore
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