Irrigation Engineering

Engr. Muhammad Waqas Muneer

MS Transportation Engineering (NUST, Islamabad)
Department of Civil Engineering and Technology,
Institute of Southern Punjab (ISP), Multan.
 Lecture # 3
Design of Irrigation Channels
Theory: Chapters 13,14 & 15 (Irrigation & Water Power Engineering, B.C.Punmia)
Design of Irrigation Channels
• Definition
• Classification and Types of canals
• Shapes of canals
• Alignment of canals
• Design of canals by Kennedy’s
and Lacey’s methods
 Definition
Defined as –
• Canal is an artificial channel, generally trapezoidal in section, constructed
to carry water to fields from source (River/ Reservoir).
• For inland water transport and/or drainage and irrigation
• Based upon use:
• Aqueducts (municipal use, irrigation)
• Waterways (for carrying goods, ships and conveying people)

Irrigation Engineering: study & design of works to control &

harness the various natural sources of water, by designing dams,
reservoirs, headworks, canals, etc and finally distributing the
water to agricultural fields.
Major Barrages of Pakistan
Classification of Canals
Classification of canals based on
• Nature of source of supply
• Financial output
• Function of canal
• Discharge & Relative importance of canal
in network
• Canal Alignment
• Type of Boundary surface soil
Classification of Canals (cont…)
1. Nature of source of supply
i. Permanent canal
– Is fed from permanent source of water
– Also known as, 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
– To control flooding
– Headworks for diversions are not provided
– Head regulators are provided, generally 5-6 km d/s from offtake point
 Classification of Canals (cont…)

2. Financial output
i. Productive – once fully developed yields enough revenue to
recover initial investment
ii. Protective –
• relief work during famine
• protect area against future famines
 Classification of Canals (cont…)
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.
Classification of Canals (cont…)
4. Based on Discharge and relative importance of Canal
➢ Main Canal
➢ Branch Canal
➢ Major Distributory Canal
➢ Minor Distributory Canal
➢ Water Course or Field Channel

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.
Classification of Canals (cont…)
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

i. Ridge/Watershed,
ii. Contour and
iii. Side slope canals.
Classification of Canals (cont…)
• The dividing ridge line between the catchment areas of two streams (drains) is called
the water-shed, or the ridge.

Ridge canal – runs along the watershed for most of its length.
➢ Can irrigate on both sides of canal.

➢ Such canal do not require cross drainage works (CDW).

➢ In case of sharp loops, then alignment will be along straight line, which may need
CDW.
➢ Canal aligned on the watershed saves the cost of construction of cross-drainage work.
➢ Also known as water-shed canals.
 Classification of Canals (cont…)
Contour canals
➢ These canals are aligned nearly parallel to the contour.
➢ They can irrigate only on one side.
➢ Cross Drainage Works (CDW) are required for these canals.

➢ As the ground level on one side is higher, so there is no need to

construct bank on one side for such canal.
➢ There can be single and or double bank canal.
➢ 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.
Classification of Canals (cont…)
Classification of Canals (cont…)
Side slope canal
➢ They are aligned roughly at right angles to the contour.
➢ Canal is almost parallel to natural drainage, hence no CDWs are 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.
Classification of Canals (cont…)
6. Based on Boundary Surface of Canal
Classification of Canals (cont…)
7. Based on Canal Lining
• Lined
• Un-lined
Types of Canals (cont…)

➢Disadvantages of unlined canal

➢Types of Canal Lining
❑Concrete lining
• Cement concrete
• Lime concrete
• Pre-cast concrete
❑Shotcrete lining
❑Brick lining
❑Boulder lining Cement Concrete lining

❑Asphalt lining

Asphalt lining Brick lining

Boulder lining
Shapes of Canal
1. Circular
2. Triangular
3. Trapezoidal
4. Parabolic
5. Rectangular
 Designof Channel
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

➢ The design discharge of an irrigation channel is fixed.

➢ depends upon
• the irrigated areas of crops in different seasons
• the water requirements of crops.
 Designof Channel (cont…)
➢ Silt is a solid, dust-like sediment that water, ice, and wind transport and
deposit. Silt is made up of rock and mineral particles that are larger than
clay but smaller than sand.
• Alluvial channels: Channel excavated in alluvial soils.
• (Alluvial soil deposited by surface water)
• Quantity of silt – varies from section to section along the reach.
• Silt content:
• increase due to scouring of bed and sides of the channel
• it may decrease due to silting at some sections.
• 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.
• Such channels should be designed for a non-scouring and a non-silting
velocity called the critical velocity.
 Designof Channel (cont…)
➢ Non-alluvial channel
• Constructed Excavated in hard soils or disintegrated rocks other than alluvial (loam/red/clay etc)
• Generally free from silting problems - canal surface is hard, scouring normally does not occur
• Higher velocity of flow than alluvial channels

➢ Rigid/Lined Channels
• Surface of the channel is lined.
• In such channels, relatively high velocity can be permitted which does not allow the silt to get
deposited;
• the problem of silt does not exist.
• Sides & bottom are made of rigid material
 Design of Non-alluvial channels
➢ Non-alluvial channels are considered stable as there is no silt problem in such channels.
➢ The design of non- alluvial channels is done by Chezy’s equation or Manning’s formula:
➢ Chezy’s equation

where C is Chezy’s coefficient, given by

where K is Bazin’s coefficient, which depends upon the surface of the channel.
R is hydraulic radius
S is longitudinal slope.

➢ Manning’s formula

where N is Manning’s coefficient and depends upon the type of surface.

Design of Alluvial channels

➢ Alluvial channels - consists of alluvial soil which can be easily scoured.

➢ Scouring and silting may occur if the channel is not properly designed.
➢ The discharge capacity is decreased if the silting occurs because the cross-section is reduced.
➢ The command of channel decreases if scouring occurs because the full supply level falls.
➢ Alluvial channels - designed such that neither scouring nor silting occurs.
➢ The velocity at which this condition occurs is called the critical velocity.
➢ Such an alluvial channel is called a stable channel.
➢ Stable channel - in which no silting and scouring occurs.
Several investigators have studied the problem and suggested various theories. These are known as
Silt theories.
The most commonly used theories are:
1. Kennedy’s silt theory 2. Lacey’s silt theory.
• The subsoil is rated in
term of silt factor,
which is a numerical
value.
• It indicates the type of
bed material from clay
to heavy sand.
• A value used in Manning's formula
• Determine energy losses of flowing
water channel wall roughness.
• Critical velocity is the mean velocity which will
just make the channel free from silting and
scouring.
• The velocity is based on the depth of the water
in the channel.
Wetted Perimeter
➢ Part of canal in contact with water
Open Flow Channels
Thank You!