Course Title: ID-304

Degree: BSc AGRICULTURE

Semester: 2nd
Submitted To: Dr. Sarfraz Hashim
Submitted By: Hasnain Shabbir, Safeer Akbar, M. Tahir,
Tayyab Ameen, Ghulam Mohyudin, M
Touseef

Title:
IRRIGATION SYSTEM
The irrigation system of Pakistan is one of the largest in the world, covering an area of
over 16 million hectares and providing water to the country’s farms. The system is based
on a network of canals, dams, and reservoirs that are fed by the Indus River and its
tributaries. The system consists of reservoirs, barrages, canal sources, big canal systems,
and watercourses.
The Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) is the largest component of the irrigation
system. It is made up of three main canals: the Indus River itself, the Left Bank Outfall
Drain (LBOD), and the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD). The IBIS provides water to over 8
million hectares of land.

The irrigation system also includes several smaller systems, such as the Chashma-Jhelum
and the Taunsa-Panjnad systems. These systems provide water to an additional 4 million
hectares of land.

The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) manages the irrigation system, and is
responsible for water distribution among the provinces. The IRSA also oversees its
maintenance and repair.

WATER RESOURCES
The water-resources of Pakistan include- surface water, rainfall, and groundwater.

Surface Water

The surface water resources of Pakistan mainly consist of flows of the Indus River and
its tributaries.

Rainfall

The rainfall is neither sufficient nor regular, to meet the growing needs of water. In
Pakistan, about 70 per cent of the annual rainfall occurs in the months of July to
September.

Ground water

Groundwater sources are beneath the land surface and include springs and wells.When
rain falls to the ground, some water flows along the land to streams or lakes, some
water evaporates into the atmosphere, some is taken up by plants, and some seeps into
the ground.

IRRIGATION INFRASTRUCTURE OF PAKISTAN

 Major Dams = 3
 Small Dams= 85
 Barrages = 17
 Headworks = 2
 Inter-link canals = 12
 Canal systems = 44
 Water courses =1,07,000
 Tubwells = 7,00,000

CANAL SYSTEM OF PAKISTAN

There are three main important types of canals in Pakistan:
1) Perennial Canals
2) Non-Perennial Canals
3) Inundation Canals

Perennial Canals: These canals supply water throughout the year. Important Perennial
Canals of Punjab are:
 Upper Bari Doab
 Lower Bari Doab
 Sidhnai Canals
 Upper and Lower Chenab
 Upper Jhelum canals originating from Trimmu Head works

Non-Perennial Canals: These canals run during the summer and the rainy season.
 Sidhnai canals from the Ravi.
 Haveli canals from the Chenab and some of the Sultlej canals fall in this category.

Inundation Canals/Flood canals: They get water when there is a rise in the water level
due to flood. Many old canals from the Indus and the Chenab fall in this category.

DAMS
Pakistan has three major water reservoirs– Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma. Due to
enormous amounts of sediments these reservoirs had lost 25% of their storage capacity.
Their present storage capacity is given below;
Tarbela = 6.78 MAF (Indus river)
Mangla = 4.46 MAF (Jhelum river) (Built 1961-67) (Mir pur Azad Kashmir)
Chashma =0.37 MAF (Indus river) (1967-71)
Total storage capacity = 11.61 MAF
Diamer Bhasha dam is under construction. Its storage capacity is 6.4 MAF