IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE ENG’G
GARCIA
IRRIGATION
➢ the artificial application of water to the soil
to assist in the growing of agricultural and
forest crops, maintenance of landscapes,
and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry
areas and during periods of inadequate
rainfall and shall include drip, sprinkler,
shallow tube-well and other pressurized
irrigation system; surface and ground water
resource management; and irrigation
structures and facilities such as dams,
weirs, pump systems, conveyance canals,
and flumes.
DRAINAGE
➢ is the removal of excess water from the soil
or from the land surface. Its primary
objective is to prevent the occurrence of
excessive moisture conditions in the
rootzone which have (either directly or
indirectly) a harmful effect on the growth of
crops and at an acceptable economic basis.
In arid (irrigated) areas a further objective is
to prevent the accumulation of salts in the
rootzone (whenever natural conditions do
not provide for sufficient leaching).
ENGINEERING
➢ the application of mathematics and
scientific, economic, social, and practical
knowledge to invent, innovate, design, build,
maintain, research, and improve structures,
machines, tools, systems, components,
materials, processes, solutions, and
organizations.
➢ is derived from the Latin ingenium, meaning
"cleverness" and ingeniare, meaning “to
contrive, devise"
ENGR. ELAINE ANN R.
PERSPECTIVE OF IRRIGATION IN THE PHILIPPINES
❖ Irrigation is essential in addressing food
security and sustainability in the country.
❖ A reliable and suitable irrigation water
supply can result in vast improvements in
agricultural production and assures
economic vitality.
❖ Must be coupled with effective agronomic
practices.
❖ Incorporate proper drainage systems, soil
reclamation & erosion control.
Issues and concerns:
❖ Generally poor efficiency with which
irrigation water is being used.
❖ ≥ 40% of the water diverted for irrigation
is wasted at the farm level through deep
percolation and surface runoff.
❖ These losses often represent forgone
opportunities because delay the arrival
of water at the downstream diversions.
❖ Growth of alternative demands for water
such as urban and industry needs.
Role of irrigation:
1. a moisture supply for plant growth which
also transports essential nutrients; and
2. a flow of water to leach or dilute salts in the
soil.
 Irrigation also benefits croplands
through cooling the soil and the
atmosphere to create a more favorable
environment for plant growth.
Role of Agricultural Engineers:
❖ Planning and directing the construction
of irrigation, power, drainage, and soil
and water conservation systems.
❖ Address the artificial application of
water to the soil to assist in the growing
of agricultural and forest crops,
maintenance of landscapes, and
revegetation of disturbed soils in dry
areas and during periods of inadequate
rainfall and shall include drip, sprinkler,
shallow tube-well and other
pressurized irrigation system; surface
and ground water resource
management; and irrigation structures.
IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE ENG’G
and facilities such as dams, weirs,
pump systems, conveyance canals,
and flumes.
IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES
According to David (1989):
❖ Low Irrigation development in the
Philippines (47%)
❖ Problems & issues include:
1. machine performance of irrigation
systems
2. High cost of construction, operation &
maintenance
3. Low-cost recovery
4. Lack of inter-agency cooperation
5. Inappropriate design of irrigation
systems
In late 70s, there was heavy public investment in
irrigation (Cainglet, 2010):
❖ Public expenditures in irrigation accounted
nearly 20% of the total public investments in
infrastructure.
❖ 40% of the total public support to agriculture
sector
❖ Public investments in irrigation nearly
reached 3 B in 1982 compared to about 300
M by the early 1990s (or 10 yrs. later)
❖ Along with this decrease in public
investments, conversion of irrigated
farmlands to industrial use contributed to
the sluggish growth of irrigation sector.
2009 National Irrigation Administration year-end
report:
❖ Pursued 39 irrigation projects plus 4
interagency projects.
❖ Accomplished 54% of the targeted new area
for irrigation.
❖ 165% rehabilitation
❖ 76% restoration
ENGR. ELAINE ANN R. GARCIA
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA):
❖ Gov’t owned & controlled corporation
(GOCC) primary responsible for irrigation
dev’t in the Phils.
❖ Created under RA 3601 on June 22, 1963
❖ Was placed under the Office of the President
upon creation & pursuant to EO 22 dated
Sept 14, 1992
❖ Attached to DA under Adm. Order # 17 dated
Oct 14, 1992
❖ Charter was later amended by PD 552 on
September 11, 1974 and PD 1702 on July 17,
1980
Functions of NIA:
1. Investigate & study all available water
resources in the Phils primarily for irrigation
purposes;
2. Plan, design, construct and/or improve all
irrigation projects and their appurtenant
structures; and
3. Operate, maintain, and administer all
national irrigation systems.
NIA is also the authority to supervise the
operation, maintenance & repair or otherwise
administer temporarily all communal and pump
irrigation systems constructed, improved and/or
repaired wholly or partially with government
funds; and to delegate the partial or full
management of national irrigation systems to
duly organized cooperatives and associations.
❖ Studies show that in all the cropping
seasons, actual areas irrigated were much
less than the reported service areas.
❖ Service areas as calculated during project
design were grossly overestimated.
❖ Disturbing reports reflected gross
inefficiency in the planning and
implementation of irrigation projects
(Cainglet, 2010)
IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE ENG’G
According to an ADB technical report, there are
three (3) factors on failing performance of irrigation
investments and faring short of the expectations
during the project design:
1. Over-optimistic development
assumptions
➢ designed service areas tended to be
larger than available water
resources.
➢ Limited hydrological records
hampered accurate hydrological
analysis on water availability.
2. Inadequate O&M and limited farmer
participation
➢ Deteriorating canals & structures
➢ Silted and defective diversion works
O & M costs were expected to be
covered by irrigation service fees,
but collection efficiency was very
low.
3. System deterioration:
➢ Many developed systems have aged
and have accumulated damage
through natural calamities.
POLICY OPTIONS: (for the general improvement of
irrigation in the country, Cainglet, 2010):
1. Substantial increase in private sector
investment regardless of nature & level of
investment;
2. Development of the national and incentive
structure that would lead to correct
decisions;
3. Adoption of institutional reforms & efforts to
minimize the biases in the system that lead
to misallocation or misdirected priorities;
4. Generate estimates of the potential
economic benefits of irrigated areas;
5. Produce updated benchmark information to
improve planning and forecasting;
6. Improvement of O & M of NIS & CIS by
focusing on short & medium term concerns;
7. Address the poor performance of large &
medium gravity systems;
8. Focus on the dev’t of STWs, low-lift pumps,
& village irrigation systems & SFRs
ENGR. ELAINE ANN R. GARCIA
Recommended criteria for the selection of
appropriate irrigation systems in the allocation of
funds & resources (David, 2000):
1. Cost-effectiveness;
2. Affordability or low unit area investment
cost;
3. Sustainability through full repair, O&M cost
recovery;
4. Efficiency in water-use
5. O&M efficiency of farmer-irrigators
including on-farm water distribution
management practices;
6. Length of gestation period; and
7. Potential for increasing unit area
productivity.
Free Irrigation Act: RA 10969
➢ An act providing free irrigation service
amending for the purpose RA 3601
(creation of NIA) as amended
appropriating funds therefore and for
other purposes.
➢ Signed into law on February 2, 2018
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy
➢ It is the policy of the State to promote
comprehensive rural development, food
self-sufficiency, equitable access to
opportunity and sustained productivity as
key strategies to raise the quality of life in
rural areas and attain overall national
development.
➢ The state shall also ensure that the vital
support services are made available
particularly irrigation service, through the
continued construction, repair &
maintenance of necessary irrigation
facilities, to increase production of
agricultural crops, encourage
productivity and increase the incomes of
farmers.
IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE ENG’G ENGR. ELAINE ANN R. GARCIA

SECTION 3. Scope of free irrigation service.

➢ Upon the effectivity of this act, all farmers

with landholdings of eight (8) hectares and
below are hereby exempted from paying
irrigation service fees (ISF) for water derived
from national irrigation systems and
communal irrigation systems that were or
are to be funded, constructed, maintained,
and administered by the National Irrigation
Administration (NIA) and other government
agencies, including those that have been
turned over to irrigation associations.
➢ Farmers with more than eight (8) hectares of
land, corporate farms, and plantations
drawing water for agricultural production
and fishponds and other persons, natural or
juridical, drawing water for non-agricultural
purposes from NIS and CIS, or using the
irrigation systems as drainage facilities,
shall continue to be subject to the payment
of ISF.

SECTION 4. Condonation and writing off loans,

past due accounts and penalties of farmers and
irrigators associations.

➢ To achieve the objectives of this act, all

unpaid ISF and the corresponding
penalties of farmers with eight (8)
hectares and below to NIA and all loans,
past due accounts and corresponding
interests and penalties of IAs to NIA, are
hereby condoned and written off from
the books of NIA.

SECTION 5. Operation and maintenance (O & M)

of national irrigation Systems.

➢ The NIA shall continue to develop,

operate, and maintain NIS. However, it
may delegate the O & M of secondary
and tertiary canals and farm ditches to
capable IAs. The IA shall provide the
equivalent funds for the O & M of these
facilities.
➢ The NIA shall issue the necessary
policies, qualification requirements and
selection process in determining the
capability and capacity of IAs to operate
and maintain these portions of NIS.