Irrigation

By Ratnadeep Paul , Na-me Rajee , Shayan Pradhan ,

Shlok Passari & Ewanson Pyrbot
Roll no : 31 - 35
What is
Irrigation?
 Irrigation
✖ Irrigation is the process of applying water to
the crops artificially to fulfil their water
requirements.
✖ Nutrients may also be provided to the crops
through irrigation.
✖ The various sources of water for irrigation are
wells, ponds, lakes, canals, tube-wells and
even dams.
✖ Irrigation offers moisture required for growth
and development, germination and other
related functions.
 Primitive Methods Of Irrigation
✖ Different sources and methods of irrigation
are used depending on the topography , soil ,
rainfall , availability of groundwater , nature
of rivers and requirement of crops.

✖ Some of Primitive Methods of Irrigation are :

i. Canal Irrigation
ii. Tank Irrigation
Canal
Irrigation
Canal Irrigation amounts to
about 40 % of the total
irrigated area in India. This
type of irrigation is more
prevalent in the northern
part of the country where
rivers are perennial and flow
through flat terrain.
 Some Points on Canal Irrigation
✖ The conditions necessary for digging canals are –
i. Low level relief with deep fertile soil.
ii. Perennial source of water i.e snow-fed rivers
which may be used for the development of canal
irrigation. The water from these rivers is stored by
building a dam or a weir across the river. The
water is then distributed to the fields during dry
season by means of canals and distributaries.
✖ Types of Canal Irrigation :
i. Inundation Canals
ii. Perennial Canals
What are
Inundation
Canals?
Inundation canal are the
canals that are linked to
large Rivers.
 Some points on Inundation Canals
✖ The canals are taken out from the rivers when they
are in flood or when there is excess of water. Hence
they are dependent on rains for supply of water.
✖ Only the lower-level regions can be irrigated by such
canals as once the rainy season is over and floods
subside, the level of water falls below the level of
canal head. Such a canal was taken out from river
Sutlej which is prone to floods during the rainy
season.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Inundation
Canals

Advantages Disadvantages
• Inundation canals are • There is uncertainty of
easily and cheaply built. water supply.
• They are useful in • These canals are useful
controlling floods. only during floods.
• Only low-land areas
can be irrigated.
What are Perennial
Canals?
• These canals flow all
the year round and
thus they are known
as perennial canals.
• They draw water
from perennial rivers
or from artificial lakes
which maintain a high
level of water in the
upstream side.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Perennial Canals
Advantages
• As these canaIs serve
throughout the year, the
agricultural production in the
areas of less or uncertain
rainfall has increased
considerably.
• As these canals supply water
even during hot seasons,
cultivation of some crops can be
carried out round the year.
Disadvantages
• Problem of salt
effervescence due to
overflooding of the fields
which makes the soil
unsuitable for farming.
• Problem of water-logging in
case of unlined canals as
water soaks into the
adjoining areas turning
them into swamps.
Tank Irrigation
Tank Irrigation is
useful in the areas
which are dependent
on rainfall for their
water supply.
 Some points on Tank Irrigation
✖ Tank irrigation is useful in the areas which are
dependent on rainfall for their water supply.
✖ Tanks are constructed in the areas of natural
depression by building earthen embankments or
masonry walls to collect water. This water is used in
dry season.

i. In India, about 12% of the total irrigated area is done by

the tanks.
ii. Tanks are used mostly in peninsular India, where the
underlying hard rocks do not allow the water to seep
through.
Conditions necessary for building tanks
in Peninsular India
• Most of the area of peninsular India is uneven
with many natural depressions where the tanks
are/can be built.
• The Deccan plateau consists of underlying hard
rocks which are impervious or non-porous. These
rocks do not allow the water to seep through.
• Peninsular India receives monsoon type of
climate. Hence these tanks collect water during
rainy season and help in raising the water table.
Advantages and Disadvantages Of Tank Irrigation
Advantages
• Tank irrigation is prevalent in
Deccan plateau region where
water is collected and used later
for irrigation.
• Tank irrigation is cheaper than
other type of irrigation as the
rainwater is collected in natural
pits and depressions which are
easily available in peninsular
India.
• As the water is collected and
used in dry season, it uses the
water table of the surrounding
region.
Disadvantages
• Since tanks are shallow,
large amount of water is
wasted through evaporation.
• Tanks are non-perennial
and dry up in summer.
Considering this and the
large area they occupy, they
become costly in comparison
to wells and tube wells.
• Tanks use up large areas of
land which could be used for
agriculture.
Thank You