1.0 Canal Irrigation Structures

1.
0 CANAL IRRIGATION STRUCTURES 1
Note:-
This section describes systems used to convey water from the source
to the fields as well as removing excess water (runoff) from the field.
• A canal may be lined or unlined (i.e. earthen canals).
• Lined and unlined conveyance canals should be well designed and
maintained to minimize water loss by seepage and allow efficient
irrigation.
(1.) CANAL TYPES

The hydraulic design of irrigation channel/canal is governed mainly
by two factors:
1.0 CANAL IRRIGATION STRUCTURES 2
• Quantity of silt in the water carried by the channel; and

• Type of boundary surface of the channel.
Based on these factors, there are three types of channels/canals:-
a) Alluvial canals,
b) Non-Alluvial canals, and
c) Rigid boundary (or Lined) canals.
(a) Alluvial Canals
• These are channels which are excavated in alluvial (or erodible)
soils, e.g. silt and which carry a lot of silt along with water.
• The aim of the designer would be to design the channel in such a
way that a “non-silting non-scouring” velocity is obtained for the
given design discharge.
(b) Non-Alluvial Canals

• These are channels which are excavated in non-alluvial (or
non-erodible) soils, e.g. loam, clay, hard soil, rock, etc.
• Such channels generally do not have silting problems and
water can flow with higher velocities without fear of
scouring of sides and bed of canal.
(c) Rigid Boundary Canals
• These channels have sides and bottom made of rigid
material. All lined canals fall under this category.
Depending on the type of lining material: - lined canal are
of the following three main categories:-
• Hard Surface Linings: - include concrete, shortcrete, brick/stone

masonry, soil-cement, asphalt-concrete and exposed concrete.
• Buried Membrane Linings: - include sprayed asphalt,
prefabricated asphalt, plastics bentonite membranes protected
by earth covers
• Earth Linings: - include thick compacted earth, thin compacted
earth, loose earth blankets, and soil-bentonite mixtures.
(2.) SEDIMENT TRANSPORT

• A canal which takes off from a river draws some silt flowing in
the river and also whenever water flows in a channel (natural or
artificial), it tends to scour the channel surface.
• Silt, sand or gravel or even larger boulders get removed

from the channel bed and banks; then all these are swept
downstream by the flowing water.
 This phenomenon is known as “Sediment Transport”.
• The sediment carried along with the flowing water is
known as “Sediment Load”.
The sediment may move in water in form of “Bed Load” or
“Suspended Load”.
• Bed Load: - is the load of bed material in the bed layer
where suspension is impossible.
• Suspended Load: - is the material which is maintained in
suspension due to turbulence of the flowing water.
(3.) CANAL STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS

• The main structural elements that are commonly found along an
irrigation canal include the following:-
(a) Conveyance structures:-
• They are those structures such as culverts, inverted siphons,
drops, chutes, canals, and pipelines that are used to safely
transport water from one location to another traversing various
existing natural and manmade topographic features along the
way.
(b) Regulating structures:-
• The structures include: checks, check-drops, turnouts, division
structures, check inlets, control inlets, etc.
(c) Discharge measuring structures:-

• The structures under this category include: Metering flumes,
stilling wells, weirs, weir boxes, open-flow meters, etc.
(d) Protective structures:-
• They include: wasteways, and cross-drainage structures
(e) On-farm Structures/Equipment:-

• These are the devices which convey water from the turnout
(or hydrant) to crops; they form “In-field Application
systems”; e.g. field ditches, siphons and other outlet devices,
etc.
Hu
(1.) Parshall Flumes:-

The Parshall flume consists of a metal or concrete channel
structure with three main sections: (i) a converging section at the
upstream end followed by; (ii) a constricted or throat section; and
(iii) a diverging section at the downstream end [ref: fig.1.36(a) & (b)].
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1.0 CANAL IRRIGATIOSTRUCTURES 96
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1.0 Canal Irrigation Structures

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1.

0 CANAL IRRIGATION STRUCTURES 1

(1.) CANAL TYPES

• Quantity of silt in the water carried by the channel; and

(b) Non-Alluvial Canals

• Hard Surface Linings: - include concrete, shortcrete, brick/stone

(2.) SEDIMENT TRANSPORT

• Silt, sand or gravel or even larger boulders get removed

(3.) CANAL STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS

(c) Discharge measuring structures:-

(e) On-farm Structures/Equipment:-

(1.) Parshall Flumes:-

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