Canal Irrigation In India

Irrigation plays a very important role in the sustenance of the lives of people. When it comes to canal irrigation in India, it can be considered as one of the main methods that people tend to use for the proper growth of their crops. After tube wells and wells, canal irrigation is definitely a very important source of irrigation in India. However, this method is only used in the areas and locations where there are larger levels of plains that are deep and fertile as well. 

These regions are mostly drained by the perennial rivers that are well distributed. That is one of the main reasons why canal irrigation seems to be the natural and proposed method of irrigation. In this article, people will know about canal irrigation in the country of India.

Understanding All About Canal Irrigation in India 

The canal irrigation process can be quite expensive when we are talking about areas that are rocky and uneven in nature. Not to mention that these areas are of limited use as well. Hence, there are some lands in the entire Indian plateau that tend to be irrigated through some other methods. 

There are different types of canals used for the method of irrigation and hence people will need to know about it. With the help of irrigation canals, there is no doubt that the people will be able to have better benefits as well. The crops will grow properly and hence there will be more economic growth for the country. The largest irrigation canal in India is the Indira Gandhi Canal in Rajasthan. 

Types of Irrigation Canals 

When it comes to irrigation, there is no doubt that canal irrigation takes the lead in India. While there are some other irrigation methods used for the process of agriculture, canal irrigation definitely is one of the most popular ones for sure. In 2008-2009, about 165.97 lakh hectares of land were irrigated with the help of canals. If we take into account the states of India about 91.72% of the entire area that is irrigated in Jammu & Kashmir happens through canal irrigation. 

Not just that, but about 66.24% of the lands in Chhattisgarh, 44.28% of lands in Haryana, and 64.7% of lands in Odisha depend on canal irrigation for the completion of the irrigation process. Canal irrigation is most important in the northern plains of India because the locations tend to be surrounded by water and hence it is easier to dig canals. Not to mention that the plain areas are pretty even as well. 

Some of the other major locations that depend on canal irrigation for the growth of their crops are Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar. According to the sources, there are 2 different types of canals that people need to know about. Here we are going to have a discussion about these canals in the best way. This will help people in understanding in which part of India is canal irrigation popular.

Inundation Canals

The very first type of irrigation canal that is used for the process is known as the inundation canal. These are the canals that have a direct connection with the rivers. Hence, there is no need to provide a weir at their heads. Due to having a particular and direct connection with rivers, the regulation of the flow of the water happens naturally from the rivers. These are basically the types of irrigation canals that can be seen in the Brahmaputra Valley as well as the Sutlej-Ganga plains. 

Perennial Canals

Another specific type of irrigation canal that is used for the process is the perennial canal. These are the type of canals that tend to maintain the entire flow of the water all throughout the year. It is seen that these canals are able to provide water to the crops even during the winter seasons. This is due to the fact that these canals tend to have their water from the reservoirs that are built during the river projects or directly from the rivers. 

These canals have the requirement of having a weir that is located below the intake section of the irrigation canal. The sluice gates are responsible for the regulation of the intake and hence end up regulating the flow of the water as well. Several efforts are being made all over the country to make sure that inundation canals are turned into perennial ones. India’s largest irrigation canal, the Indira Gandhi Canal is also a perennial canal for irrigation. 

Some Benefits of Canal Irrigation 

The wastelands that remain unirrigated can actually have a lot of benefits from canal irrigation. This will also increase the biomass quantity in these areas. 

There are a lot of negative effects of droughts on the economic development of the country. With the help of canal development, the dependence of the growth of crops on rainfall can be efficiently minimized. 

Canals tend to be fed by the rainwater that the rivers receive and that water can be used for irrigation purposes. With more water, the production of proper crops can be possible. With higher productivity due to irrigation canals, there can be better procurement of crops. 

It can be said without a doubt that the entire system of canal irrigation tends to be a permanent one. Hence, there is no need for other expenses besides maintenance in order to enjoy the benefits for a long amount of time. 

With the imposing of canal irrigation, there is no significant reduction in groundwater. In fact, the situation is basically reversed. The increase in water levels leads to more wells being dug. 

These irrigation canals in different locations of the country are slowly becoming really popular sites for tourists to visit. For example, the largest irrigation canal in India is often visited by the people. 

Some Disadvantages of Irrigation Canals 

There is some imbalance that is caused due to certain imperfect distributions when it comes to canal water. Hence, there are cases when situations related to the scarcity of water as well as the improper logging of water in certain locations is also caused. This can result in the soil becoming unproductive due to the fact that harmful salts and underground alkalies tend to get mixed up when they come to the water surface level. 

There are diseases that are caused in people due to an increase in the mosquitoes, insects, and worms that are mostly found in areas where there are water canals. 

When there is efficient management and maintenance of irrigation canals, certain areas tend to have a surplus in the number of crops. Hence, the farmers aren’t really able to get the desired price for the products that they are expecting in the markets. 

Sometimes, the inundation canals tend to have a shortage in the supply of water. This leads to the destruction of crops that are in the need of water for their growth. This also has a negative effect on the livelihood of the people who are depending on these crops for their food and income. 

It is known to people that canals tend to be permanent in nature. However, they do require some sort of maintenance. With regular maintenance neglected for these canals, there is an accumulation of sediments that often results in the reduction of canal capacity. 

Construction of the canals can be quite an expensive task for sure. Hence, the economic investment that is done can exceed the limits. This doesn’t seem like a very practical idea in the first place. 

Conclusion 

So, these are some of the details that you need to know about canal irrigation in India. With the help of canal irrigation, most of the issues related to the growth of crops can be avoided for sure. We hope this article helped in clearing all your doubts.