Civil Engineerz: Agriculture Water Management

AGRICULTURAL WATER MA

NAGEMENT

Pakistan is an agricultural country and more than 70% of its economy comes from agriculture side and relevant fields and to increase our production and quality we need to raise our standards to some internationally recognize level in order to become self dependent in this field.

With the passage of time revolution came in the field of agriculture and insecticides and pesticides are such products which are used by the framers to fight against different disease and to increase their production.

Pakistan possesses one of the world’s best Water irrigation systems but still we are not getting the amount of production from our agriculture growth as we are expecting the main reason behind this is The Improper Management of Agriculture Water.

In the last few years the government has taken some very positive steps in this respect and introduced some good methods for Proper Management of Agriculture Water.

Some of these methods and techniques are given below.

1. Sustainable Technologies for Efficient Water Management in Irrigated Areas of Southern Indus Plain

The project aims to introduce sustainable technologies to wisely utilize and manage the water resources in the Southern Indus Plain, through conducting pilot projects and disseminating research findings to the farmers, at their fields. Study on refinement of skimming well technology was carried out by installaling skimming wells in the lower reaches of Lower Indus Basin and data were collected for fresh and saline interface movement and/or probable intrusion / up coning of underneath saline water layer. It is recommended that continuous pumping of less than 5 hours will have notany threatening effect on up conning of under lying saline layer.

A survey of private tubewells in the Districts Hyderabad,Badin, Mirpur Khas and Nawabshah exposed that, majority of tubewells were operated for 7-12 hours (50-56%) and with excessive discharge (65-83%). A survey of Indus Delta from Thatta to Keti Bunder was carried out by installing observation wells and collecting and analyzing water samples, for probable seawater intrusion in the coastal and agricultural lands. DRC has also conducted research on the use of saline groundwater after making it marginal by mixingfresh groundwater / canal water in different ratios, for better crop yield. Different water conservation technologies / practices i.e. bed and furrow irrigation, zero tillage, laser land leveling, growing low delta crops and irrigation scheduling are being evaluated at the farmers’ fields, with their participation. The results of these studies showed better crop yield with maximum water use efficiency.

2. Improved Water Conservation Practices for NWFP and Northern Areas of Pakistan

The research and development activities are being implemented in 5 districts of NWFP (Mardan, Swat, Buner, Upper and Lower Dir and all districts of Northern Areas, to identify water and soil management issues/problems, theirextent and to develop water conservation plan in the NWFP and Northern Areas of Pakistan under changi

ng global environment. Construction of storage reservoirs and improvement of conveyance channels is demonstrated at 21 sites and high efficiency irrigation systems i.e.. lift and trickle have been installed at 24 sites in NWFP and Northern Areas. A sub station has been established in Gilgit to control the water resources research activities being carried under different projects in the Northern Areas.

Trickle irrigation systems installed at different sites in the NWFP and Northern Areas

3. Enhancement and Management of Groundwater Resources in Balochistan

The main objectives of the project are to assess the existing status of groundwater resources and development and implementation of a plan for sustainable management of groundwater resources through low cost artificial recharge techniques and rainwater harvesting. The preliminary surveys were conducted to know pre project status of groundwater resources at the sites selected for artificial groundwater recharge activities. Construction of leaky and check dams/structures and watershed management practices are in progress at different sites in Kan Mehtarzai, Feroz Kan and Magat Area.

Watershed management practices to enhance the groundwater recharge in Boluchistan

4. Result Oriented Short Term Research Studies to Improve Water Resources of Mountainous Area

The main objectives of the project are to undertake various research and development activities for improvement of water resources of mountainous areas including: development and promulgation of appropriate water harvesting techniques in Swat Valley; development and testing of methodologies for transformation and monitoring the behaviour of selected glaciers; development of snowmelt stream flow relationships; and improvement of channels for efficient conveyance of water in the mountainous areas. The survey of water and land use practices in the Malik-e-Dam Valley Swat showed that water table depth is alarmingly increasing, owing to the heavy groundwater mining. To enhance the potential of depleting glaciers, three glaciers (one in Chillas and two in Sakardu) have been selected for rejuvenation. These glaciers have been grafted with the active participation of Agha Khan Rural Support Progranne (AGKRSP) and local community and monitoring/relevant data collection to record the annual increase in mass balance etc. are in progress. To study the behaviour of glaciers, a methodology has been devised with the geo-referencing of the acquired satellite images, to carry out biannual topographic survey of the selected glaciers. The baseline survey of (Matalatan Glacier) in Upper Swat is conducted and data collected to determine retracts, advancement, ablation and accumulation etc. Similarly snowmelt-stream flow relationship of Swat River has been developed after collecting and processing 30 years data, to understand the snowmelt regime and flow forecasting. The improvement in the construction of water channels in Districts Dir and Buner and installation of high efficiency irrigation systems in the mountainous areas are also in progress.

A view of a grafted glacier before (L) and after (R) at a selected site in Northern Areas

5. Participatory National Integrated Water Management Programme

The package of technologies has been introduced to judiciously utilize and manage the water resources of the country through establishment of 11 pilot projects in irrigated, rainfed, coastal, uplands mountainous, and AJK Areas of the country, and dissemination of the research results to the farmers. The technologies include: watercourse improvement; construction of check dams, mini dams and dug wells; high efficiency irrigation systems i.e. lift, sprinkler and drip; and laser land lavelling etc.

6. Integrated Land and Water Management Studies for Agricultural Development in the Potohar Region

The results of the assessment status of Swan Basin (50%) of Potohar Region showed that on an average 2.87 MAF of water passes the Basin without being used. Due to increase in population, the domestic water consumption has increased 120 times and would be doubled in next 25 years. The water table in the basin has dropped to 3.75 m, with an average drop of 0.15 m per year during the last 25 years. The 50% domestic water demand is met from groundwater, 47% from surface storages and 3% from springs etc. The sediment flow data of three rivers i.e.. Soan, Kanshi and Haro in Soan Basin shows continuous decrease in out flow, the reasons being the changing rainfall pattern, urbanisation, increased rainwater harvesting practices and on-going soil and water management activities etc., however the detailed investigation linking to sub-basins would further elaborate the reasons. For the demonstration of efficient land and water management activities, to the farmers of the area, 4 pilot sites (3 acres each) are developed by growing fruits (olive, guava, apple, almond and citrus) and wheat crop, after installing high efficiency irrigation systems (trickle, sprinkler) in Rawalpindi, Fateh Jang and Gujar Khan Districts and relevant agronomic and climatic data is collected on regular basis.

Demonstration of efficient land and water management practices at famers’ fields in Potohar Region

7. Mass Awareness for Water Conservation and Development

The main objective of this mega project is to launch a comprehensive mass awareness campaign for sustainable management of water resources in the country in collaboration with UNDP. The specific objectives include: collection and documentation of existing knowledge on indigenous and improved technologies for water conservation in agricultural, industrial and domestic sector; dissemination and promotion of best practices evaluated through research, for mass awareness at grass root level, to the real user, in much coherent way, using appropriate dissemination data and fora. The project activities have been started after the recruitment of staff. Two farmer days were organized at Field Research Station, Sial Mor and Regional Office, Bahawalpur.

8. Mitigation of Desertification for Poverty Alleviation by Integrated Management of Land and Water Resources in Cholistan (MDPA)

This project envisages to undertake research for mitigation of desertification for poverty alleviation by establishing 20 demonstrative-cum-desertification control research farms in Cholistan Desert. The micro desertification control farms have been established at 7 sites in Dingarh, Naraywala, Hyderwali, Malkana, Nidamwla, Marrot and Toba Mian Allah Yar. At each farm 25 acres of land has been brought under desertification control activities i.e. wind erosion control through micro barrier checker boards, plantation of trees (acacia, prosopis, amliceps, parkinsonia, tamarix, ziziphus and varius shrubs for sand dune stablisation, silvipasture and grassland development etc. The sprinkler irrigation system is installed at Hyderwali, and initial results have shown that carrying capacity of grasses can be increased 20 times, by applying small quantity of water. An area of 10 acres has been selected to establish seed bank of local grasses i.e.. Panicum maxicum and antidotale, Sporobolus iocladus, Cenchrus ciliaris, Lasrius sindicus and wild millet. These activities will not only protect desert lands, but will also make them productive by producing fruits and various crops and would contribute in meeting future demands for food and fiber.

Wind erosion control by micro barrier checker boards and range land development with rain gun

9. Rainwater Harvesting and Desertification Control (RHDC), Kharan Chagai Desert Balochistan

The project aims to manage and utilise the existing land, water and bio-resources of Kharan Chagai Desert on productive lines. The water resources remained under high stress due to prolonged drought for the last seven years throughout Balochistan but had pronounced effect on the ecology of Kharan Chagai Desert. The accelerated desertification process can be controlled through rainwater harvesting and exploitation of available saline and fresh groundwater sources and utilising these resources for sand dunes stabilization by applying biotechnologies i.e.. introducing naturally screened xerophytic native and exotic tree, bushes and grass species of the desert. Establishment of a field research station on 500 acres of land, is in process. Initially, four water storage ponds have been excavated in District Noshki. Water shed management activities i.e.. construction/development of check dams, dikes and ditches have also been initiated in the area.

The desertification control and rainwater harvesting activities in Kharan Chagai Desert

10. Combating Drought and Desertification in the Thar Desert by Management of Water Resources

The project is being implemented in Thar and Parkar Araes, Sind. The main objectives of the project are to assess: the existing status of water resources (surface and groundwater); water utilization practices; water quality; agricultural practices; desertification status/management activities; historical hydrological and climatic data collection; and soci-economoic conditions. A field research and demonstration centre has been established at Mithi, by acquiring 200 acres of land. Excavation of rainwater harvesting ponds, dug wells/tubewells, saline water utilization and desertification control activities i.e. plantation of trees, bushes, shrubs etc. are initiated in the area, using collected rain water and available saline water. Four rainwater harvesting ponds and two dug wells have been excavated in the Desert for drinking and other purposes.