OPTIMAL UTILISATION OF WATER RESOURCES OF BAITARANI RIVER SYSTEM•

Abstract

Baitarani river Basin having a catchment area of 14218 sq.km. is the third largest river Basin of Orissa state. In this work entitled "Optimal utilisation of water resources.-of Baitarani river System" an attempt has been made to study the design parameters of irrigation and multi-purpose projects in the Basin and optimal benefits from the system using a LP model. Out of twelve possible major and medium irrgation/ multi-purpose projects, nine projects being inter- dependent, have been analysed as System Network in the basin. Two major projects having. hydro-power -potential in the basin, namely Bhimkund and Balijodi, are analysed in the System Network. Other three projects have been independently analysed. Two cases of utilisation of water resources have been studied. In one case ,tail water from Bhimkund base power house is utilised for irrigation at immediate downstream. In another case, tail water from Bhimkund base power house is allowed to flow to downstream Balijodi Project, where it is first used for generation of power and later on the tail water is utilised for irrigation. The tail water from. Balijodi power house and water from another Salandi irrigation project have little scope of irrigation" in the basin and hence jointly utilised for irrigation in adjacent Budhabalanga Basin.