A CASE STUDY OF DRAINAGE PROBLEM FOR TEA GARDEN IN AS SAM

Abstract

Drainage is a critical element of sustained, efficient and productive agriculture. It is established in the recent years that waterlogging problems closely influences the productivity. In high valued cash crops like .Tea, the solution for waterlogging problem assumes special significance. Standard literature already contains information for general crops but for tea crop, it is still remaining to be addressed properly. In this dissertation, a case study has been made to investigate the waterlogging problem of tea garden. The available physical data were collected and processed to understand the magnitude of the problem. Isobaths and water table contour maps were drawn and the extent of the waterlogging problem was studied. Also the existing drainage network and its outlet system, location of the sump, etc were studied. In course of the present study, need was felt to formulate an optimization model with an objective for minimizing the surface area of drains to the extent possible. The model formulated was applied to the study area with the parameters generated from the processed data. The optimal placement and spacing of the drains were found out. Parametric study was also made to visualize the effect of the sensitive drainage parameters on the objective function to evolve functional relationships. This model will provide some guidelines to the tea managers for evolving a layout of appropriate drainage network from the stand point of minimum loss of planted area.