OPTIMAL WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN UPPER GANGA CANAL COMMAND - A CASE STUDY

Abstract

To meet the growing food-grain demands of the country, a higher level of food-grain production is required. The meaning of Optimal Water Resource Management is to get the maximum return without imbalancing the ecological system. The Optimal Water Resource Management in the command of Right Main Distributary (in the command of UGC) has been undertaken for study. The objectives of the study is to estimate Crop Water Requirement, Canal Water Supply, Water Deficit and to optimize Cropping Intensity and Net Return. It has been found that rainfall is not sufficient to meet the evapotranspiration demand of the crops. Similarly canal water supply is also not sufficient to meet the crop water requirement. There is substantial quantity of groundwater available to meet the crop water requirement. Favourable and adequate availability of groundwater and its conjunctive use with surface water may show good response to equitable distribution of water which is a pressing and basic need in Irrigation Water Management. The irrigated agriculture of the command area is beneficial and also sustainable. There is no substantial salinity or alkalinity problem in the study area. The water quality is also good and soil is well irrigable....