Impact Evaluation of Water Resources Development in the Command Areas of Small Dams
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Research Report-5 2004 IMPACT EVALUATION OF WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMAND AREAS OF SMALL DAMS Dr Muhammad Ashraf Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources P O Box 1849, Islamabad 2004 i The Author Dr Muhammad Ashraf is Director, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources, Islamabad ISBN 969-8469-12-5 Acknowledgement The study was conducted under the Financial Support of Pakistan Foundation (PSF) vide Project No. R&D/CDYST/C-PCRWR/AGR(15). The author would like to thank PSF for providing assistance to conduct this study and also to publish this report. The author would thank Dr. Muhammad Akram Kahlown Chairman PCRWR for his encouragement, support, guidance and stimulating criticism during the course of this study. The author is also grateful to Dr Ashfaq Ahmed Sheikh Deputy Director and Mr. Samar Gul Assistant Director for their help during data collection and analysis. The help of Mr. Naheed Ijaz Deputy Director in editing and Mr. Zia-ud-Din UDC in compiling the report is also acknowledged. © PCRWR 2004 Khyaban-e-Johar, H-8/1, Islamabad – Pakistan Email: [email protected] ii FOREWORD Water is a limiting factor for sustainable agriculture in Pothwar. Rainfall is the only source of water, the spatial and temporal variation of which is very high. Therefore, conservation and management of this source is vital for agriculture development and socio-economic uplift of the area. The Government of the Punjab has constructed 31 small dams in Pothwar to store and conserve water for agricultural and other uses. These dams, however, have been under criticisms due to their under utilization of the available water resources. This study was under taken to evaluate the existing performance and identify the issues related to the effective utilization of the water stored and to propose strategies for the efficient utilization of these dams. The dams studied included: Jawa; Kasala; and Dhok Sandy Mar. The study revealed that these dams had been partially successful to improve the socio-economic conditions of the local inhabitants. Due to recharge from the dams, a local aquifer has developed due to which the number of dugwells has increased by many folds. The land use and cropping intensities, and crop yield have also been increased by many folds after the construction of these dams. There is a shift in the cropping pattern from traditional cropping to high value crops due to the availability of more water supply. These dams, however, are subject to many problems such as: (i) illegal water diversions; (ii) non-existence/non- functional water user associations; (iii) improper maintenance of watercourses; (iv) tempered outlets (moghas); and (v) lack of agricultural support services etc. The study also proposes strategies for efficient management of available water resources in the Pothwar area. The study was sponsored by Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) and was conducted by Dr Muhammad Ashraf, Director, Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) Islamabad and his team. I commend the work done and hope that it would help the stakeholders to solve their water management problems. (Dr Muhammad Akram Kahlown) Chairman, PCRWR iii CONTENTS Foreword Table of Contents..................................................................................................................i List of Tables ......................................................................................................................iv List of Figures.....................................................................................................................iv List of Plates ........................................................................................................................v Summary .......................................................................................................................vi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1 1.1 Background..............................................................................................................1 1.2 Objectives ................................................................................................................3 CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE .............................................................................................5 2.1 Past Investigations on the Subject ...........................................................................5 2.2 Scope of the Project.................................................................................................6 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY........................................................................................................................................7 3.1 Reconnaissance Survey ..........................................................................................8 3.2 Data Collection from Small Dams Organization.....................................................8 3.3 Questionnaire Development and Pre Testing .........................................................8 3.4 Selection of Respondents.........................................................................................8 3.5 Regular Survey ........................................................................................................8 CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION..........................................................................................9 4.1 Data Collection from Small Dams Organization .........9 4.1.1 Inflow-Outflow of the Dams ....................................9 4.1.2 Water Rates (Aabiana) ...........................................12 4.2 Data Collection through Field Survey.........................13 4.2.1 Respondents .............................................................13 iv 4.2.2 Land Holdings and Family Size....................................................................14 4.2.3 Land Use and Cropping Intensities ..............................................................14 4.2.4 Source of Irrigation Water..................................................................................................15 4.2.5 Availability of Water.....................................................................................16 4.2.6 Groundwater Development .................................................................................................16 4.2.7 Irrigation Methods ..............................................................................................................17 4.2.8 Satisfaction of Farmers.................................................................................18 4.2.9 Cropping Pattern..........................................................................................18 4.2.10 Yield of Crops ...............................................................................................19 4.2.11 Income of Farmers........................................................................................19 4.2.12 Livestock .......................................................................................................19 4.2.13 Education......................................................................................................20 CHAPTER 5 GENERAL DISCUSSIONS..............................................................................................23 5.1 Main Issues ............................................................................................................23 5.1.1 Lack of Sufficient Water................................................................................23 5.1.2 Illegal Water Diversion ................................................................................23 5.1.3 Poor Maintenance of Watercourses .............................................................23 5.1.4 Inequity in Water Supply (distribution) ........................................................23 5.1.5 Broken Outlets (moghas) ..............................................................................24 5.1.6 Poor Field Channels.....................................................................................24 5.1.7 Undulated Fields ..........................................................................................24 5.1.8 Non Existence of Water User Associations .................................................25 5.1.9 Lack of Agricultural Support Services..........................................................26 5.2 General Observations....................................................................................26 5.2.1 Khasala Dam ................................................................................................26 5.2.2 Jawa Dam .....................................................................................................26 5.2.3 Dhok Sandy Mar Dam ..................................................................................27 v CHAPTER 6 STRATEGIES FOR EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES 29 6.1 Equity in Water Distribution 29 6.2 Formation of Water User Association (WUA) 29 6.3 Proper Maintenance of Canal and Field Channel......................................................29 6.4 Land Levelling and Proper Farm Layout...................................................................29 6.5 Adoption of High Efficiency Irrigation System 30 6.5.1 High Efficiency Surface Irrigation System 30 6.5.2 Pressurized Irrigation System 30 6.6 Proper Irrigation Scheduling......................................................................................30