Study No: 1 MAXIMISING THE USE OF AVAILABLE WATER IN CROP PRODUCTION Summary 1.1 Description Of The Study Area The objective of the study is to find out the current irrigation practices, present irrigation- water utilization pattern in well and tank irrigated areas, and the constraints at the field level in achieving greater efficiency and productivity. 1.1.1 Source Of Irrigation Water The important sources of water irrigation are tanks and wells in the area that have been surveyed. The supply of water for the tanks is from different sources viz. From excess rain water (Hale Dharmapuri) – Dharmapuri Block – Dharmapuri District) (Mdappalli – Thiruppattur Block – North Arcot Ambedkar District) (Vazhaikollai – Keerapalayam Block – South Arcot District) (Masinaickenpatti – Ayathiyapattinam Block – Salem District) (Erumaipatti – Erumaipatti Block – Salem District). Surplus from Chinnar reservoir (Hale Dharmapuri- Dharmapuri Block – Dharmapuri District) (Pabchapalli – Palakkodu Block – Dharmapuri District) River like Palar River through “Vellakalvai” (Sadupperi and Abdullapuram – Vellore Block – North Arcot Ambedkar District) Surplus Water from other tanks (Cheruvanki – Gudiyatham Block – North Arcot Ambedkar District) Excess water from Veeranam tank (Athinarayanapuram and Poovanikuppam – Kurinjipadi Block – South Arcot District) (Seruvathur and Eripalayam – Panruti Block – South Arcot District) (Dharamanalur – Kammapuram – South Arcot District) Water from Neyveli mines (Athinarayanapuram and Poovanikuppam- Kurinjipadi Block - South Arcot District (Seruvathur and Eripalayam – Panruti Bnlock – South Arcot District) (Dharmalur – Kammapuram – South Arcot District). Page 1 1.1.2 Conjunctive Use Of Water Conjunctive use of water is practiced in number of places in the six regions where the survey was conducted: Pallapalayam (Udumalpet Block - Coimbatore District ) – well and tank or canal. Dhali (Udumalpet Block – Coimbatore District) well – and tank water Odykulam (Anaimalai block – Coimbatore District) Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) water for five months and well water for the rest of the period. Deenampalayam ( Thondamuthur block – Coimbatore District) – Keel Chitirai Chavadi canal Water for four months and well water for the rest of the period Kadayampatti (Kadayampatti block – Salem District) and Sirapalli (Namagiripettai block – Salem District) – well irrigation for one crop and rainfed crop as second crop. Kadayampatti (Kadayampatti block – Salem district) – when some farmers go for three rice crops per year, tank water is used for raising first crop and well water for the second and third crops. Peddanaickenpalayama ( Athur block – Salem District) – well and tank water. Vazhaikollai ( Keerapalayam block- South Arcot District) Tank water and water from coleroon river. 1.1.3 Recharge of wells Wells gets recharged during the flow of water in the canal and water in the tanks. The sources of recharge are: Surface seepages (Sirapalli – Namagiripettai block Salem District) (Parayapatti – Harur Block – Dhamapuri District) Recharge from seepage from Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal (Nasianur – Erode Block – Periyar District) Recharge from rainwater and seepage water from LBP main canal (V.Vellodu – Chennimalai Block – Periyar District) Recharge due to Mettur Canal Supply (MCS). The wells nearer to the tank are always full and exhibit a special phenomenon called locally as “Kadaiporadu”. This occurs when the tank is full and the well water comes to the ground level and water flows Page 2 from wells outside. During this period of overflowing no pumping is done from the wells. The overflowing is used for irrigation. The water supply from MCS is for three to four months (September 15 – January 15). The tank water is available for the whole year. ( Thalakulam – Bhavani Block – Periyar District) 1.1.4 Methods Adopted By The Farmers To Achieve Higher Efficiency Of Water Utilisation In addition to the usual methods of conveyance and utilization of water for crop production, the farmers have developed few techniques by themselves to achieve greater utilization of the limited water resources. Some of them are: The farmers of Pallapalayam (Udumalapet block – Coimbatore District) convey the water from wells through underground cement pipeline to the field. By this they have observed significant saving of water and also ease of cultural operations. In Vedapatti (Senthamangalam block – Salem District), the farmers have switched on to the “Kissan Hose” for suction and PVC pipes for delivery. This was found to reduce the problem of salts in the pipelines and also reduce the conveyance losses. The Vellodu (Chennimali block – Periyar District), the farmers have common wells and water is shared in a system approach and water levels in the wells are high due to the seepage from LBP canal. This avoid digging of wells within a short distance reduces the financial outlay and also eliminates quarrels and other problems due to drift in water table. In Chikkarasampalayam (Sathyamangalam block – Periyar District), few farmers have jointly purchased land, (about 50 to 60 cents) near Bhavani river basin at Sathyamangalam, which is 0.5km away from their field. They have dug wells in that land and the water is conveyed through pipelines to their fields. By this method of conveyance of irrigation water, quite a large area which was originally under dry crops have been converted to garden land for raising irrigated crops. In Klalmarudur (Thirunallur block – South Arcot District) farmers either individually or jointly have constructed a storage pond in about 1/10th of their holding and they collect the excess runoff rain water. The height of the bunds of the storage tank is normally 1.5m. if the lands are sloppy, 1.8m length pipes are attached in ground level and by opening the pipe, water is let out and the fields irrigated by gravity. In areas Page 3 with undulations, oil engines are used to pump out water from ponds. In this way about 40 to 50 percent of land is being cultivated. 1.1.5 Excess Use Of Water As water is available in plenty in Pallapalayam (Udumalpet block – Coimbatore District) farmers are using higher depth of irrigation to sugarcane (upto 45cm depth), which is a wasteful practice. Similarly in Dhali (Udumalpet block – Coimbatore District), coconut field is divided into small compartments each one having three to four trees and irrigation by flooding. Since plenty of water available for irrigation, the farmers adopt this method of irrigation. This wasteful practice is due to the lack of awareness on the part of the farmers about the possible future shortage of water and also other reasons like free electric etc. 1.1.6 Equity Distribution And Farmers Association In number of places, traditionally some method or other is being followed to distribute the tank water equally among all the users. In certain other areas, these are done by convention and in certain other areas the farmers have started Farmer’s Association and through that they regulate the water supply. Some of the practices in vouge are given below: In Kadayampatti (Kadayampatti block – Salem District) farmers themselves regulate the water supply to their fields. One set if farmers irrigate from 3.00am to 3.00pm and other set irrigate from 3.00pm to 3.00am. During the water scarity period some farmers owing wells do not use the tank water for irrigation in order to help the other farmers who are dependent on tank water only for irrigation. In Peddaniackenpalayam (Attur block – Salem District) there is an local farmers organization called “Neervari (or) Pani Eri Pasana Vivasayigal Sangam”. The wage rate for the irrigation is 2.5 bags of paddy per ha. In Annasagaram (Dharmapuri Blockj – Dharmapuri District) for equity distribution of tank water the farmers appoint “Thanni Katti” or “Neer Vettiyan” for irrigating their field and he is paid at the rate of 22 kg (4.9 vallams) of paddy by each farmer per ha. In hale Dharmapuri (Dharmapuri Block – Dharmapuri District) for equity distribution of tank water, the farmers engage “Neer Vettiyan” and he is paid paddy at the rate of 22 kg per ha. Page 4 In Panchapalli (Palakkodu block – Dharmapuri District) there is a local farmers association called “Panchapalli Eri Pasana Vivasayigal Sangam” for equity distribution of tank water. The irrigator appointed is called as “Lusker” and he is given a wage of 22 kg of paddi per ha. In Sadupperi and Abdullapuram (Vellor block – North Aroct Ambedkar District) a Farmers” organization called “Cultivators association” exist in this area. The head of this organization is called “Kalvai Madaikkarar” and the water distribution is regulated by “Kambu Katti”. The water is supplied once in four or five days to each farmer. The duration of water supply depends on the extent of area owned by the farmer. The “Kambu Katti” is paid a wage of 24.7 kg of paddy per ha by each farmer. In Aladi and Manakkolai (Virudhachalam Block – South Arcot District) for equity distribution of irrigation water one person is emplyed by the villagers. In Pallapalayam ( Udumalpet block – Coimbatore, district) the tank water is available from August to May. During this period water will be uniformly given to farmers five hours per ha for irrigation. In Ottapatti (Utangarai Block – Dharmapuri District) based on the water availability, the frequency of irrigations are decided by the farmers themselves. However in some places there is no such system to regulate the supply fo water as in Peddanaickenpalayam (Attur Block – Salem District) 1.1.7