Master Plan for the Supply and Distribution of Irrigation Water for Agricultural Production in the Nickerie District
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European Commission MASTER PLAN FOR THE SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION OF IRRIGATION WATER FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN THE NICKERIE DISTRICT Project No. 2009/224359 This project is funded by A project implemented by The European Commission HTSPE Limited Master Plan Nickerie Project No. 2009/224359 HTSPE Limited Thamesfield House Boundary Way Hemel Hempstead Herts HP2 7SR United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 1442 202400 Fax: +44 (0) 1442 266438 Email: [email protected] Web: www.htspe.com This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of HTSPE Limited and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union. (5009357) Contributed to the preparation of the Master Plan Ir. Danny Haezebrouck, Irrigation and Drainage Engineer, O&M, Team leader; (HTSPE Ltd U.K.). Leendert Van ‘t Leven, Jr. Irrigation and Drainage Engineer, (Ilaco Suriname NV). Steve Renfurm, Jr. Geo-technical Engineer, GIS applications, (HTPE Ltd, U.K.) Tsaerie. Tjin Wong Joe, Jr. Water Management Engineer (Ilaco Suriname NV). Kitty Samat-Soerjanom, Design Assistant, (Ilaco Suriname NV). R. Patandin, Management, technical, office and logistical support, (Ilaco Suriname NV). Ir. H. Soerjoesingh, Technical, cost estimate support, (Ilaco Suriname NV). Master Plan Nickerie Project No. 2009/224359 MASTERPLAN FOR THE SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION OF IRRIGATION WATER FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN THE NICKERIE DISTRICT Master Plan Nickerie Project No. 2009/224359 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I MAIN REPORT LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS...................................................................................................................I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY....................................................................................................................... II 1. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................... 1 2. DELIMITATION AND SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA............................2 3. CONTEXT................................................................................................................................ 3 3.1 SOILS AND LANDFORMS......................................................................................................3 3.2 VILLAGES AND POPULATION IN THE STUDY AREA.........................................................3 4. THE PRESENT AND POTENTIAL AGRICULTURAL LAND USE..........................................4 4.1 LEGAL CONTEXT...................................................................................................................4 4.2 OVERVIEW OF EXISTING AGRICULTURAL LAND USE AD POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL AGRICULTURAL AREAS........................................................................................................4 5. EXPECTATIONS FOR THE RICE SECTOR............................................................................6 5.1 PRICES.................................................................................................................................... 6 5.2 DEVELOPMENTS IN RICE PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES....................................................6 5.3 RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION.................................................................................6 6. WATER REQUIREMENTS.......................................................................................................8 6.1 WATER REQUIREMENTS OF RICE.......................................................................................8 6.2 PRODUCING RICE WITH LESS WATER................................................................................9 6.2.1 Level the plots............................................................................................................9 6.2.2 Reduce water requirements by reducing water wastage.......................................9 6.2.3 Reduce the water requirements by recycling water.............................................10 6.2.4 Reduce water requirement through the Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method...................................................................................................................... 10 6.2.5 Reduce water requirements by introducing short duration varieties.................11 6.2.6 Reduce water requirements by consolidating plots.............................................11 6.3 WATER REQUIREMENTS FOR SUGAR CANE...................................................................12 6.4 WATER REQUIREMENTS TO CONTROL SOIL SALINISATION........................................12 6.5 PRODUCING CROPS WITH WATER DEFICIT.....................................................................12 7. THE CURRENT AND POTENTIAL SOURCES OF WATER.................................................13 7.1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................13 7.2 THE NICKERIE RIVER..........................................................................................................13 7.2.1 Existing water supply capacity...............................................................................13 7.2.2 Water quality............................................................................................................14 7.2.3 Possibilities to increase the capacity of the Nickerie river to supply irrigation water......................................................................................................................... 15 7.3 THE NANNI SWAMPS...........................................................................................................17 7.3.1 Area, delimitation of the Nanni swamps................................................................17 7.3.2 The elevation of the natural ground in the Nanni swamp....................................18 7.3.3 Storage, discharge rate and irrigation capacity of the Nanni swamp.................18 7.3.4 The Nanni swamps are very shallow reservoirs...................................................18 7.3.5 The soils of the Nanni swamps..............................................................................19 7.3.6 Water quality in the Nanni swamp..........................................................................20 7.3.7 Improve extraction of water from the Nanni swamps at low water levels..........20 7.4 CORONIE SWAMP................................................................................................................21 7.5 THE CORANTIJN RIVER.......................................................................................................23 7.5.1 The MCP project......................................................................................................23 7.5.2 Kabalebo..................................................................................................................23 8. OVERVIEW OF THE CURRENT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM..................................................25 9. BOTTLENECKS IN UTILIZATION OF THE AVAILABLE WATER SOURCES AND THE EXISTING WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE...............................................................27 9.1 THE GENERAL STRATEGY FOR THE SUPPLY OF IRRIGATION WATER IN THE 1970IES.................................................................................................................................. 27 9.2 WATER MANAGEMENT ON THE RIGHT BANK OF THE NICKERIE RIVER.....................27 9.2.1 Uncontrolled and unregulated pumping................................................................27 Master Plan Nickerie Project No. 2009/224359 9.2.2 Insufficient water supply leads to salinisation......................................................27 9.2.3 Chaotic autonomous development on the right bank..........................................27 9.3 WATER MANAGEMENT ON THE LEFT BANK OF THE NICKERIE RIVER........................28 9.3.1 Intake from the Nanni swamp.................................................................................28 9.3.2 Water supply from the Corantijn canal..................................................................28 9.3.3 Water distribution in the small holder polders......................................................28 10. POSSIBLE GROWTH OF THE IRRIGATED AREA AND CORRESPONDING WATER REQUIREMENTS...................................................................................................................31 10.1 PRELIMINARY REMARK......................................................................................................31 10.2 LAND CONSOLIDATION.......................................................................................................31 10.3 DEVELOPED BUT UNUSED AREAS...................................................................................31 10.4 UNUSED ROAD AND CANAL/DRAIN BANKS, STABILISING BANKS, TRANSITIONS, ‘’LOST”’ SURFACES............................................................................................................31 10.5 POTENTIAL ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION AREAS..............................................................32 11. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF THE CURRENT AND POTENTIAL WATER SOURCES..................................................................................34 11.1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................34 11.2 CLIMATE CHANGE...............................................................................................................34