Irrigation Patterns in the Country | Geography for UPSC 2024 (Pre & Mains) PDF Download

 Page 1


 
IRRIGATION PATTERNS IN THE COUNTRY 
INTRODUCTION 
The process of supplying water to crops by artificial means such as canals, 
tube wells, tanks, etc., is known as irrigation.  For agriculture irrigation is 
the most important input without which nothing can be expected from the 
agricultural land. 
SOURCES OF IRRIGATION  
Depending on the availability of surface and underground water, slope of 
the land, nature of the soil, and the types of crops grown in a region, a 
number of sources of irrigation are utilized. 
 The main sources of irrigation used in different parts of the country are: 
(i) Canals,  
(ii)  Wells and Tube wells,  
(iii)  Tanks 
(iv)   other sources (springs, kuhls, swing – basket, dhenkli, dongs, and 
bokka, etc.)..  
Page 2


 
IRRIGATION PATTERNS IN THE COUNTRY 
INTRODUCTION 
The process of supplying water to crops by artificial means such as canals, 
tube wells, tanks, etc., is known as irrigation.  For agriculture irrigation is 
the most important input without which nothing can be expected from the 
agricultural land. 
SOURCES OF IRRIGATION  
Depending on the availability of surface and underground water, slope of 
the land, nature of the soil, and the types of crops grown in a region, a 
number of sources of irrigation are utilized. 
 The main sources of irrigation used in different parts of the country are: 
(i) Canals,  
(ii)  Wells and Tube wells,  
(iii)  Tanks 
(iv)   other sources (springs, kuhls, swing – basket, dhenkli, dongs, and 
bokka, etc.)..  
 
 
CANAL IRRIGATION :  
Canals used to be the main source of irrigation in 1950 – 51, irrigating 
almost 50 per cent of the total irrigated area, but in the Third and Fourth 
Five Year Plans, there was a tremendous increase in the tube – well 
irrigated area. Consequently, the percentage of canal irrigated area 
declined to less than 29 per cent in 2000 – 01, wells and tube – wells 
emerged as the major source of irrigation, covering over 63.15% per cent 
of the irrigated area.  
Canals are an effective source of irrigation in the areas of low and leveled 
relief, productive plain areas where perennial source of surface drainage is 
water from these rivers.The rivers are perennial as they are fed by the 
melting snows.  The surface of the land is almost flat and soft. Hence it is 
easy to dig canals.  
Page 3


 
IRRIGATION PATTERNS IN THE COUNTRY 
INTRODUCTION 
The process of supplying water to crops by artificial means such as canals, 
tube wells, tanks, etc., is known as irrigation.  For agriculture irrigation is 
the most important input without which nothing can be expected from the 
agricultural land. 
SOURCES OF IRRIGATION  
Depending on the availability of surface and underground water, slope of 
the land, nature of the soil, and the types of crops grown in a region, a 
number of sources of irrigation are utilized. 
 The main sources of irrigation used in different parts of the country are: 
(i) Canals,  
(ii)  Wells and Tube wells,  
(iii)  Tanks 
(iv)   other sources (springs, kuhls, swing – basket, dhenkli, dongs, and 
bokka, etc.)..  
 
 
CANAL IRRIGATION :  
Canals used to be the main source of irrigation in 1950 – 51, irrigating 
almost 50 per cent of the total irrigated area, but in the Third and Fourth 
Five Year Plans, there was a tremendous increase in the tube – well 
irrigated area. Consequently, the percentage of canal irrigated area 
declined to less than 29 per cent in 2000 – 01, wells and tube – wells 
emerged as the major source of irrigation, covering over 63.15% per cent 
of the irrigated area.  
Canals are an effective source of irrigation in the areas of low and leveled 
relief, productive plain areas where perennial source of surface drainage is 
water from these rivers.The rivers are perennial as they are fed by the 
melting snows.  The surface of the land is almost flat and soft. Hence it is 
easy to dig canals.  
 
Digging of canals is quite expensive in uneven rocky areas. Moreover, it is 
of limited use. Thus, huge lands in the Indian plateau are irrigated 
through other methods other than canals. 
These conditions are ideally found in the Northern Plains of India, Kashmir 
and Manipur Valleys and the Eastern Coastal Plains of India. The main 
concentration of canals in India is found in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, 
and western Rajasthan.  
After the construction of multi – purpose projects, a number of small 
canals have been dug in the Damodar, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, 
Kaveri, Narmada, Tapi rivers, and their tributaries.  
TANK IRRIGATION : 
 In some parts of the country, especially in the peninsular India tank is an 
important source of irrigation.  
About 4.5% of the total irrigated area is under tank irrigation.  
The tank irrigation is practised mainly in peninsular India due to the following 
reasons: 
The undulating relief and hard rock’s make it difficult to dig canals and 
wells. .There is little percolation of rain water due to hard rock 
structure and ground water is not available in large quantity. 
 Most of the rivers of this region are seasonal and dry up in summer 
season. Therefore, they cannot supply water to canals throughout the 
year.  There are several streams which become torrential during rainy 
season. The only way to make best use of this water is to impound it by 
constructing bunds and building tanks. Otherwise this water would go 
waste to the sea. The scattered nature of population and agricultural 
fields also favours tank irrigation. 
 Many of the tanks however, dry up during the summer season when more 
irrigation is required. 
 
 
Page 4


 
IRRIGATION PATTERNS IN THE COUNTRY 
INTRODUCTION 
The process of supplying water to crops by artificial means such as canals, 
tube wells, tanks, etc., is known as irrigation.  For agriculture irrigation is 
the most important input without which nothing can be expected from the 
agricultural land. 
SOURCES OF IRRIGATION  
Depending on the availability of surface and underground water, slope of 
the land, nature of the soil, and the types of crops grown in a region, a 
number of sources of irrigation are utilized. 
 The main sources of irrigation used in different parts of the country are: 
(i) Canals,  
(ii)  Wells and Tube wells,  
(iii)  Tanks 
(iv)   other sources (springs, kuhls, swing – basket, dhenkli, dongs, and 
bokka, etc.)..  
 
 
CANAL IRRIGATION :  
Canals used to be the main source of irrigation in 1950 – 51, irrigating 
almost 50 per cent of the total irrigated area, but in the Third and Fourth 
Five Year Plans, there was a tremendous increase in the tube – well 
irrigated area. Consequently, the percentage of canal irrigated area 
declined to less than 29 per cent in 2000 – 01, wells and tube – wells 
emerged as the major source of irrigation, covering over 63.15% per cent 
of the irrigated area.  
Canals are an effective source of irrigation in the areas of low and leveled 
relief, productive plain areas where perennial source of surface drainage is 
water from these rivers.The rivers are perennial as they are fed by the 
melting snows.  The surface of the land is almost flat and soft. Hence it is 
easy to dig canals.  
 
Digging of canals is quite expensive in uneven rocky areas. Moreover, it is 
of limited use. Thus, huge lands in the Indian plateau are irrigated 
through other methods other than canals. 
These conditions are ideally found in the Northern Plains of India, Kashmir 
and Manipur Valleys and the Eastern Coastal Plains of India. The main 
concentration of canals in India is found in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, 
and western Rajasthan.  
After the construction of multi – purpose projects, a number of small 
canals have been dug in the Damodar, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, 
Kaveri, Narmada, Tapi rivers, and their tributaries.  
TANK IRRIGATION : 
 In some parts of the country, especially in the peninsular India tank is an 
important source of irrigation.  
About 4.5% of the total irrigated area is under tank irrigation.  
The tank irrigation is practised mainly in peninsular India due to the following 
reasons: 
The undulating relief and hard rock’s make it difficult to dig canals and 
wells. .There is little percolation of rain water due to hard rock 
structure and ground water is not available in large quantity. 
 Most of the rivers of this region are seasonal and dry up in summer 
season. Therefore, they cannot supply water to canals throughout the 
year.  There are several streams which become torrential during rainy 
season. The only way to make best use of this water is to impound it by 
constructing bunds and building tanks. Otherwise this water would go 
waste to the sea. The scattered nature of population and agricultural 
fields also favours tank irrigation. 
 Many of the tanks however, dry up during the summer season when more 
irrigation is required. 
 
 
 
WELLS AND TUBE – WELLS : 
 This type of irrigation has been practiced in India since the time 
immemorial. The widely used methods for the utilization of underground 
water are Persian – wheel Rahat, Charas, or mot and tube – wells. Tube – well 
irrigation accounts for more than 62% of the total irrigated area of the country.  
Wells are mainly found in U. P., Bihar, Tamil Nadu, etc. there are various 
types of wells – shallow wells, deep wells, tube wells, artesian wells, etc. Tube 
wells are mostly used in U.P., Haryana, Punjab, Bihar and Gujarat. In 
Rajasthan and Maharashtra, artesian wells are now supplying water to 
agricultural lands.  
Obviously, a tube well cannot be constructed everywhere and requires 
some geographical conditions favouring its installation.  
At places where ground water is available, a tube-well can be installed 
near the agricultural area.   There should be sufficient quantity of ground 
water because a tube well can generally irrigate 2 hectares per day against 0.2 
hectares per day irrigated by an ordinary well. 
 The water level should be nearly 15 metres. If the water table is more 
than 50 metres deep the cost of pumping out water from the tube well 
becomes uneconomic. There should be regular supply of cheap electricity 
or diesel so that water from the tube well can be taken out at the hour of need. 
The soil in the immediate neighbourhood of the tube-well should be fertile 
so that there is demand for irrigation and the cost involved in the 
construction and operation of the tube well can be recovered by the 
increased farm production. 
The greater part of the Penisnular India is not suitable for well irrigation 
due to rocky structure, uneven surface and lack of underground water. 
 Large dry tracts of Rajasthan, the adjoining parts of Punjab, Haryana, and 
Gujarat and some parts of Uttar Pradesh have brackish ground water which 
Page 5


 
IRRIGATION PATTERNS IN THE COUNTRY 
INTRODUCTION 
The process of supplying water to crops by artificial means such as canals, 
tube wells, tanks, etc., is known as irrigation.  For agriculture irrigation is 
the most important input without which nothing can be expected from the 
agricultural land. 
SOURCES OF IRRIGATION  
Depending on the availability of surface and underground water, slope of 
the land, nature of the soil, and the types of crops grown in a region, a 
number of sources of irrigation are utilized. 
 The main sources of irrigation used in different parts of the country are: 
(i) Canals,  
(ii)  Wells and Tube wells,  
(iii)  Tanks 
(iv)   other sources (springs, kuhls, swing – basket, dhenkli, dongs, and 
bokka, etc.)..  
 
 
CANAL IRRIGATION :  
Canals used to be the main source of irrigation in 1950 – 51, irrigating 
almost 50 per cent of the total irrigated area, but in the Third and Fourth 
Five Year Plans, there was a tremendous increase in the tube – well 
irrigated area. Consequently, the percentage of canal irrigated area 
declined to less than 29 per cent in 2000 – 01, wells and tube – wells 
emerged as the major source of irrigation, covering over 63.15% per cent 
of the irrigated area.  
Canals are an effective source of irrigation in the areas of low and leveled 
relief, productive plain areas where perennial source of surface drainage is 
water from these rivers.The rivers are perennial as they are fed by the 
melting snows.  The surface of the land is almost flat and soft. Hence it is 
easy to dig canals.  
 
Digging of canals is quite expensive in uneven rocky areas. Moreover, it is 
of limited use. Thus, huge lands in the Indian plateau are irrigated 
through other methods other than canals. 
These conditions are ideally found in the Northern Plains of India, Kashmir 
and Manipur Valleys and the Eastern Coastal Plains of India. The main 
concentration of canals in India is found in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, 
and western Rajasthan.  
After the construction of multi – purpose projects, a number of small 
canals have been dug in the Damodar, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, 
Kaveri, Narmada, Tapi rivers, and their tributaries.  
TANK IRRIGATION : 
 In some parts of the country, especially in the peninsular India tank is an 
important source of irrigation.  
About 4.5% of the total irrigated area is under tank irrigation.  
The tank irrigation is practised mainly in peninsular India due to the following 
reasons: 
The undulating relief and hard rock’s make it difficult to dig canals and 
wells. .There is little percolation of rain water due to hard rock 
structure and ground water is not available in large quantity. 
 Most of the rivers of this region are seasonal and dry up in summer 
season. Therefore, they cannot supply water to canals throughout the 
year.  There are several streams which become torrential during rainy 
season. The only way to make best use of this water is to impound it by 
constructing bunds and building tanks. Otherwise this water would go 
waste to the sea. The scattered nature of population and agricultural 
fields also favours tank irrigation. 
 Many of the tanks however, dry up during the summer season when more 
irrigation is required. 
 
 
 
WELLS AND TUBE – WELLS : 
 This type of irrigation has been practiced in India since the time 
immemorial. The widely used methods for the utilization of underground 
water are Persian – wheel Rahat, Charas, or mot and tube – wells. Tube – well 
irrigation accounts for more than 62% of the total irrigated area of the country.  
Wells are mainly found in U. P., Bihar, Tamil Nadu, etc. there are various 
types of wells – shallow wells, deep wells, tube wells, artesian wells, etc. Tube 
wells are mostly used in U.P., Haryana, Punjab, Bihar and Gujarat. In 
Rajasthan and Maharashtra, artesian wells are now supplying water to 
agricultural lands.  
Obviously, a tube well cannot be constructed everywhere and requires 
some geographical conditions favouring its installation.  
At places where ground water is available, a tube-well can be installed 
near the agricultural area.   There should be sufficient quantity of ground 
water because a tube well can generally irrigate 2 hectares per day against 0.2 
hectares per day irrigated by an ordinary well. 
 The water level should be nearly 15 metres. If the water table is more 
than 50 metres deep the cost of pumping out water from the tube well 
becomes uneconomic. There should be regular supply of cheap electricity 
or diesel so that water from the tube well can be taken out at the hour of need. 
The soil in the immediate neighbourhood of the tube-well should be fertile 
so that there is demand for irrigation and the cost involved in the 
construction and operation of the tube well can be recovered by the 
increased farm production. 
The greater part of the Penisnular India is not suitable for well irrigation 
due to rocky structure, uneven surface and lack of underground water. 
 Large dry tracts of Rajasthan, the adjoining parts of Punjab, Haryana, and 
Gujarat and some parts of Uttar Pradesh have brackish ground water which 
 
is not fit for irrigation and human consumption and hence unsuitable for 
well irrigation.