ACHIEVEMENT AND DRAWBACK OF BULK

WATER ALLOCATION OF IRRIGATION

WATER SYSTEM IN SANDARESGAMA,
MAHAWELI SYSTEM H
Yoda Ela
Kaduru Wewa

Sandaresgam
PERERA HMDAS : PGIA/2015/141 a

RATHNAWEERA DTHP : PGIA/16050

SUBHAWICKRAMA SGCL : PGIA/2014/092
Introduction
Mahaweli development progamme is known to be one of the largest
multi functional development programme under taken not only in Sri
Lanka but also, the South East Asia.

Implementation of this programme was originally assigned to the

Mahaweli development board established by the legislative act no.
14 of 1970.
Increasing the production of Hydro power.
Increase the number of employees in the country.
Irrigate 400,000 Ac or more bear lands in both Yala and Maha seasons in agriculture
sector.
To Protect the physical environment of Mahaweli Areas.
Development of all public services and community development in Mahaweli areas.
Mahaweli Development Programme and Special Areas
Water issue diagram in System H

Five main canals

Right Bank / Jaya Ganga

Kalawewa Yodha Ela
Kalawewa Goda Ela
Balaluwewa Goda Ela
Left Bank
Block Details in System H
Bulk Water Allocation
At the beginning, Planning of Irrigation Water Management was
carried out by Mahaweli Officers. Farmers were not directly involved
in the planning.

In 1998, Mahaweli Restructuring and Rehabilitation Programme

(MRRP) was launched. Under that Project, decentralize the
management of Mahaweli Authority and convert its role to a
facilitator to Farmer organizations.

Major components of MRRP

System rehabilitation
Institutional Development
Water management
Bulk Water Allocation
Concept
to involve farmers in planning
to obtain a gross idea of how much water allocated for the season.
The D-Canal Farmer Organization (DCFO) has the flexibility of adjusting
the issues as required by the farmers within the allocation.

Bulk water allocation is practiced at three levels

System Level Allocation at Water Management Panel
Block level allocation by the Project Management Committee.
DCFO level allocation by the Block level sub Committees

Based on the Integrated Seasonal Allocation Plan (ISAP)

Crop Types
Extents
MAIN OBJECTIVES OF BULK WATER ALLOCATION

Directly participate farmers for the water management.

Farmers know their allocated water quantity and use their water quantity.

Farmers train to cultivate according to the plan.

Train to save water.

Train to prepare a suitable cultivation plan

Farmers Involvement
Field canal team (10-15) farmers
A field canal leader is responsible for organizing the rotational water issues
and scheduling within the field canal.

Distributory Canal Farmer Organization (100-200) farmers

preparation of the Seasonal Allocation Plan
deciding on the water allocation a DCFO
water distribution and monitoring within the D-canal (water master )
keeping records of water issues to each canal
maintaining the notice board at the Distributory canal head to make aware
of the water schedule.
Farmers involvement
Block Level Sub Committee (4000-5000 farmers )
constitute of the members of the DCFOs.
responsible in allocating water among the D-Canals
Comparison of water duties among
Mahaweli systems
Comparison of water duties among
Mahaweli systems
Data collection
Primary Data
Key informant interviews Eng. Vajira Gunasekara
Data on Mahaweli System
Present water distribution Plan
Water duty and how it works
Secondary Data
Monthly Average rainfall in Mahaweli Block H
Water allocation records
Results and discussion
 Water Duty (m) over the Time - Yala Season
Water duty (m)

Year
 Water Duty (m) over the Time - Maha Season
Water duty (m)

Year
 Water Duty in Yala season

0.48
1.28
0.92 1.94
0.93 0.54
0.49
0.69

1.38 3.66
3.1 3.17 3.08
2.89 2.91
2.64 2.58
1.33

1.17
0.66
0.41
0
Water Duty (m) Rainfall (m)
Conclusion
Bulk water allocation is an effective and efficient water
management system which promotes saving water and
equitable distribution among cks.blo

Farmers play a major role in irrigation water management

under bulk water allocation system.
They directly coordinate with Mahaweli and other relevant Officers.
Their duty represents the Engineers duty.

Finally, we foresee that bulk water allocation

system has been successful in irrigation water
management in Sandaresgama Area.
Day - 3
Objectives of the day
To collect information and data on bulk water allocation
from farmers in sandarasgama area.
To analyze the collected data using descriptive statistics
tools.
To compare the analyzed data on basis of before and
after bulk water allocation.
To identify the strengths and weaknesses of the bulk
water allocation.
Data Collection
Key informant
interview Mr. AVPU
Amarasiri, Chairman of
Kaduruwewa Farmer
organization
Total water need
Cultivated varieties
before and after
irrigation
Paddy production
 Questionnaire survey
Yield/ season
Cultivated varieties
farmers opinion about
bulk water allocation
Sample size
- 15 nos of farmers
Results and Discussion
Cultivated varieties
Before Bulk Water After Bulk Water
Allocation Allocation

Yala Maha Yala Maha

H4 BG 11 BG 366 BG 450

BG 8/34 BG 01/400 BG 358 BW 367

BG 300
Extent of Cultivation in Sandarasgama

Extent (ac)

42 42
 Averege Yield in Sandarasgama in Yala Season
Avg Yield
( Kg/ ac)

2475

1462.5
Averege Yield in Sandarasgama in Maha Season
Avg Yield
( Kg/ ac)

2475

1575
Irrigation
Water Req.
Water Requirement in Sandarasgama
(m3/ha)

6779

4129
 Effi ency of Receiving Irrigation Water
Efficienc
y (%)

100

0
 Farmers' opinion about decentralization of irrigation powers
Percentage of
farmers (%)

95

0
 Farmers' opinion about the situation of canals after bulk water allocation

Percentage of farmers (%)

90

10

0
Pre Kanna Meeting in Sandarasgama
This is very useful concept regarding the decision making in
farmers level to prepare for the water management.
Strengths of bulk water allocation
Good condition of irrigation infrastructures due to
continuous maintenance.
High water use efficiency.
High efficiency of cultivation works due to rotational
water supply.
Improvement of irrigation and cultivation management
due to co-planning and operation.
Reduction of water duty and water wastage.
Capacity building of farmers.
Strengthening of the relationship between farmers and
Weaknesses of bulk water allocation

Poor consideration of actual farmers opinion in

irrigation planning.
Increasing the barren paddy lands year by year.
Problems associated with the alternative field crops
High cost of cultivation
Market problems
Conclusion
Bulk water allocation is successfully operated in sandarasgama
area.
The leadership and decisions of the farmer organization leader
have great influence towards the success of this system.
- Risk seeking approach
- Public participation
Their willingness to go for OFC is less in Sandersgama area.
- Poor market for the OFC
- high production cost
- Yield cannot be restored for long time
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