WATER

RESOURCES
 WATER RESOURCES FOR IRRIGATION

Hydrology Cycle

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 WATER RESOURCES FOR IRRIGATION
Water Resources for Irrigation
 Water for Irrigation is derived from following three main
sources:-

i) Rainfall
Rainfall which occurs directly on the crop areas.
ii) Surface Water
Surface water from rivers or storage tanks
iii) Usable Groundwater
Usable groundwater from the aquifers
Rainfall
 Rainfall can directly help irrigation by precipitation occurring
over the crop area or indirectly by adding its runoff to the
rivers.
 The runoff thus generated is then stored by Barrage/ Dam or it
will infiltrate and may replenish the underground Reservoir,
 WATER RESOURCES FOR IRRIGATION
Surface Water
1. Pakistan’s rivers carry the melting snow and rains from the Northern
hills down to the plain where they can be used for irrigation. From
mid March to mid-July (when the monsoon breaks) the river
discharges derive mainly from melting snow. From mid-July to
September rain water adds to the volume

2. The various rivers have individual characteristics, as indicated in

figure. All the rivers rise in July or August, but from November to
February the discharge is very low, (10 percent of the summer
discharge).

3. The entire Culturable Command Area (CCA) of the Indus plain is

33 million acres,

4. The total mean Annual River Discharge amounts to 140 MAF out of
this, about 42 MAF is Discharged into the sea, some is lost in
evaporation, and some is lost through Infiltration to Ground water
Reservoir.
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 Water Resources for Irrigation
River Hydrograph of Indus, Chenab and Jhelum

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 WATER RESOURCES FOR IRRIGATION
Ground Water
 After rainfall and surface water, Ground water is the most
important water source of irrigation. In hilly areas, this is available
in the form of springs, artesian wells, etc., may be the only water
source.
 In very dry and sandy areas where surface water is unavailable and
rainfall is sudden and untimely groundwater may be the only
source available. In such areas, groundwater is tapped by
infiltration galleries or by underground tunnels intercepting the
Ground water table.
 In areas where a perennial river system flows through alluvium, the
ground water supply will be taped in the form of open wells or
Tube wells.
 Ground water quality may be a problem in some areas and detailed
investigations are needed before ground water resources can be
developed fully.
 WATER RESOURCES FOR IRRIGATION
Estimate of Ground Water Recharge in Pakistan
Usable Ground water Northern Zone Southern Zone Total
(MAF) (MAF) (MAF)
Rainfall and river seepage 5.7 1.4 7.1
Link canal seepage 3.0 -- 3.0
Canal seepage 12.3 3.0 15.3
Water course seepage 3.6 0.9 4.5
Field infiltration 9.8 2.2 12.0
Sub Total:- 34.4 7.5 41.9
Non-usable ground water 3.5 14.3 17.8
Grand Total:- 37.9 21.8 59.7

 With this enormous recharge, the water table has risen to within 10
feet of the surface over almost half the canal irrigated area.
 In 16% of the canal irrigated area the ground water is within 5 feet
of the surface.
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 WATER RESOURCES FOR IRRIGATION

Estimate of Ground Water Pumpage in Pakistan

 Against the above available potential of 59.7 MAF of Groundwater
used for Irrigation in Pakistan is as under:-

Source of Ground Water Water Pumped Per Annum

(MAF)

Public Tube-wells (8,519) 14.4

Private Tube-wells (74,233) 3.0

Open wells 1.0

Total delivery (MAF):- 18.7

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 WATER RESOURCES FOR IRRIGATION
Quality of Water
 Rainfall occurring directly on the crop area offers the purest
water. Surface water is the next best. However, surface water in
rivers or storage reservoirs may pick up certain salts while
flowing over the land tracts containing the salts.
 The problem of water quality is more acute in the case of
Ground water. Ground water reservoir are built up as a result of
seepage from surface water or rainfall, and the percolating
water collects soluble salts from the various formations as it
passes through.

Methods of Indicating Quality

 By electrical conductivity (EC)
 Concentration of cation or anions by weight
 Parts per million (PPM)
 WATER RESOURCES FOR IRRIGATION

Salt concentration and its limits for irrigation water

Water Total Dissolved Salts (TDS) Sodium Concentration MEQ/L
Classification %
EC X 10-5 250C PPM Chlorides Sulphates

Excellent 25 175 20 4 4
(Less than)
Good 25-75 175-525 20-40 4-7 4-7

Permissible 75-200 525-1400 40-60 7-12 7-12

Doubtful 200-300 1400-2100 60-80 12-20 12-20

Unsuitable 300 2100 80 20 20

more than
 WATER RESOURCES FOR IRRIGATION
Quality of Water in the Indus Plain
Surface Water
 River water contains soluble salts, the contents of which vary
for each river depending on its catchments area, its source of
supply and the season of the year.

 Salt content is higher in winter when the river volume is at its

lowest. Whereas salt content is lowest in summer when river
discharge is high due to the monsoon.

 Salt content increases downstream.

 The salt content of rivers in Pakistan, irrespective of time and

place is low enough for the water to be used for irrigation.