Water-logging Control

 

Water-logging Control:

It is evident that water-logging can be controlled only if the quantity of water into the soil below is checked and reduced. To achieve this, the inflow of water into the underground reservoir should be reduced and the outflow from this reservoir should be increased, as to keep the highest position of water-table at least about 3m below the ground surface. The various measures adopted for controlling water- logging are enumerated below:

(1)     Lining of Canals and Water Courses:  Attempts should be made to reduce the seepage of water from the canals and water courses. This can be achieved by lining them. It is a very effective method to control water-logging.

(2)     Reducing the Intensity of Irrigation: In areas where there is a possibility water-logging, intensity of irrigation should be reduced. Only a small portion of irrigated land should receive canal water in one particular season. The remaining areas receive water in the next season, by rotation.

(3)     By Introducing Crop-rotation:  Certain crops require more water and others require less water. If a field is always sown with a crop requiring more water, the chances water-logging are more. In order to avoid this, a high water requiring crop should followed by one requiring less water, and then by one requiring almost no water. Rice may be followed by wheat, and wheat may be followed by a dry crop such as cotton.

(4)     By Optimum Use of Water: It is a known fact that only a certain fixed amount of irrigation water gives best productivity. Less than that and more than that, reduces the yield. But most of our cultivators are unaware of these technicalities, and they feel that by using more water they can increase crop yield. Therefore, they try to use more and more water. This can be checked by educating the cultivators by proper propaganda. Moreover, the revenue should not be charged on the basis of irrigated area but should be charged on the basis of the quantity of water utilized. A strict watch should also be kept at the outlet, in order to stop undue tapping.

(5)     By Providing Intercepting Drains: Intercepting drains along the canals should be constructed, wherever necessary. These drains can intercept and prevent the seeping canal water from reaching the area likely to be water-logged.

(6)    By Provision of an Efficient Drainage System:  An efficient drainage system should be provided in order to drain away the storm water and the excess irrigation water. A good drainage system consists of surface drains as well as sub-surface drains.

(7)    By Improving the Natural Drainage of the Area: To reduce the percolation, the water should not be allowed to stand for a longer period. Some relief in this direction can be obtained by removing the obstructions from the path of natural flow. This can be achieved by removing bushes, jungles, forests, etc. and improving the slopes of the natural drainage lines.

(8)     By Adopting Consumptive Use of Surface and Subsurface water:  The introduction of lift irrigation to utilize ground water helps in lowering the water table in a canal irrigated area, where water-table tends to go up. Hence, the ground water should also be used in conjunction with canal water for irrigation, as the continuous use of ground water will not allow any appreciable rise in the level of water-table, due to continuous seepage of canal water. This combined use of subsurface water (ground water) and the surface water (canal water) in a judicious manner, as to derive maximum benefits, called conjunctive use. should hence be adopted to control water-logging.