Irrigation

is the artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing
of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and re-vegetation of disturbed soils in dry
areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall. Additionally, irrigation also has a few other uses
in crop production, which include protecting plants against frost, suppressing weed growth in
grain fields and preventing soil consolidation. In contrast, agriculture that relies only on direct
rainfall is referred to as rain-fed or dry land farming.
Irrigation systems are also used for dust suppression, disposal of sewage, and in mining.
Irrigation is often studied together with drainage, which is the natural or artificial removal of
surface and sub-surface water from a given area.
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INDUS BASIN IRRIGATION SYSTEM OF PAKISTAN
Pakistan, a country of enchanting landscapes offers a combination of beaches, mountains,
beautiful deserts and valleys. Its vast farm lands are sustained by the Indus Basin Irrigation
System (IBIS), the largest contiguous irrigation system in the world. The IBIS irrigates 45 million
acres of farm land which produces wheat, rice, fruits, vegetables, sugarcane, maize and cotton
in abundance for local use as well as for export.
This report provides the historical context in which the IBIS was developed. It discusses the
economic impact of the IBIS on Pakistan, and provides recommendations for some current
problems related to insufficient drainage and inefficient farming practices.
Historical Background
The Indus Valley has been the host to one of the most ancient civilization of human history, the
Indus Valley Civilization. After the extinction of the Indus Civilization, new settlements
especially in doabs grew slowly. New irrigation systems started to evolve. Inundation canals and
small dams were constructed and population grew all around this area. In order to reduce the
occurrence of low irrigation water supply the British authorities, towards the middle of the last
century, started modernizing and expanding the irrigation system of the Indus Basin.
Treaty between Pakistan and India
In 1947, the Indian sub-continent was partitioned by the British into two independent states
Pakistan and India. After the partition a commission was set up to resolve any issue that may
emerge as a consequence of the partition. The matter of utilization of water resources of Indus
Basin was raised by Pakistan .The boundary commission, chaired by Sir Cyril Radcliff, awarded
control barrages (situated very close to the border) to India, while 90 percent of irrigated land
lay in Pakistan.
Pakistans IBIS
Pakistans economy is largely based on its agricultural produce. Water is therefore a critical resource for its
sustained economic development. In order to fully utilize the river water resources, the IBIS has emerged as
the largest contiguous irrigation system in the world. The IBIS comprises of three large dams, eighty five small
dams, nineteen barrages, twelve inter-river link canals, forty-five canal commands and 0.7 million tube wells
In monetary terms, this network is the biggest infrastructure enterprise of Pakistan accounting for
approximately US$ 300 billion of investment.

Water Ability of the IBIS
There are three main sources of water availability in the Indus Basin:
A. The average annual flow of Western Rivers of Indus Basin is approximately 142 million acre feet (MAF).
About 104 MAF of this water is diverted for irrigation purposes and about 35 million acre feet outflows to the
Arabian Sea.
B. Rain Water
Another source of water is the rain fall. Irrigated areas of Indus Basin receive on average 40 million acres feet
of water annually.
C. Ground Water
The third source of water is the ground water. It provides approximately 40 percent of crop water
requirements of the country.

Challenges in Indus Basin Irrigation System
For any sustainable irrigation system that is dependent on river water supplies, it is necessary to have a
system of affluent disposal. However, when the British engineers designed and constructed the barrages and
canals in Punjab and Sindh, they did not install an affluent disposal system. This lack of an affluent disposal
system gave rise to the twin problems of water logging and salinity. The problem is currently being addressed
through construction of a network of disposal drains, many of which have been completed while more are
under execution.






The Economic Impact of Indus Basin Irrigation System
The agricultural produce, in addition to providing food security constitutes:
A. 23 percent of GDP
B. 70 percent of total export earnings
C. 54 percent employment of labour force
The overwhelming majority of its produce comes from the areas irrigated in the Indus Basin.
The IBIS is therefore essential in sustaining the agriculture and consequently economic well-
being of Pakistan. The Indus Basin now serves as the bread basket of Pakistan. Its land use is
furnished below.
Current Problems and Recommendations
Farmers in Pakistan receive their share of irrigation waters on a rotational basis. To protect the
right of share of their water, the farmers are using more than the optimum quantity of water
required for healthy crops. Lack of modern irrigation techniques and agricultural practices
further add to the wastage of irrigation water. Some solutions outlined below can potentially
serve to address this issue:
1. Increase plantation of fruit trees.
2. Expand forested areas.
3. All existing dams small and large should be used for fish breeding and harvesting.
4. Develop agricultural based industries and timber factories in the rural areas to provide
employment to small farmers and increase the percentage of value added goods for export.
5. Group small farms into larger units for cooperative farming using the latest irrigation and
farming techniques and modern agricultural practices.
6. Increase the production of beans, lentils and edible oil seeds to reduce their imports.
7. Develop pastures for cattle farming and increase milk and meat production.
8. Big land holdings more than five thousand acres of area should be made available for co-
operative farming.
9. The level and standard of research should be enhanced in the existing agricultural universities
of Pakistan.



There are five major rivers of Pakistan which are filled by several small rivers. The most widely
spread canal system is of great importance and supplement to the agriculture of the country.
Among the available resources of water in Pakistan, the river water is the biggest one. There
are five major Rivers of Pakistan.
The Indus The creation of the embryonic Indus river system, the main source of surface
water in South Asia, most likely began 50 million years ago when the Indian plate,
Gondwanaland, first collided with Eurasia, Angaraland and formed the Himalayan Mountains in
the Mesozoic era. The Indus River system comprises of three major reservoirs, 16 Barrages, 2
head-works, 2 Siphons across major rivers 12 inter link canals, 44 canal systems(23 in Punjab,
14 in Sindh, 5 in Khyber P and 2 in Balochstan) and more than 107000 water courses. The
aggregate length of the canals is about 56073 km. It originates from singikahad near Manshwar
Lake. Important engineerings Tarbela Dam and Gazi Brotha Hydro Power Project.
Length Of Indus River - 2700 Km.
Catchments area 404220 Km.
Annual Average flow 48 MAF.
The Chanab river originates in the Kulu and Kangra districts of the Himachal pardesh,
provinces of India. The two chief Streams of Chenabthe Chandr and the Bangrrise elevation
of 16000 feet. These join at Tandi in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Feed by inumerable
tributaries on the long journey from its headwaters, the river gains immense power region
above Kashmir. In enters Pakistan through Sialkot near Diawara Village.
Length in Pakistan 724 km
Important Engineerings Marala Barrage khanki Barrage
Catchmeet Area 41656 km
Annual Average flow 12.38 MAF
The chenab flows through the alluvial plains of the Punjab province. It is then joined by the
Jehlum Riverat at Trimmu, 64 km downstrons of Trimmu, the river Ravi joins it. The Satluj joins
Chenab upstream of Punjnad and finally at above 64 km below Punjnad it meets of river Sindh
at Mithankot. The river Chenab has Marala, Khanki, Punjnad, Trimmu and Qadirabed Barrage
and Marala Ravi link Canal. India has constructed Salal Dam in Jammu about 40 miles
upstream of Marala Barrages.


River Sutlej longest of the rivers that give Punjab (meaning Fiver River) originates in
western Tibet in the Kailas mountain ranges. Flowing Northwest and West South West
through Himalayan gorges, it crosses Himachal Pardesh state (India) and enters the Punjab
plains in Hoshiarpur district, Punjab state.
Total length 1450 km
Length in Pakistan 526 km
Important Engineering Dialpir canal, Islam Barrage, Sulemanki Barrye
Catchment Area 65932 km
Annual Average flow 0.021 MAF
Continuing Southwest in a broad channel, it relieves the Beas River and from 105 km Indo-Pak
border before entering Pakistan and joining the chenab river west of Bahawal Pur.
The Jhelum is a large eastern tributary of the Indus. It rises from a deep spring of
Vernag, in the Indian-held Jammu and Kashmir state. The river moves North-West ward from
the Northern slope of the Pir Panjab range to Wular Lake. At Mazaffarabad, the Jhelum joins
the Kishanganga river and then bends Southward forming part or the border between Azad
Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa. Near Mangla, it breaks through the Siwalik range into
broad alluvial plains. At Jhelum town the river turns South-West ward to Khushab and then
bends Southwards to join the Chenab river.
Total length 725 km
Length in Pakistan 379 miles
Catchment Area 21359 miles
Annual Average flow 11.85 MAF
The Mangla Dam is one of the biggest dams of Pakistan built on Jhehlum river and its reservoir
irrigates about 3,000,000 acres of land and has an installed capacity of 300 MW of electricity.
The Ravi is the smallest of the five main eastern tributaries of Indus. It rises in the
Himalauans in Himachal Pardesh (India) and flows west Northwest past Chamba, turning
Southwest at the boundary of Jammu and Kashmir. It flows past Lahore and turns west near
kamalia, emplying into the chenab River South of Ahmadpur sial after a course of about 764
km.
Length in Pakistan 675 km
Important Engneerings Balloki and Sindh nai head works.
Catchment Area 25185 km
Amnual Average flow 1.47 MAF.