Bandhara, Percolation Tank

& Lift Irrigation

Bandhara Irrigation:
• It is a minor irrigation scheme in which direct
irrigation is practiced.
 It is a masonry diversion weir of small height
generally 1.2 to 4.5 m constructed across the river or
stream to raise the water level to feed the nearby
canals.
 It is the cheapest & most economical type of
irrigation. It has been largely practiced in Pune,
Nasik, Dhule & Jalgaon districts.
 It provides supplementary irrigation for Kharif &
Rabi crops during the deficiency of rains. The
irrigating capacity of each bandhara may vary from
hectares to about 400 hectares.
Bandhara
Bandhara Irrigation
Bandhara Irrigation
Site selection criteria for Bandhara
 The site should be near the area to be irrigated. This
reduces the length of canal & avoids canal losses.
 The site should be preferably below the confluence of
two or more streams to have good supply of water.
 The site should preferably be just on the upstream side
of steep bed slope.
 The section of stream at the site should be straight,
narrow & well defined. The natural banks should be
high enough to avoid submergence of marginal land.
 At the site, good foundation should be available for the
construction of bandhara.
 Good culturable command should be available at the
site.
Site selection criteria for Bandhara
 The river or stream on which bandhara is going to be
constructed should be perennial..
 The site should be within 5 km of the area to be
irrigated.
 The selection of site should be such that it should
provide irrigation on both banks through canals from
both sides.
 Deep cutting should be avoided for canals.
 Overall cost of project should be within Rs. 5,000 per
hectares.
Component parts & layout:
1)The bandhara & scour hole
2) Screen wall & outlet
3) The flood banks
4) Canal lining on wall
Component parts & layout:
1) Bandhara & Scour holes:
 There are main two types of bandhara-
1) Solid bandhara
2) Open bandhara
 The method of construction of permenant or pucca
bandhara is depends upon temporary or kaccha
bandhara.
 Before construction of permenent or pucca bandhara
kaccha bandhara is constructed & if it is found
suitable after its performance, it is replaced by pucca
bandhara.
 Pucca bandhara is constructed in stone masonry,
brick masonry or either by concrete.
 The height of bandhara may vary from 2.5 to 3.5 m
& top width is between 3 to 4 m.
Component parts & layout:

Scour Hole:
 These are the holes of diameter 20 to 50 cm at
a height of 30 to 50 cm above river bed across
the solid wall.
 The main purpose of this holes are heavy &
coarse silt passes through these holes to the
downstream side.
 These holes are closed after rainy season is
over.
Component parts & layout:
2) The Screen Wall & Outlet:
 It is the wall constructed on upstream side of
bandhara at an angle of 900 to1200 with outlet
located in this wall with a steel gate which
can be operated from the top of wall.
 The sill of opening is kept 0.3 m below FSL.
Component parts & layout:
3) The Flood Bank:
 These are earth embankment.
 These flood bank protect the fields on outside of
bandhara from drowning under the back water
created by bandhara.
Component parts & layout:
4) Off taking Canal:
 The canal starts from the outlet in the
screen wall.
 The side wall on the right side of this
canal is colled lining of wall & has its top
above the downsream H.F. L. so that
downsream flood water may not enter the
canal.
 Advantages of Bandhara Irrigation:

I) The system of irrigation is economical.

II) Small quantities of water which would have
otherwise gone waste is utilized to a maximum in
this system.
III) The length of canal & distribution system being
small, seepage & evaporation losses are very less.
IV) The area to be irrigated being close to the source, it
yields a high duty & intensive irrigation.
 Disadvantages of Bandhara Irrigation:

I) The irrigable area is fixed & hence, even if

greater quantity of water is available for
irrigation it goes waste.
II) There might be uncertainty of supply of water
in case of non perennial river.
III) If number of bandhara’s are constructed on a
stream, downstream people may be adversely
affected.
Kolhapur Type Bandhara (K.T.Weir)
Kolhapur Type Bandhara (K.T.Weir)
Kolhapur Type Bandhara (K.T.Weir)
 Percolation Tanks
 In percolation tank scheme, water percolate
through soil pores & joins the ground water.
Thus increases water level in wells on
downstream side & then this water is used by
farmers for irrigation.
 For all this process, water is to be made store on
u/s side by constructing small bunds at suitable
site. In this process, no head regulator & canals
are required. This type of irrigation system is
indirect type of irrigation.
Percolation Tank
Percolation Tank
 Necessity or Importance of
Percolation Tanks:
 The percolation tanks are constructed where soil
is porous & it is not possible to construct the big
retaining structures like dam but it is necessary
to irrigate the area, then percolation tanks are
necessary.
 By constructing small bunds, water can be
retained on u/s side & it percolates through the
pores & joins the wells on d/s side thus water is
made available for irrigation.
Component & Construction:
Component & Construction:
 Earthen bund:
The only component of these scheme is
earthen bund with cut off trench which is
constructed with locally available material
like murum, soft rock, black cotton soil &
stones for chipping.
 Cut off trench:
A cut off trench of 30 to 90 cm depth &
60 to 120 cm bottom width is excavated at
centre of the bund & refilled with clayee soil.
Component & Construction:
 The cut off trench provides stability &
protects bund from over turning & it also
prevents seepage directly through junction of
bund & ground.
 The central core portion of bund is
compacted properly by adding proper
moisture & then sandy type of soil is placed
on this core as a cover with compaction &
u/s side is packed with boulders or stones.
Advantages:
 Low cost

 Easy construction

 Resource utilization
Disadvantages:
 Low efficiency

 Costly investigation

 Uncertain command area

Site selection criteria:
 The bed of tank should be pervious so that water
will percolate & join ground water.
 There should be sufficient number of wells in the
command area. If wells are not there then it will
have to dig.
 The site at which bunds are constructed should
have sufficient discharge in mansoon.
 The side of stream should be steep. If the sides are
not steep, it should be made by rising both sides.
 For construction, the material & labours should
available near by the site.
 Lift Irrigation
 When the source of water is lower than the area
to be irrigated, then water is to be lifted by
artificial means & process of lifting water from
lower to higher level is called as lift irrigation.

 Irrigation from wells is an example of lift

irrigation in which sub-soil water is lifted upto
the surface & is then conveyed to the
agricultural fields.
 Advantages:
 Efficiency: The optimum use of water is achieved
& thus increases efficiency.
 Prevents water logging:
Lifting of water
from wells & tube
wells helps to lower
the ground water
table & thus avoids
water logging.
Advantages:
 Local control: As it is operated manually, farmers
can utilized water in proper manner & thus optimum
use of water is achieved.

 Utilization of resources: The water from much

below ground is also utilized for irrigation purposes
& thus helps in proper utilization of resource.

 Investment: On small case where area to be

irrigated to small extent, farmers can dug a bore at
just Rs. 15 to 20 thousand only & hence its initial
investment is low.
Disadvantages:
 Presence of harmful salt: If irrigation is
particularly from well, it may contain harmful salt
which is harmful to crops.

 Uneconomical: The pumping units may require

frequent maintenance & thus increases cost of
scheme & leads to scheme uneconomical.

 Low dependability: The working of pumps depends

on power & its mechanical maintenance. Failure of
lifting devices cause harm & farmers has to depend
on some other persons & hence dependability is less.
Disadvantages:
 Increases manure requirement: If water is
lifted from well it is always clear water with no
organic matter & thus its fertilizing value is nil
& hence requirement of manure increases if well
water is used.

 Less discharge: Discharge from well is less as

compare to canal which is suitable only for small
areas.
Component parts of Lift Irrigation:

 Intake channel
 Inlet chamber
 Inlet pipe joining inlet chamber
 Jack well
 Engine house/ Pump house
 Rising main ( Delivery pipe line)
 Delivery Chamber
 Water distribution system
Component parts of Lift Irrigation: