Changing technology for training irrigation managers

This article describes developments in microcomputer and video-disc technology which may be used in the training of managers for irrigation projects.     

Performance of agency-managed and farmer-managed irrigation systems: A comparative case study at Chitwan, Nepal

Management reforms are considered one of the best alternatives in increasing efficiency of the irrigation systems. Transfer of day-to-day operation and maintenance to farmers is not a new concept. However due to lags, even now it is a hot issue in developing countries and Nepal is not an exception. In this context of growing argument about the transfer of management of public irrigation systems to the Water Users' Group, this paper examines the comparative performance of farmer-managed and agency-managed irrigation systems. Khageri Irrigation System in the Chitwan district of Nepal was taken as the study site where complete management transfer has been done in 1996. The situations before and after complete transfer were compared. Intensive case studies of the selected farmers showed that equity in distribution of water and leakage had significantly improved after management transfer. Logit analysis revealed that age and education level of the household head, distance from main canal, leakage of the canal and equity in distribution are significantly related to the satisfaction level of the beneficiary farmers from FMIS compared to AMIS. However, landholding size of the respondent farmer has no significant effect. Similarly results from t-test revealed that rice productivity and overall profits from agriculture has also increased significantly due to irrigation management transfer.     

Introduction of Irrigation Service Fee (ISF) in Indonesia: Institutional development in action for resources management

The inability to properly maintain irrigation systems over time forced the Government of Indonesia (GOI) to seek cost recovery from water users through introduction of an irrigation service fee. The plan is to introduce this fee in all of the technical irrigation systems of Indonesia, covering about 4 million hectares, over a 12 year period. Design and Introduction of this service fee in 4 pilot areas of the 4 major rice producing provinces (West, Central and East Java, and South Sulawesi) during 1989–1991 has shown that users are willing to pay. Results of first ISF collection from over 11,000 farmers in Central and East Java in pilot systems was an encouraging 95%. However that acceptance to pay by users depends on their structured and systematic involvement in defining systems needs. They need to understand a differentiation in payment if service levels are different. They appreciate use of collected funds in the system where collected. They understand the organization of water users associations but this requires their active role in fee determination and collection. They understand the establishment of federations of these associations. ISF requires also active involvement of Local Government officials as facilitators and intermediaries between service receivers (the water users) and service providers (personnel of the Public Works irrigation department) in the introduction period. This article describes the experience of the first 21 months of the ISF project, the concept developed, the principles used as basis for ISF, the introduction at the field level, issues related to acceptance by users and by the institutions involved, and the first results.Abbreviations/Acronyms DGWRD Directorate General of Water Resources Development (Ministry of Public Works) - EOM Efficient Operation and Maintenance - Gabungan group of WUAs - IPAIR Indonesian abbreviation for ISF - ISF Irrigation Service Fee - Juru gate keeper - PBB land tax on irrigated lands - PPL agricultural field extension agent - P3A Indonesian abbreviation for Water Users Associations - PU Indonesian abbreviation for Public Works - SM Special Maintenance - WUA Water Users Associations     

江苏省水稻节水灌溉技术推广模式

针对江苏省稻作区水资源、土壤、气候的特点 ,选择浅湿灌溉、浅湿调控灌溉、控制灌溉、水稻旱作灌溉等 4种技术因地制宜进行推广。在灌溉过程中 ,建立和完善了一整套的组织措施和技术措施 ,形成了江苏省水稻节水灌溉技术推广模式 ,取得了显著的效果 ,丰富了水稻节水灌溉技术推广的内容     

国产大型喷灌技术的发展与应用分析

喷灌机是由水泵、动力机、输水管道及喷头等组成的喷灌装置。其由田间渠道或管道供水,按预定的顺序移动工位,向农田喷水。大型喷灌机带有驱动装置或由拖拉机牵引,带有供水管道,且装有多个喷头,因而作业面积大,适合于各种作物的浇灌。为此,评述了就我国大型喷灌机技术的发展历程,评价了大型喷灌机的技术水平,分析推广应用前景作,指出了推广应用中需要注意的事项。     

干旱缺水灌区节水灌溉评价标准及其分析

在分析节水灌溉定义内涵的基础上，提出了评价干旱缺水灌区农田节水灌溉的目标标准和技术标准，并对这些评价标准的运用进行了讨论。     

浅谈入世对我国节水灌溉设备发展的影响与应对措施

入世对我国节水灌溉设备的发展而言是风险与利益并存，挑战与机遇同在。本文分析了目前我国节水灌溉设备的现状，闸述了加入WTO对我国节水灌溉设备发展的影响，并提出应对措施。     

Using drainage systems for supplementary irrigation

The use of drainage systems for supplementary irrigation is widespread in The Netherlands. One of the operating policies is to raise the surface water level during the growing season in order to reduce drainage (water conservation) or to create subsurface irrigation. This type of operation is based on practical experience, which can be far from optimal.To obtain better founded operational water management rules a total soil water/surface water model was built. In a case study the effects of using the drainage system in a dual-purpose manner on the arable crop production were simulated with the model. Also, the operational rules for managing this type of dual-purpose drainage systems were derived.The average annual simulated increase in crop transpiration due to water conservation and water supply for subsurface irrigation are 6.0 and 5.4 mm.y^–1, respectively. This is equivalent with 520 × 10³ and 460 × 10³ Dfl.y^–1 for the pilot region (2 Dfl 1 US $). The corresponding investments and operational costs are 600 × 10³ Dfl and 9 × 10³ Dfl.y^–1 for water conservation and 3200 × 10³ Dfl and 128 × 10³ Dfl.y^–1 for subsurface irrigation. Hence, water conservation is economically very profitable, whereas subsurface irrigation is less attractive.Comparing the management according to the model with current practice in a water-board during 1983 and 1986 learned that benefits can increase with some 50 and 500 Dfl per ha per year, respectively.     

喷灌压力管网系统水力特性的模拟模型研究

本文从系统的观点出发，首先分析了水泵直接加压式喷灌压力管网系统的组成，继而运用图示模拟技术，着重研究探讨了计算各类水力单元直至全系统水力特性的模拟模型，并针对一个规模较大，地形较为复杂的坡地喷灌工程，具体介绍了运用该模型进行图示模拟计算的方法和步骤。计算结果表明，该模型能如实地反映喷灌压力管网系统的运行客观规律，从而为了解把握喷灌压力管网系统的水力特性提供了一种行之有效的实用计算方法。     

Infiltration in surface irrigated swelling soils

Infiltration characteristics for border strip irrigation at two sites with swelling clay soils were examined. Volume infiltrated was calculated from flow onto the field monitored with flow meters; depth of water in the soil estimated from soil samples taken before and after irrigation; and the advance profile which was used to calculate the volume infiltrated with time. Volume infiltrated was compared with volume of cracks before irrigation.Linear advance and observed crack closing supported the hypothesis that infiltration approached zero after about 10 min. Volume of cracks was less than 20% of the volume infiltrated. Wetting front was 3–10 times greater than depth of observed surface cracks. There was no significant correlation between intake opportunity time and depth of infiltration, but elevation irregularities were related to infiltration.