Salman Khan Regional Geography Water Management, Irrigation
Irrigation is central to Pakistan’s agriculture; and managing the country’s canal, grounds and surface water would be more equitable to meet agricultural production challenges, including increasing agricultural productivity and adapting to climate change. During the year 1999-2000, the total irrigated area from all the sources including the canals schemes, wells publicly owned infrastructure was of the order of 18.06 million hectares (water sources distribution). The irrigation system of Pakistan was not very diverse in 90’s to cover the entire land area and to make the agriculture common throughout the region. The most important areas for cultivation of crops were focused for the improvement in agricultural sector, the efficient canal system was installed that delivered water from rivers to certain arid areas; Cholistan desert in Punjab and few areas in Sindh. Punjab is considered as bread basket of Pakistan, therefore heavy amount of water was required to fulfill the need of agricultural lands. The organization named (PIDA) Punjab irrigation and drainage authority, works for the canal water distribution the system of distribution includes following sources; 13 barrages, 2 siphons, 12 link canals, 23 major canal system over an aggregate length of 34,500km. (ISP’s) While Sindh is not that important for agriculture and crops cultivation and therefore it has a simple water irrigation system, that includes; 14 publicly owned irrigation system,these systems with an aggregate length of 18,000Km of canals.The irrigation of KPK is on small scale and it has five publicly owned irrigation systems, which serves a total area of 0.34 million hectares, Other than publicly owned
canals certain privately owned canals(200) are also functionals that covers the area of 0.83 million hectares. Balochistan reflects drought condition, it has very poor irrigation system or rather very inefficent canal system. It has only two canal system, these canals serves the total area of 0.33 million hectares. The indus River system Authority(Irsa) allocated 16.65MAF water to punjab for sowing, growing and maturing rabi crops 2013-14(Siddiqui.M.H) . Punjab is the only province with the major and more in number canals ,working for the water management and canal water distribution in agricultural lands. The total area of Pakistan is 796,095Km(sq) , while most of the area of Pakistan is considered as arid or semi-arid and therefore the distribution of water is difficult throughtout the amjor area of Pakistan. (Arid zone Research institute ) The water distribution and its further distribution for its utilization in agriculture is somewhat very inefficent. The long and perpetual policy for water conservation and its proper distribution had been a big issue, to solve this problem various independent and government owned bodies are in action, the bodies like “Irsa” and “Pida” are working for the nonstop water supply to land holdings. Tubewells are the prime part of water distribution within the small capillaries of the region, the tubewells provide water for the domestic consumption as well and it is the prime source of water for Arid areas with very drought conditions.
No.of Tubewells
Punjab
Sindh
KPK
Balochistan
1950-2000
1950-2000
1950-2000
1950-2000
68-78%
48-53%
23-48%
15-19%
Though the water management ratio has increased from 50% on average, but the root cause of arid and drought condition is mismanagement and correct decision of water storage in barrages and Dams. Pakistan has five barrages that can store or resist the water flow and change its direction, IRSA and such organization needed to take some strong actions on the issue of heavy floods in Pakistan(2010,Tribune). “It was a massive destruction that caused severe loss to crops, livestock and lives as well, but the major point of concern was the loss of abundant water. This is where the irrigation systems need to work on, the perpetual policies and pragmatic approach is required to handles such volatile issues.� (2011, warriach Haider) The water tributaries are somewhat the main body of provincial government for the water demand in the region. The geographical stature of Pakistan is very convenient for the supply of water to the arid areas like Cholistan and other commercial areas that are closer to desserts, because Pakistan from North to south is grooved and it is steeped to the south and water flows from North to south and the water could easily be diverted to Arid areas with the help of Canal system.(Water Management Authr)
canaldistributionofPakist an is finest in the globe (world Geography, 2010)
Throughout the system of water distribution, canal system holds very prominent part, because though the efficient canal system the flow of water could taken anywhere and this would facilitate the land and prevent it from drought and arid conditions. Similarly the junction of every river gives the fine extension of water supply to distant patches of land. Five rivers of Pakistan are defined in a way that the water through these rivers can easily be portrayed to the region through the complex pattern of canals. (Pak canals) The water is contributed through the northern glaciers to rivers and the rivers are the main vector for the segregation of water and to impart the need of water is carried on by the canals.
The Indus water Basin is the area of the entire water zone that supplies the water to the region; it is actually the receptor of the water from all the tributaries from the Azad Kashmir (AZJ water).
The perpetual flow of water is possible with the continuous melting of glaciers and this would fulfill the requirement of Indus Basin. This Basin is also responsible for the supply of water to big countries like Karachi that includes the domestic and commercial consumption of water. Irrigation and consumption of water is entirely based upon the recycling of water and proper and sensible use of water through the check and balance with the help of billing system. “The prolonged water negligence would cause the distortion within the region� (Akbar.Zaidi)
References
Pakistan water management (25, 2010).Retrieved from http://centralasiaonline.com Sindh irrigation system (99-2002) . Retrieved from http://www.sindhagri.gov.pk Government Policy (2003). Retrieved from http://www.ofwm.gop.pk/ Water Info(2005) Retrieved from http://waterinfo.net.pk Landscape Agricultural policy (2005) Retrieved from http://www.ifpri.org/publication/policy Agriculture KPK.(2007) Retrieved form http://www.khyberpakhtunkhwa.gov.pk
Projects and development (2009) . Retrieved from http://www.worldbank.org
http://cms.waterinfo.net.pk