Improving Irrigation Water Delivery Performance of a Large-Scale Rice Irrigation Scheme
Publication: Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 8
Abstract
The availability of irrigation water and its equitable allocation in a large-scale rice irrigation scheme of Malaysia have been modeled. The model reliably estimates available water for irrigation at the intake of the main canal and simulates the recommended irrigation deliveries for 120 tertiary canals. Different water allocation and management scenarios were evaluated based on the sensitivity of the growth stages of rice to water, varying field-water demand, and perceived water shortages. The model provides a quantitative assessment not only of water allocation for irrigation but also of day-to-day or periodic irrigation delivery performances for a large-scale rice irrigation system. It provides 86% adequacy and 87% equity of irrigation delivery in the main season (August–December). The corresponding performance indicators provided by the model are 74 and 89% in the off-season (February–June). The dependability of water supply is higher in the off-season than in the main season, while the relative water supply (RWS) is the converse. RWS often becomes in the main season, while such a RWS is rarely obtained in the off-season. The model augments the water delivery performance of the scheme and hence would serve as a useful tool for irrigation managers in decision making.
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Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Malaysia. They also acknowledge the Department of Irrigation and Drainage, Tanjung Karang Irrigation Scheme, Department of Surveying, Malaysia, and Malaysian Meteorological Department for providing relevant information for this study.
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Published In
Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering
Volume 140 • Issue 8 • August 2014
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 30, 2013
Accepted: Mar 13, 2014
Published online: Apr 21, 2014
Published in print: Aug 1, 2014
Discussion open until: Sep 21, 2014
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