UNIT 6

SMALL IRRIGATION STRUCTURE

BANDHARA
PERCOLATION TANKS
AND
LIFT IRRIGATION
Bandhara irrigation is a minor irrigation system suitable for
irrigating isolated areas, up to 500 hectares. The bandhara is
similar to weir which is constructed across a small stream to
raise the water level on the upstream side to divert the water
through the canal.

The height of bandhara depends on the water level to be

raised on the upstream side.

It is constructed with brick masonry or stone masonry with

R.C.C crest. The crest width varies from 1 m to 2 m. The
scouring sluices are provided at the bottom of the bandhara
near the head reach of the canal.
Bandhara is a special type of irrigation scheme,
between inundation type and permanent type
irrigation.

It is essentially a minor irrigation scheme wherein

small streams which otherwise allow their flows to be
wasted are dammed at the places by bandhara and
canals are taken off from them for irrigation of small
areas.

A series of such dams or bandharas are constructed

and water available in the monsoon is thus made use.
ADVANTAGES OF BANDHARA IRRIGATION :

1) The water of small streams can be utilized for irrigation

purpose by constructing a simple structure.
 
2) The culturable area is generally close to the source.
Hence, there is less possibility of transmission loss.
 
3) As there is no loss due to transmission, the duty of
water is high.
4) The system of irrigation has low initial cost.

5) Small quantities of water which would have

otherwise gone waste is utilised to a maximum in
this system.

6) Length of canal and distribution system being

small, seepage and evaporation losses are very less.

7) The area to be irrigated being close to the source,

it yields a high duty and intensive irrigation.
DISADVANTAGES OF BANDHARA IRRIGATION :

1) Normally, the discharge capacity of small streams is

low. Moreover, if bandhara irrigation is implemented on
such streams, the people residing on downstream side
will not get water for their use.
 
2) The supply of water mainly depends on rainfall. So,
in the period of drought, this system is practically
useless.
 
3) The irrigation area for one Bandhara is more or
less fixed and, hence even if greater quantity of
water is available for irrigation it goes waste.

4) If the river is of non-perennial type, the supply of

water becomes seasonal and unreliable in summer.
 LOCATION OF BANDHARAS :

1) The source of water i.e the river should be a perennial

one so that water is available from the river throughout
the year.
 
2) Stable foundation should be available for construction
of bandharas.
 
3) The banks of the stream should be high and well
defined.
BANDHARA (WEIR)
 Percolation tank
 Itis an artificial reservoir which are
constructed across stream,
submerging a land area with adequate
permeability to facilitate
sufficient percolation to collect
surface water run-off and allow it to
percolate within the permeable land.
PERCOLATION TANK
I. Capturing rainwater where it falls
II. Provides drinking and irrigation water
III. Increases groundwater recharge
IV. Reduces urban floods
V. Improvement in moisture regime
VI. Controlled topsoil erosion
VII. Increase in arable land
VIII. Increase in cropping intensity
IX. Improved soil structure due to application of silt
X. Trees on the bund increase biomass production
XI. Fields downstream growing crops due to percolation
I. Reduces sediment export from uplands

II. Increase in crop production in areas where normally not

feasible

III. Reduction in desertification-improved reforestation

IV. Improvement in pastures

V. Reduces soil erosion

VI. Flushes salt buildup from soils- increases land productivity

VII.Earthen bunds on small streams allow stored water in the

lakes to percolate and recharge the groundwater body
 CASE STUDY: Mini Percolation
Tank

Washing away of fertile topsoil Advice to build stone bunds

Construction of stone bunds underway
Digging of a small percolation tank
Growing of two crops using stored water and deposited silt.
LIFT IRRIGATION
 Lift irrigation is a method of
irrigation in which water is not transported
by natural flow(as in gravity-fed canal
system) but is lifted with pumps or other
means.
Carry the water to the delivery chamber from the
water source.
Distribute the water to the required places.
The water is carried out from the water source at the lower
portion of the land.
Mainly construction of dams and cannels are done
there.
.
 Distribution:

1. Distribution is done by gravitational

method.
2. At first a contour map is prepared and the
places which is to be irrigated is blocked
according to there need.
3. Required dia pipe lines and needed valves
are placed for the distribution.
1. Made irrigation possible at higher
levels.

2. Land acquisition problem is less.

3. Water losses are low.

4. Man power is less used.

 REQUIREMENTS OF LIFT
IRRIGATION:

1. Constant water sources should be available for whole

year.

2. Water can be made available through dams, weir, river,

canal etc.

3. To lift water to desired location pumps is required.

 STOP DAM
A check dam/stop dam is a small, sometimestemporary, 
dam constructed across a swale, drainage ditch, or
waterway to counteract erosion by reducing water flow
velocity. Check dams themselves are not a type of new
technology; rather, they are an ancient technique dating
from the second century A.D. Check dams are typically,
though not always, implemented in a system of several
dams situated at regular intervals across the area of
interest.
Materials
Check dams are made of a variety of materials.
Because they are typically used as temporary
structures, they are often made of cheap and
accessible materials such as rocks, gravel, logs, hay
bales, and sandbags. Of these, logs and rock check
dams are usually permanent or semi-permanent; and
the sandbag check dam is implemented primarily for
temporary purposes. Also, there are check dams that
are constructed with rockfill or wooden boards. These
dams are usually implemented only in small, open
channels that drain 10 acres (0.04 km2) or less; and
usually do not exceed 2 ft (0.61 m) high. 
Woven-wire can be used to construct check dams
in order to hold fine material in a gully. They are
typically utilized in environments where the gully
has a moderate slope (less than 10%), small
drainage area, and in regions where flood flows do
not typically carry large rocks or boulders. In nearly
all instances, erosion control blankets, which are
biodegradable open-weave blankets, are used in
conjunction with check dams. These blankets help
enforce vegetation growth on the slopes,
shorelines and ditch bottoms.
Advantages

Check dams are a highly effective practice to reduce

flow velocities in channels and waterways. In contrast
to big dams, check dams are implemented faster, are
cost effective, and are smaller in scope. Because of
this, their implementation does not typically displace
people and communities nor do they destroy natural
resources if designed correctly. Moreover, the dams
are simple to construct and do not rely on advanced
technologies – thereby they can be applied in more
rural and less advanced communities, as they have
been in India's drylands for some time now.
Limitations

Check dams still require maintenance and

sediment removal practices. They become more
difficult to implement on steep slopes, as velocity
is higher and the distance between dams must be
shortened. Check dams, depending on the
material used, can have a limited life span but if
implemented correctly can be considered
permanent though not encouraged.
Maintenance
Check dams require regular maintenance as they are used
primarily as a temporary structure and thereby are not designed
to withstand long-term use. Dams should be inspected every week
that it is sited in the channel and after every large storm. It is
important that rubble, litter, and leaves are removed from the
upstream side of the dam. This is typically done when the
sediment has reached a height of one-half the original height of
the dam.

Further, maintenance is required when removing the check dam

altogether. In order to ensure the future flow is not adversely
altered, the check dam must be fully removed, including any parts
that may have been dislodged and washed downstream or any
newly developed bare spots where the check dam once was
situated.