Warabandi system

 A local Punjabi word “Fixing the turn of irrigation water”

 Wara means “Turns” and bandi means “Fixation”.

“It is a rotational method for equitable water distribution of the

available water supplies in an irrigation channels by turns fixed
according predetermined schedule specifying the day, time and
duration of supply to each irrigator in proportion to the size of
his land holding in the outlet command”
This cycle of water distribution continues from head to tail of the
watercourse.

A certain time allowance is provided for compensation of the

conveyance time for water in the watercourse.

The Government agencies are responsible for proper hydraulic

operation of the watercourse.

Agency don’t interfere once the farmers agree on a mutual

agreement of water distribution unless any dispute arises.
 Objectives of Warabandi system

Higher water use efficiency is achieved through the imposition

of water scarcity on each farm

Equitable water distribution is attempted through supplying

equal share of available water per unit holding among all users.
 Types of Warabandi system
1-Flexible rotation or Kacha Warabandi.

It is also called as ordinary or unregulated warabandi

system.

It is completely decided by the farmers on their mutual

agreement without formal involvement of any
Government agency.

2-Fixed/regulated or Pacca Warabandi

It is decided by the Irrigation Department after field

investigation and public inquiry when dispute occurs.
 Formulations of warabandi schedules
Khal Bharai or Filling Time TFT. Usually 5 minutes for 64m length
of watercourse
TF Total time to fill the watercourse by water

Nikas Time or Drainage Time TDT. Usually 3 minutes for 64m length
of watercourse
Total time to drain the water from watercourse.
TD will be zero for all farmers except the last one.

Unit Flow Time (common for all farmers)

UFT = 168-TFT+TDT
CA
Turn Time ( individual value for every farmer)
Tt = UFT* Area + TF- TD
TFT and TDT are filling and drainage time for corresponding farmer
whose turn time is being calculated
 Problems of Warabandi system
1. Conveyance losses in seepage

2. Running time which may or may not fulfill the requirements.

3. System don’t provide facility to accommodate cropping need.

4. This system don’t consider the rainfall.

5. Existing time 12-16 minute per acre is not sufficient to fulfill

the requirements.

6. Water allocation is area based and corresponding time of the

farmer but don’t consider the location of the farmer along the
watercourse.
 Example Problem
1. A watercourse is of 4000 ft length and having a command
area of 521 acres. Calculate UFT (hr/acre). Also Calculate
Turn Time (hr) for a farmer situated at 1300 ft from the head
with his land holding of 15 acres. The rotation is of 7 days.
2. A watercourse has a command area of 1250 acres and w/c
length is 50 acres. Calculate UFT and Turn Time (hr) for
farmers A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I with the following data.
 Water Charging System- ABIANA
• Crop based Water Charging System
• Based on type of crop sown in given Crop Rs/Ha
season Sugarcane 177.16
Rice 88.50
• Flat Rate Water Charging System Wheat 59.80
• Fixed amount on seasonal basis, regardless Maize 53.14
of cop sown. Cotton 93.01
• Implemented in June 2005
Season Rs/Ha
Rabi 124
Kharif 210