Water balance model for planning rehabilitation of a tank cascade irrigation system in Sri Lanka

Since time immemorial, people in South Asia have collected rainfall runoff in small storage reservoirs (called tanks) for later use in agricultural production, for domestic use and watering of livestock. A unique feature of the tanks in Sri Lanka is that often several of the tanks are linked togethe...

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Main Author: Itakura, J.
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Irrigation Management Institute 1995
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/39117
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author Itakura, J.
author_browse Itakura, J.
author_facet Itakura, J.
author_sort Itakura, J.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Since time immemorial, people in South Asia have collected rainfall runoff in small storage reservoirs (called tanks) for later use in agricultural production, for domestic use and watering of livestock. A unique feature of the tanks in Sri Lanka is that often several of the tanks are linked together through a canal. The resulting cascade of tanks should then be managed as one system. The Thirappane cascade, which is the topic of this study, falls within the catchment area of a much bigger reservoir, Nachchaduwa. The latter was built around 900 AD, and restored in 1906, when many of the tanks still in use now were surveyed and restored to use. Cascade management, however, was not always carried out properly and restoration work not done, that the skills to do so were lost. The management of these interconnected tanks presents many interesting questions, the answers to which hitherto have not been fully explored. The effectiveness of storage-based irrigation systems was such that over time more and more people were attracted to the command areas of the tanks and many of the systems became unsustainable due to overcrowding. The objective of this study was a limited one, i.e., to explore through simple water balance modelling several improved management options for a particular set of tanks in the Thirappane Cascade and to examine how the tank cascade can be stabilized through structural modifications. The water balance model developed for this purpose has deliberately been kept simple, requiring only data that can be easily collected in the field.
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spelling CGSpace391172025-12-08T07:53:29Z Water balance model for planning rehabilitation of a tank cascade irrigation system in Sri Lanka Itakura, J. irrigation management irrigation systems water balance simulation models rehabilitation agricultural production watershed management reservoirs tank irrigation Since time immemorial, people in South Asia have collected rainfall runoff in small storage reservoirs (called tanks) for later use in agricultural production, for domestic use and watering of livestock. A unique feature of the tanks in Sri Lanka is that often several of the tanks are linked together through a canal. The resulting cascade of tanks should then be managed as one system. The Thirappane cascade, which is the topic of this study, falls within the catchment area of a much bigger reservoir, Nachchaduwa. The latter was built around 900 AD, and restored in 1906, when many of the tanks still in use now were surveyed and restored to use. Cascade management, however, was not always carried out properly and restoration work not done, that the skills to do so were lost. The management of these interconnected tanks presents many interesting questions, the answers to which hitherto have not been fully explored. The effectiveness of storage-based irrigation systems was such that over time more and more people were attracted to the command areas of the tanks and many of the systems became unsustainable due to overcrowding. The objective of this study was a limited one, i.e., to explore through simple water balance modelling several improved management options for a particular set of tanks in the Thirappane Cascade and to examine how the tank cascade can be stabilized through structural modifications. The water balance model developed for this purpose has deliberately been kept simple, requiring only data that can be easily collected in the field. 1995 2014-06-13T13:51:11Z 2014-06-13T13:51:11Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/39117 en Open Access application/pdf International Irrigation Management Institute International Water Management Institute Itakura, J. 1995. Water balance model for planning rehabilitation of a tank cascade irrigation system in Sri Lanka. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI). 62p. (IIMI Working Paper 037)
spellingShingle irrigation management
irrigation systems
water balance
simulation models
rehabilitation
agricultural production
watershed management
reservoirs
tank irrigation
Itakura, J.
Water balance model for planning rehabilitation of a tank cascade irrigation system in Sri Lanka
title Water balance model for planning rehabilitation of a tank cascade irrigation system in Sri Lanka
title_full Water balance model for planning rehabilitation of a tank cascade irrigation system in Sri Lanka
title_fullStr Water balance model for planning rehabilitation of a tank cascade irrigation system in Sri Lanka
title_full_unstemmed Water balance model for planning rehabilitation of a tank cascade irrigation system in Sri Lanka
title_short Water balance model for planning rehabilitation of a tank cascade irrigation system in Sri Lanka
title_sort water balance model for planning rehabilitation of a tank cascade irrigation system in sri lanka
topic irrigation management
irrigation systems
water balance
simulation models
rehabilitation
agricultural production
watershed management
reservoirs
tank irrigation
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/39117
work_keys_str_mv AT itakuraj waterbalancemodelforplanningrehabilitationofatankcascadeirrigationsysteminsrilanka