Irrigation Resources of East Chitwan and their Hydrologic and Institutional Interlinkages: Results from an Inventory Study

Abstract

"Irrigation Resource Inventory of East Chitwan (an inner terai region of central Nepal) was carried out by a multidisciplinary team of Irrigation Management Systems Study Group (IMSSG) at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal during May 1992 to January 1993. Group interviews and system walkthrough were the principal methods employed to gather information for the study. The focus of the inventory study was on documentation of history of development, physical characteristics, operation and management, agricultural systems, nature and development of irrigation organization, social and institutional characteristics of 88 community managed irrigation systems in East Chitwan. The findings of the inventory study are presented in a report entitled 'Irrigation Resource Inventory of East Chitwan' IMSSG, IAAS, Rampur, 1993. A small section of the study focusing on hydrologic aspects of irrigation systems with regard to nature and usage of water resources in the study are has been discussed in this paper. The findings indicated that all the 88 irrigation systems originate from 15 different water sources including perennial rivers/streams, seasonal streams, springs and depressed areas (popularly known as Ghols in local dialect). The systems which fall within the flood plains of Rapti river have complex hydrologic networks in relation to their service areas. Evidences like water drained from one system as an assured source of supply for other systems have been commonly encountered in a substantial number of irrigation systems."