Engr.

Muhammad Sajid Nazir

Roll No. 15
4
th
Pre Service Training
Government Engineering Academy Lahore
2
CAUSES & REMEDIAL MEASURES
OF BREACHES IN IRRIGATION
CANALS
3
Introduction
STATISTICS OF PUNJAB IRRIGATION SYSTEM
Barrages 14
Length of Irrigation Canals 23,184 Miles
CCA 21 Million Acres
Canal Systems 24
Capacity of Canal System 1.1 lacs cusecs
Outlets 58,000
4
Objectives
Identification of causes for occurrence of
breaches.

How to avoid breaches by Proper upkeep &
maintenance of channels.

Remedial Measures.
5
Sources/Causes of Breaches
Natural Disasters

Human Interference
6
Occurrence Of Breaches Due To
Natural Disasters
Heavy Rains

Wind Storms

Falling Of Dead And Hollow Trees

Heavy Rains
7
CANAL FLOWING ABOVE FSL DUE TO HEAVY RAIN
Wind Storms
8
WIND WAVE ACTION CAUSING EROSION AND ULTIMATELY BREACH
Falling of Dead Trees
9
TREE CAUSING HEADING UP U/S CAUSING OVERFLOW OF WATER
Occurrence Of Breaches Due To
Human Interference
Obstruction of Flow
Cutting of Banks
Tampering Channel Heads
Trespassing
Encroachment of Banks
Unauthorized Use of
service Roads
Breaching of Banks due to
Piping



Breaching of Banks from
Instability
Poor Compaction of Banks
Sudden Draw down of
water/Sloughing
Vegetation Growth
Construction of Water
Course along the channel
10
Obstruction of Flow
11
UNAUTHORIZED DAFF/OBSTRUCTION
Cutting of Banks/Removal of outlets
12
Trespassing
13
Encroachment of Banks
14
Unauthorized Use of Service Roads
15
Breaching of Banks due to Piping
16
Breaching of Banks from Instability
17
Poor Compaction of Banks
18
Damage due to Sudden Draw down
19
SLOUGHING
Vegetation Growth
20
GROWTH OF VEGETATION
Construction of Water Course along
the Channels
21
How To Avoid Breaches?
Proper maintenance of canal
Formation of berms
Dowels to be provided
Sarkanda growth to be inhibited
Dead trees to be removed
Escape channels must be
operational
Trespassing to be prohibited
Unauthorized use of service
road to be avoided


Strict action against the culprits
of water theft
Syphon pipes of tube wells to be
avoided
Porcupine holes and Rain
gharas shall be attended
forthwith
Water courses along the
channel must be avoided
Proper surveillance of channels
should be done
Construction of recharge wells
22
Closing of Breaches
Arranging reduction of canal supply from head of the channel.
Closing of channel as per regulation orders.
Collection of earth on upstream and downstream of the bank.
A ring bund is marked at the breach site for filling of earth when
less or no water is passing through the breach.
Earth filling on the alignment on the ring bund shall be done with
compaction in layers till the top level of the bank is attained.
Bamboos / Killa bushing is done in the design berm width along the
breach site with 50 ft. up / down stream of the breach.
Additional Pushta with the bank is also provided at the breach site
to cover the Hydraulic gradient.
Upon complete satisfaction that the breach site is properly
closed,canal supply is restored in the channel as per regulation
orders.
23
Conclusion
Human Interference plays an important part as
the cultivators dont want to miss any
opportunity to irrigate their lands.
Cultivators are compelled to do so because of
increase in intensity of irrigation.
Field staff Negligence.
24
Recommendations
Escape Channels should be opened in heavy
rains to divert and enhance capacity of the
channels.
The recharge well would be used to take the
water diverted from the irrigation channels
whenever there was no demand of water from
farmers. The farmers would be urged to
release water into the recharge well instead of
closing the outlets.

25
Cont
The capacity of irrigation channels should be doubled
to match with the intensity.
All Minor Distributaries, Minors and Sub Minors are
required to be lined especially in brackish zones.
Enforcement of law and order should be ensured in
letter and spirit to eliminate cuts and breaches in
irrigation channels. 1 No. ASI and 3 No. Constables
should be deployed with the SDCOs for summoning
the culprits under Section 70 of Canal and Drainage
Act and frequent watching of channels in the critical
reaches.

26
Cont
The offenders causing damages to the channels
by making deliberate cuts should be tried
under Section 70 of Canal and Drainage Act
1873, amended 2006.
FIRs should be registered against the culprits
and such type of offences should be declared as
non-bail able.
Close liaison among Irrigation, Police and
Revenue Department is required at particular
hierarchy to get the optimum results.

27
Thank
you
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