Satellite remote sensing for assessment of irrigation system performance: a case study in India. IIMI Research report 9.
1997
Thiruvengadachari S. | Sakthivadivel R.
The use of advanced technology tools such as satellite remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS) techniques, and hydrologic modeling can greatly help improve irrigation management. The International Irrigation Management Institute is planning a long-term program for developing a package of these tools to aid irrigation management at the policy, strategic, and tactical levels. This case study in the Bhadra Project in India is an attempt in this direction. It focuses on the application of satellite remote sensing and GIS techniques in a rice irrigation system. Multiyear satellite data have been analyzed to provide spatially distributed information on irrigated area, cropping pattern, and rice yield. This spatial and temporal information has helped analysts evaluate the performance of the agricultural system over several years and across the irrigation scheme. The data have confirmed the changes initiated by the National Water Management Project have resulted in significant improvements as indicated by extent of irrigation and changes in agricultural productivity. In addition, problem distributaries that have subpar irrigation intensity, rice productivity and equity have been identified for follow-up action to improve performance. The case study has resulted in a methodology package for use in other irrigated rice environments. The cost of satellite remote sensing application in this 100,000-hectare irrigation scheme works out to US$0.10/ha per irrigation season at 1994-95 price levels. The cost would decrease to US$0.03/ha or less for schemes larger than 250,000 hectares. Improving the methodology will require the development of a vegetation index that is optimally sensitive to rice charachteristics and better spectral modeling of rice yield. Extension to irrigation schemes in which crops other than rice predominate will require modifications in the methodology.
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