Components of Irrigation System

Irrigation system is a vast system comprises of many components. All the crops of a country directly depends on the irrigation system. These components generate and maintain the pressure of water so that it can reach to crops with required pressure. Very low pressure or high pressure may disrupts the productivity of crop. In the following we will discuss that how different components of irrigation play their role in the transportation of water.

1. Watershed:

It is the origin of irrigation system. It receives precipitation rain fall and contributes to the formation of natural flow. Natural flow faces many hurdles during its movement such as vegetables, length of slop and many other factors. If the management of water shed is proper water flow will be smooth.

2. Rivers:

River is basically produced by the natural flow of watershed. Its basic function is to transfer water to the remaining components of system. In Pakistan Indus, Jehlum and Chenab are big rivers that contribute in the irrigation system.

3. Dams:                   

The third component after river is Dam. Dams have following functions.

• Storage of water.
• Raise head of water.
• Hydro-Power generation.

after dams water is transfer to the next component. In Pakistan Tarbela and Mangla Dams are well known for their storage capacity.

4. Barrages:

After dams next component is Barrage. Barrages are also build to rise the water level. They also serves as storage component. But Barrage can not produce Electricity. After creating high water level it transfer water to the next component. In Pakistan Trimu, Rohri and Sukkuir Barrages are famous.

5. Main Canals:

Directly water can not be supplied to main canal so it obtains or receives water direct from river through dams or barrages. It can not further generate pressure in water. Its function is just to transfer water to the next component.

6. Branch Canals:

It is present between main canal and major distributary. Its only purpose is to receive water from major canal and to transfer major distributory. It serves as a link between main canal and major distributary

7. Major Distributary: 

In Pakistan Niazbaig, Shahkot and Nasrana. are famous major distributary. Water enters to major canals sometimes directly from main canal. It also serves as a distributary component to transfer water to the other components. 

8. Minor Distributary:

Minor Distributaries are used to transfer water from major distributaries to water courses  Kmogil and Thatti are examples of minor distributaries. 

9. Water Course:

Water course is basically a link that transfers water to field channel.

10. Field Channel:

This is the point where water is finally transferd to individual fields from water course. From here each farmer gains water for his field. From field channel water is diverted to farm/field watercourse through farm outlets which is also called as Nacca.