Evaluating Main Canal and Barrage Performance in Pakistan through Water Security Metrics

Abstract

The present study provides an in-depth investigation into water security using socio-hydrological analysis by investigating the relationship between irrigation entitlements and actual water delivery. Conjoint analysis is used to evaluate the reliability and equity of the system by applying quantitative definitions and metrics. This study examines 10 years of daily average canal flow data collected from the Sindh canal command regions of the Lower Indus Basin Irrigation System in Pakistan. This research was carried out at both the canal and the barrage network levels, with socio-hydrological metrics being used across both temporal and spatial scales. Furthermore, an in-depth study of the LIB system’s fourteen main canals operating across three barrages was carried out. This research focuses on the transition from historical volumetric allocations to the objective of enhancing irrigation efficiency and agricultural yields in order to provide improved water and food security. The investigation underscores the enduring presence of stagnation and volatility in the overall equity and reliability of the system. The analysis reveals that the median reliability of the canals in Sindh was 47–100% in the summer and 65–85% in the winter season. Additionally, the irrigation system equity was worse in the winter and summer, at around 55–75%. This research examines the possibilities of using a socio-hydrological strategy to effectively improve the performance of canal irrigation systems and promote water security.