Hill Torrents Potentials and Spate Irrigation Management to Support Agricultural Strategies in Pakistan

Abstract

Pakistan has not only been blessed with enriched hydrological cycling phenomenon which generate abandoned quantum of water in the northern part , but also possess 18.68 MAF Water Potential in water scarce areas of Pakistan , known as Rod Kohi. Spate irrigation is in practice in Pakistan, where, flood water, during monsoon season, gets generated and channelized from downhill countered profiles (catchments area). These hill torrential are diverted to agriculture fields, by constructing earthen embankments or related hydraulic concrete structures. Since, hill sides torrential are unpredictable, temporally and spatially matrix, which poses numerous challenges to the farmers who in return forcibly integrate / pool up individual resources to partially manage this scarce resource. Though the annual rainfall (....100...mm/year) in this area is low and uncertain yet at the same time due to terrain lay out , substantial quantum of water gets accumulated due to downhill side terrain profile each rainfall event. The agriculture activities, in these areas are totally dependent on such type of phenomenal rainfalls. Unfortunately, due to lack of scientific water resource management and modern agriculture practices, major quantum of torrential flood water is not only gets wasted , but also causes huge losses to human life and property. This catastrophic situation arises, as there are neither successive layers of check-dams on the downhill sides of these mountain ranges, nor any kind of water storage facilities exist at the foot hill areas. PARC (Pakistan Agricultural Research Council) and Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Foundation (PPAF) did funded some localized water storage , water conveyance and water distribution system interventions, but still there is a dire need of holistically adoption of watershed management approaches , based on resource integration concept and practices. This un-managed water resource must be harnessed / converted into lucrative opportunities to oxygenize the life line for millions of people residing in these areas.

Improving Traditional Spate Irrigation Systems: A Review

“…at the head, the middle, and the tail reaches, respectively, as compared to that produced before spate improvement [21].…”

Strategies to Cope with Risks of Uncertain Water Supply in Spate Irrigation Systems

“…Large volume of flood water induced by precipitation in the upper catchment is directed to low land and wadi areas in order to allow moisture storage in the soil profile to be utilized for crop production (Steenbergen andHaile, 2010, Haile et al, 2006). Although unreliable water source, flash floods are often one of the few sources of water for irrigated agriculture in arid regions ( Van Steenbergen, 1997, Asif and Islam-ul-Haque, 2014, Ghebremariam and Steenbergen, 2007.…”

“…On the other hand, flood based irrigation also offer opportunities to the poor farming communities (Steenbergen and Haile, 2010). Flash floods can contribute to the livelihoods and food security of marginalized populations in water scarce regions, where occasional floods are often one of the few sources of water for irrigated agriculture (Asif andIslam-ul-Haque, 2014, Ghebremariam and.…”

Impact of Gomal Zam Dam irrigation project on agriculture and welfare of farming community in southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan

“…The GZD command area is well known for spate irrigation, locally named as Rod Kohi, and is practiced for centuries in this area (Asif et al, 2016;Nawaz and Han, 2006). During monsoon period, water is stored and is used for irrigating crops in winter season (Ahmad and Choudhry, 2005).…”