Centenary irrigation system revamp

In order to achieve higher irrigation efficiency, agricultural water productivity and climate resilience in Ara canal command, the Asian Development Bank on request from the Water Resources Department in Bihar, India’s third most populous state, has commissioned an international team and Tractebel’s Indian experts for a Transaction Technical Assistance assignment.

Ara Canal System is part of Sone Canal Irrigation Project, one of India’s oldest major irrigation systems. Operational since 1873, it provides irrigation in about 0.70 million hectares of canal command areas (CCA) in nine districts of South Bihar.

Ara comprises about 1,200 km of earthen canal system and more than 1,000 constructions comprising manually operated flow regulating, road bridges and cross drainage structures.

Its performance reflected a low level of water delivery services and below average overall performance. Canal irrigation efficiency is 35% and canal water does not reach about 50% of the command area. ­­

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