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The
state of Punjab derives its name from 'Punj' + 'Aab' i.e.
the land of five rivers (five rivers flowed through
erstwhile Punjab namely, Satluj, Beas, Ravi, Jhelum &
Chenab). However, after the state's partition first in 1947,
and subsequently its reorganisation in 1966, only Satluj and
Beas flow through it, while Ravi touches it at its north
border. Another small river, the Ghaggar flows through its
southern border.The Ravi ,The Beas and the Sutluj are the
Perennial rivers. The Ghagger, White Bein, Black
Bein and Sakki Kiran Nala are the seasonal and
numerous choes of the sub-shivaliks or the kandi are
the ephemeral rivers. At the point of confluence of
Satluj and Beas lies the internationally renowned Harike
wetland in 28.5 sq km area (formed due to construction of
Harike barrage in 1952) famous for its migratory birds. The
state also has 12 natural and 9 manmade wetlands (covering
more than 15,500 hq area). Details of capaicity of various
canals of Punjab are as :-
|
| Name
of Head works
|
Name
of off taking channels |
Capacity |
| Ropar
Headworks Ropar
|
i)
Sirhind Canal
ii)
Bist Doab Canal
|
12622
Cs.
1408
Cs
|
| Harike
Headworks, Harike
|
i)
Rajasthan Feeder
ii)
Ferozepur Feeder
iii)
Mukhu Canal
|
18500
Cs.
11192
Cs.
292
Cs.
|
|
Hussainiwala
Headworks
Ferozepur
|
i)
Bikaner Canal
ii)
Eastern Canal
|
2740
Cs.
3929
Cs.
|
| Madhopur
Head Works
|
i)
Upper Bari Doab Canal
|
8200
Cs. |
| Shah
Nehar Headworks
|
i)
Mukerian Hydel Canal
|
11500
Cs |
| Nangal
Head works
|
i) Bhakra
Mainline Canal
|
12455
Cs. |
|
| Source:
Irrigation & Drainage Departments ,Punjab |
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With the
advent of green revolution the state has developed its water
resources effectively and a mesh of irrigation canals has
been laid all over . However, change in cropping pattern
(from mixed cropping to wheat-rice rotation), &
intensive agriculture has adversely affected the state's
water resources. The number of tubewells has trebled since
the seventies. This has resulted in decrease in water table
in certain central districts and its increase in southern
districts causing water logging and salinity problem.
However, the average rate of water table decline in sweet
ground water area of the state as a whole is 0.2 m 0.3/year
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GROUND
WATER STATUS OF PUNJAB
|
|
Sr.
No.
|
District
|
Ground
Water Recharge/Extraction
|
|
1.
|
Gurdaspur
|
Recharge
20-50% of extraction
|
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2.
|
Hoshiarpur
|
Recharge
20-50% of extraction
|
|
3.
|
Ropar
|
Rcharge
higher than 50% of extraction
|
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4.
|
Amritsar
|
Recharge
equal to extraction
(±
20%)
|
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5.
|
Kapurthala
|
Extraction
exceeding Recharge by more than 50%
|
|
6.
|
Jalandhar
|
Extraction
exceeding Recharge by more than 50%
|
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7.
|
Ludhiana
|
Extraction
20-50% of Recharge
|
|
8.
|
Patiala
|
Extraction
exceeding Recharge by more than 50%
|
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9.
|
Ferozepur
|
Recharge
higher than 50% of extraction
|
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10.
|
Bathinda
|
Recharge
higher than 50% of extraction
|
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11.
|
Faridkot
|
Recharge
higher than 50% of extraction
|
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12.
|
Sangrur
|
Extraction
exceeding Recharge by more than 50%
|
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Source
: Irrigation Department, Punjab (Chandigarh) |
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The available ground water is estimated at 25.34 MAF-million
acre feet, where as the normal requirement is 39.75 MAF
(Source: Punjab Agriculture University).This is a
substantial deficit which if left
uncorrected
will adversely affect agriculture .The central sweet
zone, which is highly Productive with a well –knit
irrigation system mainly dependent
upon tubewell, presents a serious challenge because
of extensive and intensive rice cultivation. In Punjab the
water table is falling at an average rate of 0.23 meters per
year, during the past 15 years. The water table was at 5
Meters to 6 meters in 1981. It now showed a fall of 24cm to
25cm per annum . The annual fall in the water table for some
district is as fallows .
In the Southwest
zone which comprises almost one-fourth of the state
cultivated area, the underground water is brackish and unfit
for the crops and humans. The water table in the zone which was 11m deep in 1981 is
rising continuously at the rate of 9 cm per year in Mansa,
21 cm in Bathinda and 17 cm in Ferozepur.
This has motivated farmers to give up ‘white
gold’ and sow paddy.
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