Abstract:
Optimal utilization of existing water resources is an issue of utmost importance in India
because of considerable variability of rainfall in space and time coupled with its inadequate and
uneven distribution. The Bundelkhand part of Madhya Pradesh experiences frequent drought that
result in adversely affecting both water and crop production in this region. In the present study,
an attempt has been made to assess irrigation water requirement under different rainfall and
cropping pattern in Benisagar command situated in drought prone Rajnagar block of Chhattarpur
district of M.P. The probability analysis of rainfall has been carried out determine rainfall in dry,
average and wet rainfall years. The Cropwat 8.0 software has been used to compute irrigation
requirement for different 10-day periods under variable scenarios of rainfall, efficiencies and
cropping patterns. From the analysis, it has been observed that the design cropping pattern may
require 11.94 Mm3 water which amount to 28.34 Mm3 (70% conveyance and 60% application
efficiency) in average rainfall years. The data related to reservoir inflows and crop water
requirement indicated that the reservoir may not be able to fulfill the complete demand of
designed as well as existing average cropping pattern in dry rainfall years and it is recommended
to increase efficiencies by reduce losses, development of drought warning system and suggest
alternative cropping pattern before showing of crops in dry/drought years.
