Intensity of Irrigation-Gross and Culturable Commanded Area of Cropping

Cropping Intensity of Irrigation purposes

The intensity of irrigation is the percentage of the culturable commanded area proposed to be irrigated during either a crop season or during a year. The cropping intensity of irrigation can be more than 100%.The efficiency in irrigation is described here

1.Gross Commanded Area (G.C.A)

GCA- The Total area lying between drainage boundaries which can be commanded or irrigated by a canal system .Area divided into no.of watersheds and drainage valleys.

Canal usually runs on the watershed and water can flow from it on both sides, due to gravitational action only up to drainage boundaries

The particular area lying under the canal system, the irrigation can be done only up to the drainage boundaries.

2.Culturable Commanded Area

G.C.A = C.C.A + Unculturable area

GCA contains unfertile barren land, alkaline soil, local ponds, villages and other areas as habitation.Remaining area on which crops can be grown satisfactorily is known as culturable commanded area.

Culturable Cultivated Area

The area in which crop is grown at a particular time or crop season

Culturable Uncultivated Area

The area in which crop is not sown in a particular season

Such area is kept under no cultivation due to :

• To increase the fertility of soil which has been reduced due to intense cultivation
• To provide pasture land for animals
• Crop to be sown in that land has a different crop season
• Protect the land from the possible danger of waterlogging

If C.C.A of an irrigation field is 120 hectares, out of which 90 hectares of the land is cultivated during Kharif season and 60 hectares of land is cultivated during rabi season

The intensity of irrigation during Kharif season will be =(90/120)* 100= 75%

Intensity of irrigation during rabi crop will be = (60/120)*100 =50%

Yearly Cropping intensity = 75+ 50=120%