Brahamaputra Basin

Brahamaputra Basin
Major and Medium Irrigation Projects of West Bengal:
The development of the irrigation in West Bengal forming part of the Brahmaputra basin is slow.
Only one medium project, namely the Karatowa project was taken up in 1957 to benefit an area of
8.90 Th.ha in the Jalpaiguri district. The project was completed in 1969. Teesta Barrage St - I, St - I Ph
-I is the major Irrigation Project of West Bengal whose command area is falling in both the
Brahmaputra and Ganga. This project is approved by Planning Commission in 1975.
a) Teesta Barrage St-I, Ph-I Subphase I Project (West Bengal): The Teesta barrage project
St-I, Phase-I Subphase I envisages the creation of irrigation potential of 527 Th.ha in six
northern districts namely Darjeeling, Malda, Kochbihar, Jalpaiguri, North Dinajpur and
South Dinajpur. Teesta barrage across river Teesta at Gazoldaba in Jalpaiguri district,
Mahananda barrage at Fulbari in Jalpaiguri district and Dauk barrage across river Dauk at
Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district are the three barrages associated with this irrigation
scheme. CCA of this project is estimated as 342.30 Th.ha.
Major and Medium Irrigation Projects of Assam:
It was only in the later part of the III th 5 year plan some major and medium Irrigation schemes were
undertaken in Assam.At present, major Irrigation projects completed in Assam are namely - Sukla,
Jamuna and Bordikarai Major Irrigation Project. Other major ongoing projects of Assam falling in
Brahmaputra basin are - Dhanisiri Project, Pagladiya and Champamati Irrigation Project. Medium
irrigation projects of Assam include- Kaldiya, Dikharu, Harguti, Longa, Borolia, Pahumara, Bhumki,
Rupahi, and Dekadong irrigation project.
The salient features of these projects are given below:
b) Jamuna Irrigation Project: The Jamuna Irrigation Scheme, the first major irrigation
project of Assam, was commissioned in the year 1969 for providing irrigation facilities to
the command area spread over Karbi-Anglong and Nagaon districts of Assam. GCA, CCA
and annual irrigation of the project are 33.48, 27.7 and 41.01 Th.ha of area respectively.
c) Sukla Irrigation Project: The scheme envisages construction of a weir on the river Sukla
near Naokota in Kamrup district of Assam. The project was commissioned during 1965
and completed in 1978. GCA, CCA and annual irrigation of the project are 22.842, 16.8
and 27.4 Th.ha respectively.
d) Dhanisiri Major Project: This is mainly an Irrigation Project, but it was subsequently
decided to take advantage of the five canal falls to install five powerhouses of 4 MW
each. The project envisages construction of 160 m long diversion barrage at
Bhairabkunda and the main canal takes off from right bank of the barrage. The total
potential created upto March 2011 is 41258 ha against the ultimate irrigation potential
of 83,366 ha.
e) Pagladiya Major Irrigation Project: The project involves construction of an earthen dam
of 26m height over Pagladiya River, a tributary of Brahmaputra, at Thalkuchi village in
Nalbari District of Assam. Pagladia dam project is essentially a flood control and
irrigation project with incidental hydropower generated from the canal release. The
Pagladiya River has been responsible for recurrent floods in the north bank of the
Brahmaputra. Benefits from Pagladiya dam include flood moderation in 40,000 ha area,
annual irrigation benefits to 54,160 ha and incidental power generation by a plant of 3
MW capacities.
www.india-wris.nrsc.gov.in 33