'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1904-1905' [‎154r] (83/116)

1904-1905.]
IRRIGATION.
59
Deccan and Gujarat.
Northern Division*
The rainfall during the year being only about one-third of the average, there was
practically no discharge in the Hathmati and KMri Rivers after July and very little irrigation
was possible, the area irrigated and assessed revenue on the two systems, as compared with
the average of the previous ten years, being as shown in the following statement: —
\ Name of Works.
1904-05.
Average of past 10 years.
Area irrigated.
Gross assessed
Revenue.
Area irrigate 1.
Gross assessed
Revenue.
Acres.
Rs.
Acres.
Rs.
H&thmati Canal
51
626
2,482
6,596
Khari Cut
47
1,682
1,959
8,568
The area commanded by Khari sluices suffers chronically from deficient water-supply and
excellent rice lands lie fallow, though two or three floods may pass down the river in years of
average rainfall. Several schemes for impounding the flood water have therefore been under
consideration in recent years. One storage reservoir has already been constructed at Goblaj,
another is under construction at Behrfii, and sites for two more near Malfirpura are being
examined and surveyed. When these reservoirs are all constructed, it is hoped that the whole
rice area will be efficiently protected.
The work of removing the u Ghd Bajeria ” weed from the bed of the Khari River was
continued during the year. A channel, 20 feet wide, has been cleared of the weeds for a length
of 27 miles and it is anticipated that a heavy flood will more or less exterminate the weed from
the other parts of the river bed.
The Tranzd, Wangroli and Savli tanks in Kaira District and the Muv&lia tank in Ranch
Mah&ls, which are designed to protect jointly an area of 7,000 acres of kharif, were in progress
and a sum of Rs. 86,000 was spent on them.
Sixty-one old second-class tanks were repaired and 8 improved at a total cost of Rs. 70,000.
A preliminary survey was carried out fdr a canal from the Mahi River. The canal will
probably be 63 miles in length and is roughly estimated to protect 30,000 acres of rice and
10,000 acres of rabi.
A survey for a large reservoir in the upper reaches of the Sabarmati, roughly estimated to
hold 20,000 million cubic feet of water, was commenced, but the preparation of the project has
been suspended until it is known to what extent the Native States concerned (Baroda and Mahi
Kantha) are willing to participate in the scheme.
A systematic survey of small tanks in the Surat and Broach District was in progress and a
number of small tanks in the Ranch Mahfils were investigated with a view to ascertain which of
them can be converted into irrigation tanks.
To relieve distress in the Matar and Mehemadabad Tfilukas of the Kaira District, 8 tank
works were opened and were in progress either as test or relief works. The total expenditure
incurred on them was Rs. 33,500.
Central Division.
(a).—Nature and purpose of any large works which have been undertaken
or were in progress during the year.
Poona Irrigation District.
The work of providing automatic sluices for the waste weir at Lake Fife was practically
completed during the year, the total expenditure to the end of the year being Rs. 4,46,459.
Before the erection of these gates the waste weir consisted of 12 regulating sluices, each
10'x 7', in addition to 1,226 feet of open weir. It was the practice in former years at the end
of the monsoon to store an additional supply of 5'-0" depth by means of a temporary weir of
teak planks fixed in iron standards. This arrangement was considered to be unsafe and was
certainly unsatisfactory as the supply could not be properly controlled. In order, therefore, to
remove the element of risk to the dam and to make sure of a fixed instead of a varying storage,
the weir has now been provided with 11 sets of automatic sluices, each set consisting of 8 gates
each 10' x 8'.
• The extra storage impounded above the sill of waste weir, which has been lowered 21 feet,
is 1,244 million cubic feet or 46 per cent, of the available storage of the Reservoir and 162
million more than could under the most favourable circumstances be stored with the plank weir.
The average loss of storage on account of the difficulties involved in putting up the plank weir
has been found to be 200 million cubic feet, so that the total increase of storage due to the
gates may be taken at 362 million cubic feet.
Nasik and Ahmednagar Irrigation District.
The masonry dam at Chankapur in the Kalwan Taluka of the Nasik District intended to
store water in order to bring a large tract of land under irrigation by a new canal—the Girna
Left Bank Canal—and to extend irrigation on the old existing bandharas, was in progress
during the year. The foundations for the dam were reached with great difficulty, being
ultimately obtained at 22 feet below the original estimated level in the river bed. A considerable
Chap. IV.
PRODUCTION
AND
DISTRIBUTION.
Hathmati and Khclri
Cub Canals.
Kliari sluices.
New tanks in Kaira
and Pauch Mahals
District.
Old tanks.
Survey and projects.
Famine Relief
Works.