Groundwater externalities of surface irrigation transfers under national river linking project: Polavaram – Vijayawada link

Polavaram projectThis document published by IWMI and CGIAR describes the details of the Polavaram project, which has been planned by the state of Andhra Pradesh as a multi-purpose project:

  • to provide irrigation benefits to the upland areas
  • to provide a water supply to the industries in Visakhapatnam city, including the Steel Plant, for the generation of hydropower
  • for the development of navigation and recreation facilities.

The project envisages the construction of an earth-cum-rock filled dam that is 1,600 m long across the Godavari River at Polavaram, and about 42 km upstream of the Godavari Barrage at Dowlaiswaram.

This paper describes:

  • The P-V link command area features
    • Climate and topography
    • Geo-hydrological conditions
  • Agriculture and irrigation
    • Land use
    • Groundwater irrigation and conditions
    • Cropping pattern
  • Crop yields and net returns
  • Groundwater model studies: prognosis of change
  • Expected crop production benefits from P-V Link
  • Sustainability issues of the P-V link command
    • Groundwater irrigation
    • Waterlogging and soil salinity
  • Recommended agriculture strategy under the P-V Link
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