**2.3 The modern irrigation system in Punjab and Sindh**

The development of the existing modern Indus irrigation system started in the mid of nineteenth century during the British rule. Food demand and British economic interests in the agricultural products specifically cotton were a major driving force for the development of an extensive agriculture system in British India. A large number of inundation canals originating from the Indus River system were remodeled [24]. To ensure the water supply in cropland of Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), several permanent headworks were constructed. The construction of Marala Headworks started on Chenab River in 1887 to irrigate the Upper Rachna Doab through Upper Chenab Canal, whereas, in 1890, Chenab water diverted to Sandal Bar from Lower Chenab Canal. In 1897, Rasul Headworks were constructed on the Jhelum River to feed the Lower Jhelum Canal to irrigate the agricultural land in the Chaj Doab [21]. In 1902, Madhopur Headworks were completed on the Ravi River to provide water for agriculture to the Upper Bari Doab. Furthermore, the Triple Canal Project was designed and sanctioned in 1905. It was the first project to transfer the river water from one to another river. A gateregulated canal, the Upper Jhelum Canal, was designed to provide irrigation water to almost 139,212 ha per annum on its way from Mangla to Khanki. The construction work of the canal was completed in 1917 and drained its water into Chenab River in the upstream of the Khanki Barrage of Lower Chenab Canal. The second canal was the Upper Chenab Canal, originating 58 km upstream of Khanki from Marala Barrage, designed to irrigate almost 262,236.7 ha of cropland on its way from Marala to Balloki. The canal opened for irrigational purposes in 1912, and its water drained into the Ravi River above Balloki Headworks. The third canal, the Lower Bari Doab canal, originated from a 0.5 km long weir on the Ravi River near Balloki and irrigated almost 354,910 ha of lands in Montgomery District (Sahiwal) and Multan. It was one of the major irrigational projects executed during the British Era [24].

**85**

*Vulnerability of Environmental Resources in Indus Basin after the Development of Irrigation…*

After the First World War, the British Government decided to remodel the pre-existing inundation canals along with the construction of new canals to irrigate the parched areas of Sutlej Valley in 1921. The project was aimed to provide perennial water supply to the inundation canals after remodeling them by controlling the river water with the help of barrages along with irrigating more and more areas of land. Construction of four barrages along with 11 canals on the Sutlej River was completed in 1933 to convert the arid land into cropland. The Ferozepur Barrage with three non-perennial canals, namely, Bikaner Canal, Eastern Canal, and Dipalpur Canal, was constructed near Ferozepur to irrigate cultivated areas of Bikaner State, Ferozepur district, northeastern areas of the Bahawalpur State, and Lahore and Montgomery (Sahiwal) Districts. Sulemanki Barrage with three perennial canals, namely, Eastern Sidiqia Canal, Fordwah Canal, and Pakpattan Canal, was constructed to irrigate some areas of the Bahawalpur State. Furthermore, Islam Barrage was constructed in Tehsil Hasilpur with three non-perennial canals, namely, Mailsi Canal, Qaimpur Canal, and Bahawal Canal, irrigating about 577,892 ha of cropland. After the confluence of Sutlej River and Chenab, Panjnad Barrage was constructed with a perennial canal (Abbasia Canal) and a nonperennial canal (Panjnad Canal) to irrigate 44,920 ha and 541,875 ha of cropland, respectively [24]. In 1922, Maharaja Ganga Singh constructed a canal to irrigate the

Bikaner State originating from the left bank of the Sutlej River [25].

The Sukkur Barrage Project was the first-ever barrage to be built on the Indus River sanctioned in 1923 and completed in 1932 with seven canals [26]. The Trimmu Barrage with three canals was constructed on the Chenab River below the confluence of the Jhelum River during 1937–1939. It was the last barrage completed before the start of the Second World War. During the partition of subcontinent, the construction of Jinnah Barrage and Kotri Barrage on the Indus River was in progress. At that time, the Bhakra Dam was also under construction on the Sutlej River. Jinnah Barrage was completed in 1947, and Kotri Barrage was completed in 1955 [21].

Due to the partition of India and Pakistan, Ferozepur and Madhupur Headworks became the part of India, which triggered the Indus water dispute. India cut off the water supplies of Upper Bari Doab canal and made all of the downstream irrigation activities impossible to be carried out. In this situation of water scarcity, Pakistan immediately constructed Bombanwali-Ravi-Bedian (BRB) Link Canal to provide water supply to irrigate the Upper Bari Doab. It was a 164 km canal originating from Upper Chenab Canal and moving southward to Bedian. India also constructed two main canals from Sutlej River in order to divert the water of the river from flowing downstream into Pakistan. To maintain the water level in Sutlej River, the Balloki-Sulemanki Link canal was constructed from Balloki Headworks on Ravi River to Sulemanki Headworks on the Sutlej River. Both the BRB canal and Balloki-Sulemanki canals were completed within a duration of 3 years (1951–1954). Before the war of 1965, another canal named Marala-Ravi Link was constructed having a length of 101 km to add additional water in Ravi River from the Chenab River. In the Sindh Province, construction of Guddu Barrage on the Indus River started in 1957 and was completed in 1963. The aim of this project was to remodel the upper inundation canals in the Sindh area into perennial canals to increase the area under cultivation in Sindh and Balochistan, and it was designed to keep 1.13 million hectares of land irrigated throughout the year. Later on, Kotri Barrage was completed to ensure the supply to the inundation canals in the southern parts of Sindh. Both the Guddu and Kotri Barrage accounted for the conversion of a large deserted area

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86722*

**2.4 Post-partition developments**

### *Vulnerability of Environmental Resources in Indus Basin after the Development of Irrigation… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.86722*

After the First World War, the British Government decided to remodel the pre-existing inundation canals along with the construction of new canals to irrigate the parched areas of Sutlej Valley in 1921. The project was aimed to provide perennial water supply to the inundation canals after remodeling them by controlling the river water with the help of barrages along with irrigating more and more areas of land. Construction of four barrages along with 11 canals on the Sutlej River was completed in 1933 to convert the arid land into cropland. The Ferozepur Barrage with three non-perennial canals, namely, Bikaner Canal, Eastern Canal, and Dipalpur Canal, was constructed near Ferozepur to irrigate cultivated areas of Bikaner State, Ferozepur district, northeastern areas of the Bahawalpur State, and Lahore and Montgomery (Sahiwal) Districts. Sulemanki Barrage with three perennial canals, namely, Eastern Sidiqia Canal, Fordwah Canal, and Pakpattan Canal, was constructed to irrigate some areas of the Bahawalpur State. Furthermore, Islam Barrage was constructed in Tehsil Hasilpur with three non-perennial canals, namely, Mailsi Canal, Qaimpur Canal, and Bahawal Canal, irrigating about 577,892 ha of cropland. After the confluence of Sutlej River and Chenab, Panjnad Barrage was constructed with a perennial canal (Abbasia Canal) and a nonperennial canal (Panjnad Canal) to irrigate 44,920 ha and 541,875 ha of cropland, respectively [24]. In 1922, Maharaja Ganga Singh constructed a canal to irrigate the Bikaner State originating from the left bank of the Sutlej River [25].

The Sukkur Barrage Project was the first-ever barrage to be built on the Indus River sanctioned in 1923 and completed in 1932 with seven canals [26]. The Trimmu Barrage with three canals was constructed on the Chenab River below the confluence of the Jhelum River during 1937–1939. It was the last barrage completed before the start of the Second World War. During the partition of subcontinent, the construction of Jinnah Barrage and Kotri Barrage on the Indus River was in progress. At that time, the Bhakra Dam was also under construction on the Sutlej River. Jinnah Barrage was completed in 1947, and Kotri Barrage was completed in 1955 [21].
