Contents preface (VII) introduction 1—37

6.6. EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE OF CANAL IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
To manage a system properly, the physical effectiveness of past operations must be considered against the original criteria set forth for the project, or as subsequently amended following modification of the facilities. Procedures for acting on the indicators uncovered in evaluation are critical to the financial and operational efficiencies of a system. Priorities for adjustments in the system and scheduling the needed maintenance can best be made by using inputs for timely and proper evaluation reports. Some of the diagnostic analyses that can be considered are (29) :
(i) Farmers operation performance

• 
  adequacy of crop production techniques for irrigated farming including adequacy of supply of inputs such credit, certified seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, etc.
  

• 
  adequacy of irrigation methods
  

• 
  farm management and economic results
  

• 
  soil management and erosion control, and
  

• 
  on-farm efficiency of water use
  

(ii) Delivery operational performance

• 
  water use efficiency in distribution
  

• 
  water losses (physical including evaporation)
  

• 
  project overall water use efficiency
  

MANAGEMENT OF CANAL IRRIGATION IN INDIA

249

• 
  deep percolation
  

• 
  canal seepage
  

• 
  spillage from canals
  

• 
  dam and foundation seepage
  

• 
  water operational losses (such as leakage from gates, etc.)
  

• 
  adequacy of delivery scheduling, and
  

• 
  energy use
  

(iii) Drainage operational performance

• 
  drainage requirement area-wise
  

• 
  water table fluctuations by season and years
  

• 
  water quality changes reach-wise for drain effluents, and
  

• 
  soil salinity changes area-wise
  

(iv) Maintenance of individual components

• 
  civil works (such as for canals, hydraulic structures, drains, building and roads), and
  

• 
  equipment (pumps, hoists, earthmovers, trucks, loaders, computers, measuring devices, gates, office and communication equipment) degradation and prediction of replacement schedule :
  

(v) Overall project review: efficiency and effectiveness

The procedures outlined in paragraph (i) to ( iv) above will facilitate evaluation of the relative performance of various project components and activities, and should show whether poor performance is a technical or managerial problem which could be resolved by internal management processes.
It may be necessary, from time to time, to carry out a more wide-ranging evaluation of the total project, for example, if poor performance is a result of inadequate flow of funds for O & M because of inadequate generation of benefits, or from external economic, social or environmental effects.
Some of the matters which should be highlighted in such a review are :

• 
  documentation of project costs and revenues
  

• 
  adequacy of revenue sources to meet O & M needs
  

• 
  benefit flows from project farmers, governments, and others
  

• 
  comparison of benefits generated to revenue required
  

• 
  relevant agricultural and engineering issues, and
  

• 
  social and environmental changes and concerns and resulting implications