10.4.1 If changes in cropping patterns and yields have been noted, outline the main reasons for the changes with particular attention to impacts of the institutional environment.
10.5 Outline mechanisms for beneficiary participation in O&M of irrigation systems.
10.6 Multiple Use of Irrigation Water
10.6.1 List the various other uses of irrigation water at the irrigation-scheme level.
Regulation on ISF for the surface irrigation system requires that ISF is implemented with farmers participation, represented by WUA officials, in assessing the O&M costs of certain irrigation system. The district water service then decides the proportion of the cost to be paid by the farmers by considering the farmers ability to pay and the different quality of water service at different areas within a system. The tariffs of ISF, therefore, vary across systems and across areas within a (large) system. WUAs collect the fee and give it to the government, through District Income Service, which is authorized to use the fee for O&M. Although the principle is that the fee collected in certain systems is for the O&M of the system, no mechanism exists to ensure this, since the discretion for budgeting for irrigation O&M is only in the hands of the government. In general, however, implementation of ISF cannot be considered as a success. In most FMIS, the ISF is not collected and farmer participation is required in the form of labor. In the case of the waterwheel irrigation system, O&M of the system is the full responsibility of the owner. The amount of fee to be paid by farmers and the use of the collected fee are in the hands of the owner. Generally, farmers have to pay the water fee (i.e., 10% of the production) to the waterwheel owners.
Uses of water Check X
Drinking water supply
Bathing/washing clothes X
Watering home gardens
Animal husbandry X
Cottage industry
Fishery/aquaculture X
Other
10.6.2 Describe the existing institutional arrangements to cope with the multiple uses of irrigation water.
10.6.3 Describe how the multiple uses of irrigation water are affecting the performance of irrigated agriculture.
As mentioned above, in some cases the irrigation water is also used for fish culture, animal husbandry and domestic use (particularly for washing and bathing). It should be noted, however, that fish culture is found only in the systems with adequate water supply; and not all farmers in those systems can practice fish culture owing to the same reason. Generally, fish culture is limited to the upstream areas only, over which water supply is adequate.
As a result, downstream areas are often affected by the intensive use of water in the upstream.
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11.1 Enter relevant code: 1=no competition, 2=moderate competition, 3=severe competition, 4=complementary use.
11. Competition for Water in the Basin
Irrigation Domestic Industry Hydro- Navigation Fisheries Waste Recreation Water Aesthetic/ Other
water power disposal quality Environment
control use
Irrigation 2 2 2 3 1 1 2 4 4 1
Domestic water supply 2 1 2 3 1 1 2 1 4 1
Industry 2 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 2
Hydropower 3 3 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 2
Navigation 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 4 1 1
Fisheries 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 1 4 1
Waste disposal 2 2 2 1 2 2 1 2 2 2
Recreation 4 1 2 1 4 4 2 1 4 4
Water-quality protection 4 4 3 2 1 4 3 4 1 4
Aesthetic environmental use 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 4 4 1
11.2 Describe how the competition of water at the basin level affects agricultural water use.
The multiple uses of water at the basin level (refer to Ombilin river only) as described above have reduced water available for irrigated agriculture. Consequently, the number of waterwheels decreased from 366 in 1996 to 184 in 2000, and the serviced area dropped from 549 hectares in 1996 to 333 hectares in 2000.
12. Outline briefly the emerging trends in the scarcity of water.
13. Outline briefly the emerging trends in the inter-sectoral competition of water.
14. Outline briefly the emerging trends in the water quality and environmental-related problems.
15. In the light of the emerging trends in water resources in the basin assess the future of irrigated agriculture in the basin.
16. Summarize the key institutional arrangements that should be in place to enhance the productivity and sustainability of irrigated agriculture in the basin.
One major point raised from the above discussion is that irrigation water use has not been given an equal share in water allocation. As a result, we have seen that the total irrigated land and, in some cases, cropping intensity and yield of irrigated agriculture have declined markedly.
Investigation and discussion over this subject are still underway and we have yet to come out with a set of conclusions and/or recommendations.
Decreased discharge of the Ombilin river has also lowered the quality of water because river discharge is now dominated by the inflow from the Selo river with a very low quality. Downstream of the river, the problem was exacerbated by waste disposed from the coal mining company. The domestic water supply enterprises reported that the costs of water treatment increased by almost double due to the decline in the quality of raw water to be processed. People estimate that a number of fish varieties have disappeared from the river.
As mentioned above, inter-sectoral competition for water use becomes intenser as the new users come up. Since there is no legal provision for inter-sectoral water allocation, the interest of the traditional and less-powerful users tends to be bypassed by bigger and more powerful users. The lack of clear institutions managing water at the basin level causes an unequal distribution and allocation of water among users.