Assessing the Performance of Conveyance System of Jato Small-Scale Irrigation Scheme of Wayu-Tuka District, East Wallaga Zone, Oromia, Ethiopa

Abstract

The performance assessment of a small-scale irrigation project plays a vital role in evaluating its effectiveness and addressing potential shortcomings in achieving desired outcomes. This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Jato small-scale irrigation project, assessing its performance based on various criteria and indicators. The study evaluates the project's infrastructure maintenance and system efficiency. The designed command area of the scheme is seventy-five (75 ha) but the current irrigated area of the scheme is sixty (60ha) only. To achieve the objectives, primary and secondary data were collected. To gather both primary and secondary data, data-gathering techniques include surveys, interviews, field observations, and meteorological data. Before, during, and after an irrigation event, while farmers were carrying out their regular irrigation practices, several field characteristics were measured and/or observed. These data included the type of crop, irrigation water discharge in the canal, and field size. A survey concerning the availability of water was also carried out among farmers. CROPWAT 8.0 Software was used to organize the crop pattern of the study area along with other relevant data, including soil, climate, rain crop, and crop pattern. Water flow measurement results of the Jato small-scale irrigation scheme at the head, middle, and tail of the lined & unlined main canal were found to be 53.6l/s, 45.4 l/s, and 29.9l/s respectively. The average water flow measurement result of the scheme is 43l/s which reduced from required flow by 18.15l/s. From the analyses of the water balance indicators, the canal conveyance efficiency, canal conveyance loss, application efficiency, and overall efficiency were found to be 70%, 30%, 70%, and 50% respectively. The overall average main canal conveyance efficiency and water conveyance loss were below the recommended values. The studies have shown that the effective infrastructure, irrigation ratio, and water surface elevation ratio of the scheme were found to be 66.7%, 80%, and 66% respectively. However, there were certain areas for improvement identified, such as the need for better coordination among project stakeholders and enhanced maintenance practices to ensure the long-term functionality of irrigation infrastructure.