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

Understanding the Polavaram project on the Godavari

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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