Lower Bari Doab Canal

The Lower Bari Doab Canal is part of the second largest irrigation system of the Punjab, Pakistan[1] serving approximately 275,000 farmsteads.[2] It is located south west of Lahore and runs alongside the River Ravi.[3]

History

Lower Bari Doab Canal was commissioned in 1914, off-taking from Balloki Barrage whereas the barrage itself was constructed in 1911-13.[4] The canal was remodeled in 1985-88 and then again in 2014-18.[5] The canal was formally inaugurated by Governor of the Punjab Sir William Malcolm Hailey on 12 April 1912. Subsidiary canal off-taking from the main canal were designed by Sir Ganga Ram to irrigate his 50,000 acres of land in Sahiwal district of the Punjab.[6] Sir Ganga Ram incidentally also built a power station on the main canal near the town of Renala Khurd in 1925. The power station had 5 generators delivering a total of 1.1 mega watt electricity.

Current Status

Lower Bari Doab Canal

The canal has been rehabilitated as part of a mega project funded by the Asian Development Fund[7] and implemented by the Lower Bari Doab Canal Improvement Project of the Punjab Irrigation Department in 2014-18. The 201 km long canal along with 2,264 km of distribution channels irrigates 700,000 hectares of land of Okara, Pakpattan, Sahiwal and Khanewal districts.[8] The remodeling project also enhanced the flood management of the Balloki Barrage from 2,25,000 cusecs to 2,60,000 cusecs.

References

  1. "Impact of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Practices on Cotton Production and Livelihood of Farmers in Punjab, Pakistan". Research Gate.
  2. "Lower Bari Doab Canal Improvement Project - LBDCIP". lbdcip.irrigation.punjab.gov.pk. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  3. "The Project Map - Lower Bari Doab Canal Improvement Project (LBDCIP)". lbdcip.irrigation.punjab.gov.pk. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  4. "Punjab Irrigated Agriculture Investment Program" (PDF). Asian Development Bank.
  5. Mehmood, Amjad (3 July 2017). "Lower Bari Doab Canal project operational". Dawn.
  6. Rashid, Salman (1 April 2015). "Lower Bari Doab Canal, Boundless Magnanimity". Salman Rashid Blog.
  7. "Punjab Irrigated Agriculture Investment Program" (PDF). Asian Development Fund.
  8. Mehmood, Amjad (3 July 2017). "Lower Bari Doab Canal project operational". Dawn.
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