Question

What are the major disadvantages of canal irrigation?

Answer 1

1. Waterlogging: Continuous or excessive supply from perennial (unlined) canals can raise the water table to the surface, saturating soils and turning cultivable land into swamps.
2. Salinization/alkalinity: Where the water table stays near the surface, salts are brought up into the root zone as water evaporates, eventually making soil unproductive.
3. Excess/poorly‑managed water use (infertility over time): Overirrigation or uncontrolled distribution can render land infertile in the long run.
4. High construction and maintenance costs: Building dams, barrages, and extensive canal networks requires large capital outlay and ongoing maintenance.
5. Loss of cultivable land and local disruption: Canals and their banks occupy land that could otherwise be cropped, and nearby areas may suffer reduced soil fertility if drainage is inadequate.
6. Seasonal limitation for non‑perennial canals: Canals that depend on seasonal floods or monsoons are unreliable in dry periods and less useful than perennial systems.