DEPARTMENTAL HISTORY

The Water Resources Department (formerly known as Irrigation Department) has a glorious history of Irrigation over last 150 years. The state of Maharashtra come into existence in the year 1960 after bifurcation of old Bombay State into Maharashtra and Gujrat. In the year 1960 the Public Works Department was divided into Irrigation Department and Building and Communication Department. Since 26 October 2004 Irrigation Department is known as Water Resources Department. Before existence of Maharashtra State, for three parts of the state(Mumbai, Pune, Nashik), three irrigation acts were in existence. For western Maharashtra Bombay irrigation Act 1879, for Vidarbha, Central provisions Act 1931 and for Marathwada, Hydrabad irrigation act was in existence. After Maharashtra State came into existence, new irrigation act was formed for all Maharashtra on 5 August 1976.

The geographical area of the Maharashtra state is 30.8 Million hectars (Mha), with cultivable area of @ 22.5 Mha. Irrigation is a key element for agricultural sector. The state has achieved a landmark in irrigation potential creation. During the formation of Maharashtra state irrigation potential was 3.86 lakh ha. Now final expected ,the irrigation potential of the state is 12.6 Mha, of which 8.5 Mha is from surface water and 4.1 Mha will create from ground water sources. As of June 2010 total surface irrigation potential in the state is 4.6 Mha. Out of total water used in the state about 80% goes to irrigation, 12% domestic water supplies, 4% for industrial use and remaining for other uses such as live stock and hydro & thermal power. Majority of the population of Maharashtra State is dependent on agriculture & allied activities. It is therefore agriculture & allied activities play an important role in the state economy. Adequate, timely and guaranteed irrigation is of para mouth importance in agriculture production.

The average yearly rainfall in the state varies from 400 to 6000 mm, The average rainfall for the state as a whole is 1067mm, & the major portion of the rainfall is received during the monsoon (June to September). And most of the rainfall occurs in just 40 to 100 days.

Maharashtra has old tradition of irrigation. The phad system still exists & has started 300-350 years back in Maharashtra which is a most economical method of management of irrigation water. The lion’s share in the evolution of canal irrigation system in Maharashtra goes to Sir Visvesvaraya. He carried out the study of phad irrigation system. By taking up the causative factors which lead to success of it, he put forth the concept of block system. For the first time in 1904 on Neera canals, we started practicing block system.

In recent times, the Maharashtra state is pioneer in Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM). There are successful examples of WUA in various parts of the State, first W.U.A. was formed in 1984 with the is background, Maharashtra Government has made it mandatory to the irrigation beneficiaries to form WUA. At present for irrigation purpose 79 major, 249 medium & 3004 minor irrigation projects are completed by Water Resources Department

Malgujari Tanks in Vidarbha were constructed near two centuries back. Dams like khadakwasla, Darna, Bhandardara were constructed before 1926. Radhanagari dam in Kolhapur district was constructed by the then ruler of Kolhapur state and water is released from this dam into the river and stored in series of Weirs (popularly known as KT weirs) constructed on the rivers. The weirs construction so are popularly known as KT weirs (Kolhapur Type weirs).