ABSTRACT
In demand based irrigation canals, water supplies to the canals depend upon crop water requirements (CWR) in the command area. The CWRs vary throughout the growing season. Hence flows in the canal also remain varying most of the time in order to keep a balance between supplies and demands. Frequent variations in flows have serious implication on canal’s hydrodynamic performance, particularly in automatically controlled irrigation canals. In such circumstances if discharge control algorithms and canal operations are not properly planned then canal’s safety and flow stability comes at stake. The unusual behaviour of any self regulating structure or any automation algorithm can cause troubles in the sustainability of the system.
