CANALWATER MANAGEMENT: CASE STUDY OF UPPER CHENAB CANAL IN PAKISTAN y A. S. SHAKIR * , N. M. KHAN AND M. M. QURESHI Department of Civil Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan ABSTRACT Increasing world population requires that crop production from irrigated areas needs to be enhanced by as much as 40% by the year 2025. This necessitates that the canal water management system be revisited and possible improvements suggested and implemented. The daily reference evapotranspiration for the Upper Chenab Canal (UCC) is estimated using the Penmann–Monteith equation 2000. Meteorological data of Sialkot station has been employed on a daily basis for a period of 8 years (1999–2006). The crop water requirements have been estimated using reference evapotranspiration, crop coefficients and cropping periods for different crops cultivated according to existing cropping pattern. Crop staggering has also been incorporated into the study. The comparison of actual canal water supplies and crop water requirements indicated an annual shortage of more than 40%, which may reduce slightly if allocated water supplies according to the Water Apportionment Accord 1991 can be ensured. The maximum deficit is 320 m 3 s 1 and occurs in the month of August. This shortfall is normally met by pumping low- quality groundwater, which is increasing secondary salinity in the area. Possible options for better water management in the UCC command area to optimize crop yields are presented, and it is recommended to look into demand side management including canal lining and on-farm water management practices. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. key words: reference evapotranspiration; gross irrigation water requirements; canal water management; Upper Chenab Canal Received 31 January 2009; Revised 17 September 2009; Accepted 17 September 2009 RE ´ SUME ´ L’accroissement de la population mondiale exige que la production des cultures irrigue ´es augmente de 40% d’ici l’an 2025. Cela ne ´cessite que la gestion des eaux des canaux soit revue et que les ame ´liorations possibles soient propose ´es et mises en œuvre. L’e ´vapotranspiration de re ´fe ´rence quotidienne pour Canal Haut Chenab (UCC) est estime ´e en utilisant l’e ´quation Penmann–Monteith 2000. Les donne ´es me ´te ´orologiques sur la base quotidienne de la station de Sialkot pour une pe ´riode de huit ans (1999 a ` 2006) ont e ´te ´ employe ´es. Les besoins en eau des cultures ont e ´te ´ estime ´s en utilisant l’e ´vapotranspiration de re ´fe ´rence (ET sz ), les coefficients de culture et les pe ´riodes ve ´ge ´tatives des diffe ´rentes cultures selon l’assolement existant. L’e ´chelonnement des cultures a aussi e ´te ´ incorpore ´ dans l’e ´tude. La comparaison de l’alimentation re ´elle du canal avec les besoins en eau des cultures a indique ´ une pe ´nurie annuelle de plus de 40%. Cet e ´cart est le ´ge `rement re ´duit en conside ´rant une allocation selon l’Accord de 1991. Le de ´ficit maximal est de 320 m 3 /s, et se produit au cours du mois d’aou ˆt. Ce de ´ficit est normalement compense ´ par un pompage d’eau souterraine de mauvaise qualite ´, ce qui augmente la salinite ´ secondaire dans la re ´gion. Les options possibles sont pre ´sente ´es visant a ` meilleure gestion des eaux dans la zone du canal UCC pour optimiser le rendement des cultures; il est recommande ´ de de ´velopper la gestion a ` la demande, le reve ˆtement du IRRIGATION AND DRAINAGE Irrig. and Drain. 59: 76–91 (2010) Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI: 10.1002/ird.556 *Correspondence to: A. S. Shakir, Chairman and Professor of Civil Engineering Department, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan. E-mail: shakir@uet.edu.pk y Gestion des eaux d’un canal: e ´tude de cas du canal Haut-Chenab au Pakistan Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.