Role of Remote Sensing Inputs in Feasibility Assessment of Proposed Irrigation Projects

Availability of Water resources is not uniform in space and time resulting in deficient and surplus areas. In India, the idea of interlinking of river is proposed for many years to transfer water from surplus regions to water deficient areas. Ken-Betwa river link proposes to transfer 659 MCM of surplus waster from Ken basin to Betwa basin in order to utilise for irrigation and water supply by constructing new projects. Before taking up any new projects feasibility assessment studies are essential. In this context, satellite remote sensing plays vital role in providing required information for the feasibility assessment studies. The processes involved in deriving the satellite based information are explained with Ken-Betwa case study. Using this satellite derived information reservoir submergence analysis and irrigation command analysis were described for one proposed dam site namely Neemkheda. The results of the analysis provide the decision makers to arrive at selection of suitable sites among the proposed dam sites and the final reservoir levels and area that can be irrigated under its command.