Majalgaon
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The Majalgaon (sometimes spelt as Mazalgaon) irrigation area is part of the Jayakwadi scheme (2400 km²), one of the largest irrigation areas in Maharashtra. The limited water resources have reduced the first stage irrigation area to 580 km², although it is planned to ultimately irrigate 1190 km².
The first phase of the scheme was financed by the World Bank and began in the 1970s. Its main components were:
- an earthen dam of 454 Mm³ capacity. This is partly supplied by water from the upstream part of the Jayakwadi area;
- a main canal (the Majalgaon right bank canal) with a head discharge of 83 m³/s. This canal transports water over a distance of 100 km to supply more than 50 branches or secondary canals with discharges varying from 9 m³/s to less than 200 l/s. Apart from the head structure, the main canal has nine cross regulators consisting of two or three radial gates.
- networks of distribution canals which ensure that the water is transported to the irrigation units, which vary from 50,000 to 400,000 m².
The main and secondary canals (design discharge over 500 l/s) have been lined in order to reduce water losses.