Kochi: Transmission loss of water is a term Kerala, facing an acute drought, will have to grapple with now, and the SCMS Water Institute at SCMS School of Engineering, Karutty, has come up with an ultrasonic sensor which can help measure it. The sensor can automatically assess water velocity, water level, depth of water body and quantity of water discharged and help quantify the water loss.
“The real-time measurements along with satellite remote sensing data of the area will help estimate the demand, supply and deficit,” said Dr. Sunny George, director of SCMS Water Institute. “It will be helpful in preparing and implementing an effective water management system. It will also improve water use efficiency in the canal network.”
A recent survey conducted by the students of the institute on various stretches of Chalakudy river diversion canal network revealed that a huge quantity of water is lost mainly through the unlined parts of the canal and unauthorised pumping to nearby areas. The total discharge at Ezhattumugham, where the right bank canal starts, was measured to be 4,700 litres per second while the measurements at Edalakkad junction, about 5.5 km downstream, showed a discharge of 2,000 litres per second. This means about 2,000 litres of water is lost during the transit.
Though the irrigation department has no actual data on the quantity of water transmission loss, an earlier study conducted by the Kerala Agricultural University in Palakakd had found that though targeted efficiency of canal irrigation system is more than 80 per cent, actual efficiency was only 40 to 60 per cent. As per the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, the net irrigated area in the state as on March 31, 2015 is 4.14 lakh hectares.
