Mekelle university

EIT-M
School of Civil Engineering
PG, Year – I, Hydraulic Engineering and Irrigation Engineering, Semester-II, 2020
Hydraulic structures - II & Design of diversion and canal structures
Chapter Three
Tutorial on “design of Irrigation Canals” [Stable channels & economics of canal lining]
Problem1. Design an trapezoidal irrigation channel in a non-erodible material to
carry a discharge of 24cumecs when the maximum permissible velocity is 0.8m/s.
Assume bed slope of 1 in 5000, side slope = 1:1 and Chezy’s constant, C = 44.
Solution
The trapezoidal irrigation channel with the side slope of V: H (1:1) and let B = bed
width, D = depth of water;

Step - 1: Cross sectional area (A):

→Cross sectional area, A= [1/2(mD*D)*2] + (BD) A=BD+mD2, and
m=H/V 1/1 1.0, so, the A=BD+mD2 or A= (B+D) D

→And also, from discharge (Q) and velocity (V),

Step - 2: Wetted perimeter ( ):

Since, A=30m2 ( )
→Wetted perimeter=2[(mD2) + (D2)] 0.5+ (B) √
Step - 3: Hydraulic mean depth, (R):
Since, A=30m2 ( ) and

→Hydraulic mean depth,

Then, to find specific value of R, we have to use Chezy’s formula, √

where, S=1/5000 0.0002, C=44, V=0.8m/s, so √

Step - 4: Width and depth, (B & D):

Having A=30m2, and R=1.65 and also R=A/P
( )

Then, solving the equation in quadratic;

And Answer of the problem.

HWRE Page 1 of 6
 Mekelle university
EIT-M
School of Civil Engineering
PG, Year – I, Hydraulic Engineering and Irrigation Engineering, Semester-II, 2020
Hydraulic structures - II & Design of diversion and canal structures
Chapter Three
Tutorial on “design of Irrigation Canals” [Stable channels & economics of canal lining]
Problem 2. An unlined canal giving a seepage loss of 3.3 m3/s per million m2 of
wetted area is proposed to be lined with 10 cm thick cement concrete lining, which
costs 64.5 Br. per 10 m2. Given the following data, workout the economics of lining
and benefit cost ratio.
Annual revenue per m3/s of water from all crops 125,448 Br.
Discharge in the channel 83.5 m3/s
Area of the channel 40.8 m2
Wetted perimeter of the channel 18.8 m
Wetted perimeter of the lining 18.5 m
Annual maintenance cost of unlined channel per 10 m2 0.358 Br.
Assume additional suitable data, if required

Solution
Step - 1: Wetted area of the surface per km, (Aw):
First let us consider 1 km reach or length of canal.
→Wetted area of the surface per km (Aw) = Wetted perimeter of the channel
(Pw)*(Canal length or reach) 18.8m*1km 18.8m*1000m 18,800m2
Aw=18,800m2

Step - 2: Total annual benefits per 1km length or reach of the canal, (B):

→B = Annual revenue saved per km of channel (ARS) + annual saving in

maintenance charges

I). Annual revenue saved per km of channel, (ARS):

Seepage loss in unlined canal = estimated seepage loss of the unlined
canal per million m2* Aw
But, estimated seepage loss of the unlined canal is at 3.3 m3/s per million
m2 which is given and Aw=18,800m2, then
Seepage loss in unlined canal =

Seepage loss in lined canal = estimated seepage loss of the lined canal
per million m2* Aw

HWRE Page 2 of 6
 Mekelle university
EIT-M
School of Civil Engineering
PG, Year – I, Hydraulic Engineering and Irrigation Engineering, Semester-II, 2020
Hydraulic structures - II & Design of diversion and canal structures
Chapter Three
Tutorial on “design of Irrigation Canals” [Stable channels & economics of canal lining]
But, estimated seepage loss of the lined canal is assumed as 0.01 m3/s
per million m2 which is minimum and Aw=18,800m2, then
Seepage loss in lined canal =

And,

Net saving in seepage loss = seepage loss in unlined canal - seepage

loss in lined canal

Therefore,

↔ARS = Net saving * Annual revenue per m3/s of water from all crops

* 7759 Br.
II). Annual saving in maintenance charge:
Since, annual maintenance cost of unlined channel for 10 m2 = 0.358 Br.
And Aw=18,800m2
Then, annual maintenance charge for unlined channel = annual
maintenance cost of unlined channel for 10 m2 * Aw (0.358/10)
*18,800 673.04 Br.
And, also assume that 40% of this is saved in lined channel, then
Annual saving in maintenance charges in lined canal = assumed % of
saved in lined channel * annual maintenance charge for unlined channel
0.4 x 673.04 Br. 269.23 Br.
→Total annual benefits per km, (B) = ARS + Annual saving in maintenance charges
in lined canal 7759 + 269.23 = 8028.22Br.
Step - 3: Annual Costs, (C):
→Total annual cost, (C) = Depreciation cost + Average annual interest
I). Depreciation cost:
Depreciation cost = (Cost of lining per km of channel) / (life of canal lining)
Cost of lining per km of channel = (Aw of lining * cost of lining)
But, Aw of lining per km of channel = 18.5*1000 18500m2 then,
Cost of lining per km of channel at 64.5 Br. per 10 m2 =
Br.
Assume life of canal lining as 40 years.

HWRE Page 3 of 6
 Mekelle university
EIT-M
School of Civil Engineering
PG, Year – I, Hydraulic Engineering and Irrigation Engineering, Semester-II, 2020
Hydraulic structures - II & Design of diversion and canal structures
Chapter Three
Tutorial on “design of Irrigation Canals” [Stable channels & economics of canal lining]
Depreciation cost Br.

II). Average annual interest:

Average annual interest = 0.5*(cost of lining per km of channel)*(rate of
interest)
Assume 5% rate of interest (r) and then,

Average annual interest ( ) ( ) Br.

→ C = Depreciation cost + Average annual interest 2983 + 2983 5966 Br.

Step - 4: B/C ratio:

→Benefit cost ratio 1

B/C Ratio is more than unity (1), and hence, the canal lining is justified or
feasible. Answer of the problem.
Problem 3. An existing unlined channel is having the following dimensions:
Bottom width 1.52 m
Side slopes 1.5: 1
Depth of flow 0.91 m
Bed slope 0.0006
It is proposed to line this channel for the same discharging capacity. Find out
the dimensions of the lined channel and work out the economics of the
concrete lining, if following data are given:
Length of irrigation season 150 days
Saving in seepage loss by lining the cannel 1.5% per km
Cost of water 54 Br. per ha. m
Cost of concrete lining 5.7 Br. per m2
Cost of reshaping and trimming canal 1.4 Br. per m2
Life of lining 40 years
Interest rate (r) 7%
Maintenance and operational cost (per km per year)
 For unlined canals in earth 358 c
 For concrete lined canals 72 Br.
 Other additional benefits 125 Br.
Assume any other necessary data, if not given.

HWRE Page 4 of 6
 Mekelle university
EIT-M
School of Civil Engineering
PG, Year – I, Hydraulic Engineering and Irrigation Engineering, Semester-II, 2020
Hydraulic structures - II & Design of diversion and canal structures
Chapter Three
Tutorial on “design of Irrigation Canals” [Stable channels & economics of canal lining]

Solution
→Let us first of all workout the lined channel section which is required to pass
the same discharge as is being passed by the given unlined channel.
Step - 1: Draw existing unlined canal section:

Step - 2: A, P and R:
P = 4.801m, A = 2.62m2, and R = A/P 0.546m
Step - 3: Velocity (V) and discharge (Q) of unlined channel:
Assume n for unlined channel = 0.025 and using Manning's formula

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) , And

Step - 4: Water depth, Wetted area and perimeter of lining, (y, Aw & Pw):
In a lined channel, the water will flow more rapidly and the depth of flow
will be less for the same discharge. Assume n for lined channel= 0.014.
If y is the water depth in channel and P is the perimeter of lining, then
Discharge, Q through lined channel is given by:

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) …..Manning's formula

( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )

y = 0.67m, by trial and error.

And, if we use 0.15 m as free-board, then Pw and Aw:
Wetted perimeter, Pw = 1.52 + 2 x 1.8 x 0.82 1.52 + 2.95 4.47 m

HWRE Page 5 of 6
 Mekelle university
EIT-M
School of Civil Engineering
PG, Year – I, Hydraulic Engineering and Irrigation Engineering, Semester-II, 2020
Hydraulic structures - II & Design of diversion and canal structures
Chapter Three
Tutorial on “design of Irrigation Canals” [Stable channels & economics of canal lining]
Wetted area, Aw per km of lined channel = 4.47m x 1000m 4,470 m2

Step - 5: Designed lined canal section:

Step - 6: B/C ratio:

I). Annual Benefits, (B):
( )
Seasonal flow for 150 days

Saving in seasonal seepage loss per km = 1.5% of flow

Money saved in seepage loss per km Birr

Saving in maintenance charges =358 Birr-72 Birr = 286 Birr
B = Money saved + saving in maintenance + other benefits 1801 +
286+ 125 2212 Br.
II). Annual Costs, (C):
Cost of lining per km of channel @ 5.7 Birr per sq. m = 5.7 Birr x 4,470 =
25,479 Birr

Annual depreciation charges

Annual interest charges ( )

C = 637 + 892 = 1529 Birr

B/C
Finally, B/C is sufficiently greater than unity (1), and hence, the lining is
justified or feasible. Answer of the problem.

HWRE Page 6 of 6