Irrigation management

[2] This article discusses organizational forms and means of management of irrigation water at project (system) level.

Scholars such as Julian H. Steward and Karl August Wittfogel have seen the management of irrigation as a crucial factor in the development of many early states (hydraulic empires).

The enterprise type of water management occurred under large landowners or agricultural corporations, but also in centrally controlled societies.

The exploitation of water resources via large storage dams - that often provided electric power as well - and diversion weirs normally remained the responsibility of the government, mainly because environmental protection and safety issues were at stake.

Government subsidies to the water distribution and maintenance reduced to only 6%   See also Irrigation in Mexico#Legal and institutional framework.

As the canals usually transport constant flows, the water is being received during a period of time proportional to the farm size (e.g. every fortnight during 2 hours).

During periods of water scarcity, negotiations are due to regulate the supply or restriction agreements must have been made.

Thus, farmers can irrigate only part of their land or irrigate their crops with a limited amount of water, whereby they may choose between crops with a high consumptive use (e.g. rice, sugarcane, most orchards) or a low consumptive use (e.g. cereals - notably barley, millet, and sorghum - or cotton).

In India, such practice is called protective irrigation,[15] which aims at equal distribution of scarce means and prevention of acute famine.