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, India.
The first phase of the scheme was financed by the World Bank and began in the 1970s. Limited water resources have reduced the first stage irrigation area to 580 km², although it is planned to ultimately irrigate 1190 km². 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.
