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Advantages of Canal Irrigation:
1. Un-irrigated wastelands can be developed by canal irrigation, which would increase the quantity of biomass in the area.
2. Economic development can be expedited by avoiding dangerous droughts. Dependence on rainfall can be minimized through canal development.
3. Canals are fed by rain water received by rivers, and the water is used for irrigation. Production of crops needing more water is also possible through canals. As compared to un-irrigated soils, higher productivity per hectare is also possible due to canals.
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4. Canal system is a permanent structure, hence only maintenance is required for getting its benefits for a long time.
5. Canals are multi-purpose where apart from irrigation hydro electricity generation, navigation, drinking water supply and fishery development is also done.
6. Groundwater level does not go down on account of canal irrigation, but on the contrary water level increases, which facilitates digging of wells.
7. Canals are also becoming a source of tourist attraction these days.
Disadvantages of Canal Irrigation:
1. Due to imbalance in distribution of canal water, a situation of scarcity somewhere and water logging in other areas is caused due to collection of water there. It makes the soil unproductive as harmful underground salts and alkalies come to the surface level due to water logging. Land can also become marshy there.
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2. Many diseases are caused due to spread of mosquitoes, worms and insects on account of stationary water in canals.
3. Sometimes efficient canal management results in excessive production of crops, due to which the farmers are not able to get suitable price for their product in the market.
4. Due to shortage of water in inundational canals, crops are destroyed for want of water for irrigation.
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5. Regular maintenance of canals is not done, due to which sediments are collected resulting in reduction of capacity of canals.
6. Due to excessive economic investment, it is not practicable to provide canal irrigation to all areas. Construction of canals also takes more time.
7. Many types of social evils are generated in canal areas. Sometimes, disputes arise for water distribution etc. resulting in murders and throwing of dead bodies by the bank of a canal.