Assessment of irrigation management transfer: A case study of Meric-Ergene Basin in Turkey

Abstract

Irrigation schemes have begun to transfer to Water User Associations (WUAs), due to the problems such as high operation and maintenance costs and insufficient fund. In Turkey, State Hydraulic Works (DSI) transferred approximately 79% management of irrigation schemes to the different water users by the year 2009. This study examines the process of Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) in Turkey using the case study of Kuplu. Altinyazi-Karasaz and Kayalikoy irrigation schemes in Thrace region. Three stages pre-IMT (1990-1993), passing-IMT (1996-1999) and after-IMT (2000-2003) were carried out and the temporal variations of physical and economic performance indicators were assessed. The results showed that considerable increases improvements were recorded in Irrigation Ratio (IR), Fee Collection (FC) and Financial Self-Sufficiency (FSS) indicators with irrigation management transfer, only Sustainable Irrigation Area (SI A) was not changed. With the IMT, IR increased from 32 to 46% and from 56 to 58% in Kayalikoy and Altinyazi-Karasaz irrigation schemes, respectively. On the other hand, IR decreased from 45 to 20% in Kuplu irrigation scheme. FC ratio increased from 21 to 62%, from 16 to 98% and from 25 to 62% in Altinyazi-Karasaz, Kuplu and Kayalikoy irrigation schemes, respectively. FSS increased from 131 to 144% and from 44 to 193% in Altinyazi-Karasaz and Kayalikoy, respectively, whereas decreased from 130 to 88% in Kuplu irrigation scheme. Therefore, it can be concluded that the irrigation management transfer program increases the system performance and the schemes become more self-sufficient under the management of WUAs.