Application of drones in monitoring of physical conditions of irrigation water canal system

摘要

Conveyance of water loss from the irrigation canals need to be prevented as it exceeds with age of the canal. This loss is due to degraded status of lined and unlined canal sections, human interventions, weed growth, bank failure etc. Water tight canal operation is possible only with the dynamic canal section monitoring (before, during and after water release) and execution of appropriate remedial measures in plugging the leakage or temporary diversion in maintaining supply. Information derived from Sentinel 2 and Google images were compared with images collected from Drone. They were validated with ground measurement and design data in understanding the open canal degradation process over the years and information accuracy needed for decision making (engineering) process. This approach was demonstrated over the irrigation canal system on dam over Dudhganga river, tributary of Godavari River in the Peninsular India.