Paddy and Water Environment

, Volume 8, Issue 1, pp 51–61 | Cite as

Analysis of water management structures of an Integrated Water User Group in the Chao Phraya Delta, Thailand

  • Vipob Teamsuwan
  • Masayoshi Satoh
  • Tatsuji Onimaru
  • Va-son Boonkird
Article
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Abstract

An Integrated Water User Group (IWUG) plays an important role assisting an irrigation project to control water distribution, expand the cropping area, operate and maintain irrigation facilities, and disseminate crucial information about the water situation to all farmers based on water supply from an irrigation agency. In this article, we present our analysis of the management of a newly established IWUG, based on a field survey in Thailand. We attempt to clarify the characteristics of irrigation management in the IWUG, while focusing on four functional processes: decision, operation, monitoring, and feedback. Thus, we analyze the water management structure and provide suggestions for better management of the IWUG. The main results of our analysis are as follows: (1) the current state of the IWUG 18R canal is not fully successful. There are second generation problems that need to be solved; (2) The upstream farmers dominate the use of the IWUG 18R canal because the establishment process of downstream WUGs was loosely performed because of a limited budget for on-farm irrigation development; (3) Water distribution structure and membership charging are not simple and uniform along the lateral irrigation canal because of the water availability of return flow from the downstream area. Such structure should be recognized and discussed to improve the future water distribution in relation to membership fees.

Keywords

Water distribution Water User Group (WUG) Integrated Water User Group (IWUG) Upstream Downstream Dry season Thailand 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude to JICA experts of the MWMS project, for their valuable help, support and cooperation. We also would like to express thanks to Mr. Sompong Bangtrakul, Mr. Autthaporn Thiengthae, Mr. Kanching Kawsard, Mr. Pisit Piboonsiri and all staff of the KKOM for their valuable and extensive help. Special thanks are due to the farmers of the 18R canal for their kind cooperation during the field survey.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Vipob Teamsuwan
    • 1
  • Masayoshi Satoh
    • 2
  • Tatsuji Onimaru
    • 3
  • Va-son Boonkird
    • 4
  1. 1.Doctoral Program in Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
  2. 2.Graduate School of Life and Environmental SciencesUniversity of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
  3. 3.Laboratory of Project Evaluation, National Institute for Rural EngineeringNational Agriculture and Food Research OrganizationTsukubaJapan
  4. 4.Royal Irrigation DepartmentDusitThailand

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