Factors to be Considered While Fixing Canal Alignment
Following factors should be considered while fixing the canal alignment:
1. The canal should be straight, as a result, the length of the canal will be minimum, which helps to reduce the loss of water due to percolation and evaporation.
2. It should be spotted that the canal does not pass through a village or town but by the side of it.
3. Cross-drainage works should be avoided since such works are very costly.
4. Deep cuttings and high filling should be avoided.
5. The alignment should avoid fissure and brackish formations. Fissured formations cause loss of water through fissures, and brackish formations render water useless.
6. To get off excessive percolation losses, the alignment of the canal should avoid passing through sandy tracks.
7. The alignment should avoid rock formation. Required a lot of labour for the construction of canals in the rocky pathways.
8. Idle length of the canal should be minimum.
9. Suitable foundations and construction materials should be available for the works like falls, cross regulators, head regulators etc.
10. Unnecessary curves in the canals should be avoided, if the curves are necessary, it should be as large radius as possible.
11. The cutting and filling should be such that( i.e. cutting should be equal to filling as possible), it will be most economical.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Canal Lining