The area over which canal irrigation water flows by gravity is known as the command area in irrigation.
Types of Command Areas in Irrigation
There are three types of command areas which are explained below:
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1. Gross Command Area:
✔ Gross Command Area is the total area that can be economically irrigated from an irrigation scheme without considering water limitations.
✔ It is denoted by GCA.
✔ It includes cultivating land as well as uncultivated lands such as roads, wastelands, forests, barren lands, etc.
GCA = CCA + Uncultivable area
2. Culturable Command Area:
✔ Culturable Command Area is the area in which a crop is grown at a particular time or crop season.
✔ It is denoted by CCA.
✔ Uncultivable areas are excluded from GCA to obtain CCA. The uncultivable area includes barren lands, forests, etc.
✔ Although CCA excludes uncultivable lands, it includes canal networks & supply ditches as they are used for conveying water to the irrigation field.
CCA=GCA – Uncultivable area
✔ The culturable Command Area can be of two types. They are:
a) Culturable Cultivable Area:
It is the area within the culturable command area where cultivation is actually done at present.
b) Culturable Uncultivable Area:
It is the area within the culturable command area where cultivation is possible but not done at present.
3. Net Command Area:
✔ It is the Culturable Command Area obtained after the deduction of canal networks, supply ditches, etc., constructed in the field.
✔ It is denoted by NCA.
NCA=CCA – the area occupied by canals, canals network, and ditches.
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