Though the responsibility of maintenance of the water courses is that of farmers, still in new irrigation works.
The alignment, of the water courses is fixed by the government.
This work is being done these days by canal area development (C.A.D.) department or colonisation department.
Following points should however be considered while fixing the alignment of water courses.
Separate water courses should be provided for high lands and low lands of the same village.
They should not cross through field but should be laid along the boundaries of the fields.
Sufficient water should be available to fields lying at the farthest point from the outlet.
The water courses should be aligned along the ridges of the area of the village.
If low lying area is near the outlet and high land is at the further end of the village.
The water course which has to carry water for high lands should be made in heavy embankments.
Such water courses should preferably be lined.
In order to ensure equitable distribution of water to all the fields.
The watercourse levels for each square of land, should be fixed and made permanent.
If this is not done, the farmer whose land is low dig the watercourses deep, and when a farmer whose land is high takes water from the same deep watercourse.
Has to fill the water curse by the water from his own time of watering, because otherwise, water will not rise to higher fields.
This causes less availability of water to high fields. Again if the turn of, watering of a farmer whose land is low, he gets water course full for water and this causes advantage to him.
To curb this injustice, it is very very important to fix the watercourse levels for each square and these levels should be made pucca.
This will make irrigation water available to all the fields at desired levels.
Deep excavation of watercourses will not give any advantage to the farmers whose land is low.