Vízügyi Közlemények, 1954 (36. évfolyam)

2. szám - XV. Szilágyi József: Az Erzsébet-híd roncsainak hatása a mederalakulásra

(65) Cultivation of rice has developed rapidly. While in 1930 only experiments were made on some hectares, in 1953, 27 500 hectares of riceland were almost 30% of the total acreage irrigated in this country. Riceland is mostly farmed on the single-crop system. Rice growing is very suitable for the introduction of irrigation farming in certain areas ; its economic importance is considerable. However, rotation of crops is commendable for more intensive exploitation of irrigation facilities and for preventing the exhaustion of soil. Therefore, it is planned to shift annually several thousand cad. yokes of riceland to other crops. Between Danube and Tisza experiments are being made on rice growing on different types of soil. Experiments on repeated systematic flooding riceland have shown that about 30—35% of water can be saved by this method. Irrigated ptoughland follows next in acreage after irrigated meadows and pastures. By irrigating grass-crops stock farming can be made independent of seasonal fluctuations. Irrigation is being extended to hoed crops. The proportion of irrigated acreage of grass-crops to hoed crops is in general 60 : 40. Irrigated orchards are about 10 — 20% of the total acreage irrigated. They are mostly located around cities and big towns. Socialist transformation of economy is reflected in irrigation. Cooperative irrigation started in 1949. In 1953, already 80% of irrigations were on a collective basis. Tables V. and VI. give an account of the ownership of irrigated land with breakdown according to counties and areas. As regards the unit size of irrigated farms (Table VII), at the beginning and toward the middle of the 1930-ies big estates were predominant. Under the Five Year Plan the %-age of units under 5 cad.yokes (2,9 ha) has grown, and the proportion of units from 10 to 100 cad.yokes (5,7—57 ha) has remarkably diminished. The considerable increase of irrigated farm units above 500 cad.yokes (288 ha) shows the extension of large-scale farming, prevalently in the socialist sector. Table IX. shows the various methods of irrigation and their acreages. Irrigation by flooding is most extensively practiced. This is in accordance with the development of rice growing. Irrigation by furrows distributing water, follows next ; at present this is the most advantageous method. For the bulk of the country's irrigation 17 bigger irrigating units are responsible. ( Fig. 3.) These systems have developed, each around a diversion system, mostly with mechanical pumping. The biggest irrigation scheme will be based on Tiszalök Dam built to divert 60 m

3 water per sec from Tisza River, for irrigation. The Dam started operation in 1954 by diverting 16 m

3/sec water into the irrigation canals of the system. Table X. lists ratings and data of the bigger irrigation systems, and Table XII. contains irrigating systems in the design stage. Data of Table XIII. are used for irrigation schedules. Besides irrigation systems and irrigation with water diverted from rivers, "local irrigations" also exist, which are based on local sources of power and run their own plants. Government agencies only give them advice in planning and construction. Irrigation planning is made by the Institute of Hydraulic Planning. This agency prepares national projects of great importance, those of irrigation systems and of bigger irrigation plants. Local authorities : the District Water Boards design irrigation schemes under 300 ha. Current design more and more adopts the system of temporary irrigation channels favourable for large-scale, mechanized farming. Fig. 4. presents the plan of an old-fashioned irrigation plant with dense permanent irrigation and drainage channels, and Fig. 5. is the re-designed plan of the same scheme after the new method. Construction of medium-sized irrigation plants is done by the Construction Enterprise of the Water Board. Schemes necessitating important mechanical equipment are executed by special enterprises set up for that purpose, while smaller construction jobs are taken care of by the District Boards themselves. More than half at the earth work of irrigation plants and of their water supply is being done by machinery. In the construction of hydraulic works préfabrication is extensively used and as far as possible standard plans are executed. Irrigation systems are being operated by four irrigation enterprises. Their duties are : operation of the diversion canals and works, of the irrigation plants, their upkeep and water supply, repair of machinery. Two irrigation enterprises are engaged also in land reclamation and agrotechnical planning. The irrigation enterprises also collect rates fixed according to the norms elaborated for the different crops. 5 - ">-4