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PCRWR Regional Office Lahore
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Regional Office, Lahore conducts site-specific research on problems of irrigated
agriculture in Northern Indus Plains to determine water requirements of major crops in the
irrigated areas and efficient use of land and water resources. It also provides consultancy
services to public/farming communities to develop and utilize groundwater, undertakes monitoring of water quality
of cities, rivers, and aquifers in and around Lahore. Studies on conjunctive use of water and
soil-water-plant relationship are also being carried out.
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Functions
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- Determine water requirements of major crops in the irrigated areas.
- Carry out applied research on efficient use of land and water resources.
- Design and develop various soil moisture instruments useful for efficient use of water.
- Provide consultancy services to public/farming communities to develop and utilize groundwater.
- Maintain liaison and working relationships with various departments, universities
- Document and disseminate research results to farming community and end users.
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Facilities Available
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Library
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The latest national / international research material on soil,
water and crop management are available, with on line searching facility. The up-gradation
of the library is carried out on regular basis. Scientists of the Regional Office, from other
sister organizations and students from various universities are the regular users.
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Soil and Water Quality Laboratory
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The soil and water quality laboratory of the Centre has been shifted to its newly constructed
building which has the state of the art facilities and well-qualified, trained staff.
The laboratory has the capability to carry out soil and water analysis for the following parameters.
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Alkalinity, Aluminum, Antimony, Ammonia, Arsenic, Barium, Bicarbonate, Boron, Cadmium, Calcium,
Carbonate, COD, Copper, Chloride, Chromium, Cobalt, Colour, Conductivity, DO, Fluoride, Free CO2,
Free Chlorine, Hardness, Iodide, Iron, Lead, Lithium, Manganese, Magnesium, Mercury, Nickel, Nitrate
(N), Nitrite (as NO2), Odour, pH, Phosphorus, Phosphate, Potassium, Selenium, Silicon, Silver,
Sodium, Strontium, Sulphate, Suspended Solids, Taste, Tin, Total Chlorine, TDS, TSS, Turbidity,
Zinc, Coliform and E. Coli.
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ECe (Electrical Conductivity of Soil Extract), pH, CO3, HCO3, CL, SO4 (Anions meq/1),
Ca+Mg, Na, K (Cations meq/1), SAR (Sodium Adsorption Ratio), ESP (Exchangeable Sodium Percentage),
Soil Texture followed by Boucus Method with Sand %, Silt %, Clay %, and Textural Class, Moisture
Content Analysis, Gypsum Requirement, Particle Size Analysis, Cations Size Exchange Capacity,
Saturation Percentage.
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Lysimeter is an experimental set-up comprising of big soil filled tank in which research
can be conducted very precisely under well-controlled conditions on almost all aspects of optimal
utilization of surface and ground water resources. It is also considered to be the basic tool for
the measurement of ground water contribution, deep percolation losses, evapotranspiration, solute
transport and other related aspects of water management and sustainability of agricultural lands.
Eighteen lysimeters have been constructed for undertaking research on various aspects of soil-water
plant relation ship. Soil management studies are in progress for 25 years at the lysimeter station
of Regional Office, Lahore.
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- Instrument Designing Cell
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This cell is actively engaged in the designing, fabrication and local manufacturing of soil water instruments,
required in the agronomic research activities. These instruments are also supplied to various departments on demand.
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- Field Research and Demonstration Centre
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A field research and demonstration Centre has been established on 21 acres of land near
Makhdom Interchange, Sial Mor, Tehsil Kot Momin, District Sargdha. The land is laser leveled, source of irrigation
is tubewell and soil texture is sandy loam. Studies on the evaluation of different efficient water management
technologies / practices i.e. bed and furrow (different treatments), sprinkler irrigation method etc. are being
carried out.
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Research Team
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Sr.#
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Name & Designation
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Qualifications
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Qualifications
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1
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Abdur Rauf Regional Director
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M.Sc. (Hons)
Agri. Agronomy
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Irrigation Agronomy, Water Conservation
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2
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Zia-Ul-Haq Director (Research)
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M.Sc. Physics
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Instrumentation (Related to Agro Irrigation
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3
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Abdul Razzaq Director (GWI)
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M.Sc. Physics
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Appropriate Technologies, Hydrology
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4
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Abid Bin Nazeer Assistant Director
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B.Sc. Electrical Engineering
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Electronics and Instrumentation
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5
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Muhammad Zubair Assistant Director
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B.Sc. Agri. Engineering
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Agri. Engineering
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6
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Khuram Ejaz Assistant Director
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M.Sc. Agri. Engineering
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Water Management, F.M.P
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7
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Muhammad Dilshad Assistant Director
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M.Ph. Agri. Engineering
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Water Resources Engineering
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8
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Nadeem Ahmed Research Officer
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M.Sc. Chemistry
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Water Quality Analyst
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9
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Rashida Batool Research Officer
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M.Sc. Chemistry
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Water Quality Analyst
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10
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Waqar Hussain
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M.Sc. Chemistry
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Water Quality Analyst
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Services Available
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- Groundwater investigations / Electrical resistivity surveys.
- Soil and water quality testing / advisory.
- Instruments designing, fabrication and manufacturing on small scale.
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| Research and Development Activities
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| Major Development Projects Completed
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- Demarcation of Groundwater Quality Zones in Indus Plain and Marginal Areas for Sustainable Development and Management of Groundwater.
- Strengthening of PCRWR’s Regional Office, Lahore for Undertaking Research on Irrigated Agriculture.
- Research Studies for Sustainable Management of Water Resources in the Upper Indus Plain.
- National Water Quality monitoring Programme.
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Major Research Studies Completed (Non-Development)
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Growing Wheat and Maize with only Pre-Stored Moisture in the Soil Profile (2001-06)
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Growing water scarcity in developing countries suggests exploration of efficient irrigation practices, to overcome water shortage by growing more food with limited available land and water resources. Wheat and maize are among the most important cereal crops all over the world as well as in Pakistan. These two crops enormously contribute to the overall food, fodder and edible oil needs of the country. Growing these crops with traditional flood irrigation generally requires more water, than with the efficient irrigation methods like sprinkler and bed and furrow irrigation. To explore the possibility of growing these crops with water stored in the top soil profile, a study was conducted in the lysimeters constructed at Regional Office Lahore. The yields of wheat and maize grown with only moisture stored in the soil profile were compared, with the yields of the crops grown with traditional flood irrigation practice. The wheat and maize grown on flood irrigation also received subsequent irrigations, during the growing season equal to 100% and 150% of the actual evapotranspiration. The 150% level is close to the amount of water commonly applied by the farmers. The results indicate, that in case of no subsequent irrigation, plant heights, fresh and dry grain yields were just as good as or even better than traditional practices, which received much more water. The better water use efficiency of crop plots, which were not irrigated during the growing season, was attributed to less evaporation from the soil surface, no lavish transpiration and reduced infiltration of water through and out of the root zone. This finding can lead to the better use of surplus water available during monsoon period (July-August).
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Groundwater Investigations Based on Electrical Resistivity Surveys from 1989 to 2002
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The groundwater investigations were started in different parts of the country to explore, the groundwater resources through electrical resistivity surveys since 1989. A summary report, covering the hydro-geological conditions, quality of groundwater, fresh-saline groundwater interface, water table and sub surface lithology in these areas was compiled. The electrical resistivity survey results during 1989-2002 were analyzed and summarized on province/district wise. The hydro-geological conditions prevailing in the areas have been represented in the district maps.
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Assessments of Hazards of using Waste Water from Industrial and Urban Source in Agricultural Production
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The water, soil and crop sampling was conducted at three selected sites along the Hudiara Drain, where the crops are grown using drain water. Soil samples were processed and extracts of the soil samples were preserved. After preservation, soil extract, water and crop samples were sent to National Water Quality Laboratory Islamabad for the analysis of heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium. Nine samples of water and crop were taken from three sites and soil samples were taken at each 6 inches depth up to 60 inches.
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On-going Development Projects
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Participatory National Integrated Water Management Programme.
- Mass Awareness for Water Conservation and Development.
- Provision of Safe Drinking Water- Khushal Pakistan programme.
- Water Quality Monitoring in Rural Areas of Pakistan and Installation of Low Cost Water Conditioning & Filtration Units.
- Arsenic Monitoring and Mitigation in Pakistan.
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| On Going Research Studies (Non Development)
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The main objectives of these studies are to determine crop water requirements under stressed and non-stressed conditions and quantify groundwater contributions and deep percolation losses and formulate irrigation scheduling under different water table depths.
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The lysimetor station established at Lahore is
conducting soil water studies for last 25 years
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An agro-meteorological station at Field Research Centre, established at Sial Mor, District Sargodha
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Piezometer Installation and Recording of Depth to Water Table Data
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| The data collection was started in April, 2003. Water table data is being collected fortnightly and during monsoon season. The data has been collected weekly, except the piezometer installed at Regional Office, where the data is being collected daily.
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| Regular Research Activities
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Groundwater Investigations / Electrical Resistivity Surveys
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Electrical Resistivity Surveys (ERS) are conducted in various parts of the Province, to select suitable sites for installation of tubewell (s), to get fresh quality of groundwater. The Sounding technique of expanding the electrode array about a fixed centre is used, to obtain quantitative information on the variation of resistivity with the depth. Surveys are also conducted under different projects of PCRWR.
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Ground water investigation surveys
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Laser land leveling at Field Research Centre
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Designing and Fabrication of Soil Water Instruments
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Use of appropriate soil moisture instruments to monitor soil water status in the root zone of crops is vital for most judicial and efficient utilization of available surface and groundwater resources. In Pakistan, this practice is not very common due to high prices of imported instruments. In order to fill the gap, PCRWR has established a cell in Regional Office, Lahore for local designing and fabrication of soil moisture instruments i.e. tensiometer, gypsum block. salinity Sensor, soil water extractor, bubbler, sprinkler, water level indicator, water sampler, etc.A number of instruments are supplied to various organizations, in the private and public sector.
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Water analysis is in being carried out in the Water Analysis Section of the Laboratory
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Soil analysis is being performed in the Soil Analysis Section of the Laboratory
in the laboratory
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| Documentation and Dissemination of Research Findings
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| Documentation
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| The research studies carried out at Regional Office, PCRWR, Lahore has produced valuable data/information on irrigation and soil management. These research findings are translated in to urdu and are disseminated among the farming community in the form of brochures/ pamphelets, audiovisuals etc.
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| Dissemination
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| Demonstration plays an important role in disseminating research findings. It greatly helps to promulgate and motivate the end users for adoption of new technologies developed as the result of research work. Different instruments fabricated at Regional Office are demonstrated at lysimeter station. Demonstration of different technologies like zero tillage, bed and furrow, laser leveling and sprinkler irrigation etc. is performed at the Centre and farmers’ fields by organisisng Farmer field Days and expert field visits etc
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