---
title: "Planning levels and types of maintenance"
subject: "Irrigation and Drainage Engineering"
chapter: 1
key: "semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering:planning-levels-and-maintenance"
source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering/planning-levels-and-maintenance
site: BCT Engineering
---

# Planning levels and types of maintenance

Irrigation and Drainage Engineering · Chapter 1: Introduction

- Asked in: 2075 Baisakh, 8 marks; 2064 Jestha (old course), 8 marks (asked 2 times)
- Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14
- Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering/planning-levels-and-maintenance
- Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_6/irrigation_and_drainage_engineering/chapter-1

## Question

Explain different levels of planning in irrigation projects, also explain different types of maintenance in irrigation projects.

## Short answer

Irrigation project planning proceeds from national master plan and basin studies through project feasibility and design to operational cropping plans. Maintenance includes routine annual desilting/gate lubrication, periodic relining/re-sectioning, emergency breach repairs, preventive inspections, and major rehabilitation.

## Answer

#### Levels of planning
1. **National (master) planning:** long-term national or river-basin plan sets policy, priorities, water allocation among sectors and a pipeline of projects (e.g. Irrigation Master Plan).
2. **Regional/basin planning:** water resources of a river basin are studied; potential projects and inter-basin transfers are identified and ranked.
3. **Project planning:** for a chosen project, the stages are identification, pre-feasibility, feasibility, detailed design and implementation. Technical, economic, social and environmental viability are checked.
4. **Operational (scheme) planning:** seasonal cropping and water-delivery plans and management arrangements for an existing system.

#### Types of maintenance
- **Routine (annual) maintenance:** desilting, weed removal, bank repair, gate lubrication; done every year during canal closure.
- **Periodic maintenance:** repairs done after some years, e.g. relining, replacement of gates, re-sectioning.
- **Emergency maintenance:** urgent repairs of breaches, landslides, flood damage during operation.
- **Preventive maintenance:** inspection and minor work to avoid failure.
- **Rehabilitation/modernisation:** major repair or upgrading of an aged system.

Maintenance needs a budget from irrigation service fee and government, trained staff and active farmer participation.

## Check yourself

The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why.

1. Which list gives the levels of planning?
   A. Village, ward, house
   B. Design, tender, build
   C. National, regional/basin, project, operational
   D. Routine, periodic, emergency
   Answer: C. Planning runs from national policy down to scheme-level seasonal plans. (Key point: Levels of planning)

2. What is done in regional/basin planning?
   A. Seasonal gate schedules are set
   B. Canals are desilted
   C. Fees are collected
   D. River-basin water resources are studied and potential projects and inter-basin transfers ranked
   Answer: D. Basin planning identifies and ranks projects. (Key point: Basin planning role)

3. Which is periodic maintenance?
   A. Relining, gate replacement and re-sectioning after some years
   B. Yearly weed removal
   C. Repair of a flood breach
   D. Planned inspection before failure
   Answer: A. Periodic repairs are done every few years. (Key point: Periodic maintenance)

4. What is rehabilitation/modernisation?
   A. Daily gate greasing
   B. Major repair or upgrading of an aged system
   C. A minor inspection
   D. Fee collection
   Answer: B. It is major work when the system has deteriorated. (Key point: Rehabilitation)

## Related in Irrigation and Drainage Engineering

- [Stages of planning irrigation projects](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_6%2Firrigation_and_drainage_engineering%3Aplanning-stages-irrigation-projects) — Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, chapter 1, asked 3×

## Related in other subjects

- [Planned maintenance, planning and scheduling](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Aplanned-maintenance-scheduling) — Construction Management, chapter 9, asked 2×
- [Types of maintenance and why needed](https://www.bctengineer.com/question.md?key=semester_8%2Fconstruction_management%3Amaintenance-types-importance) — Construction Management, chapter 9, asked 8×