Irrigation and Water Management

Overview

Introduction: 

The Department of Irrigation and Water Management (IWM) started from 2012, with the objective to teach student the basic knowledge of water science, precise application of water and drainage for maximum crop production. Design, development and adoption of surface water structures, understanding river behavior, river controlling method for flood mitigation. Precise use of water resources for the country concerning agricultural production and its management are also in the purview of this department's courses. The departmental courses are expanded to the fields of surface water hydrology, understanding river water flow, structures across and along the river or canal for better flow to ensure navigation, storing water in reservoir for irrigation etc.

The Department offers courses for the degree of B.Sc. Agricultural Engineering (Major in Irrigation and Water Management) and MS in Irrigation and Water Management. It is one of the major Departments among five Departments under the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology. The Department has a laboratory sufficient for the undergraduate courses, and field research facilities for project students and MS students under the guidance of highly qualified teachers educated in the country and abroad. The undergraduate courses include basic knowledge on Fluid Mechanics, Hydraulics, Irrigation and drainage Engineering, Ground water Engineering, Hydraulic machinery, Agricultural Meteorology,  Hydrology, Soil and Water Conservation Engineering, Pumps and Wells, Flood Control and River Training, Land and Watershed Management, On farm water Management, Irrigation Structure, Aquaculture Engineering and Land reclamation Engineering   . The MS program is based on course and research work. This Department has facilities for improve research on water use by using different soil and water models like Aqua crop,, GIS mapping by Arc GIS software. The Faulty members of the Department are actively engaged in individual and coordinated research and development works having linkages with national, international and donor agencies/organizations that helps the students doing better research in both undergraduate and MS level .

Laboratory Facilities:   

The Department of Irrigation and Water Management maintains the laboratory facilities for its undergraduate, postgraduate, teaching, research, testing, training and service programs. The Department has the following laboratories: Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics, proof of Bernoulli’s equation, Venturimeter, manometer, Orifice meter, Center of pressure, Metacentric height, Hydraulic bench, Permeability testing apparatus, Pipe flow test apparatus, different types of pumps, centrifugal pump, reciprocating pump, Low lift pump, Notches and weirs, soil collection augur, sieve shaker with sieve set, core sampler for bulk density determination of soil, tensiometer. This Department has the accessories to establish an automatic weather station which includes a rain gauge, evaporation pan  solar radiation equipment that gives data of Radiation, temperature and relative humidity, an anemometer to determine wind velocity and direction, GPS machine, a well-established water quality analysis lab.  

Career Opportunities: 

The Agricultural Engineering graduates from major in Irrigation and Water Management (IWM) are serving at various public and private sectors and NGOs inside and outside of the country. They are working with enormous goodwill and has substantial contribution towards nation building activities. The various organizations where the graduates are working with reputation are: Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI),Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA),Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC), Rural Development Acdemy (RDA), Center for environment and geographic information System (CEGIS), Institute of Water Modelling (IWM), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB),Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD), Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA), Technical School and College (TSC former VTI), Sylhet Agricultural University (SAU),Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC), Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute (BSRI), Rural Development Academic (RDA), Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB), Agrani Bank and other Commercial Banks , Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), Non-Governmental Organizations such as BRAC, PROSHIKA, RDRS others, Tea Estates, and Private Agri-business institutions