The irrigation water is conveyed from the reservoir to flow through an open channel o trapezoidal shape known as canal. The canal may be excavated or constructed in embankment. It is the cheapest mode of conveying water.

Parts of a Canal System:

A canal system includes the following parts:

1] Head Works: The head works are the works constructed to store, divert and control the river water and regulate the supplies into the canal.

2] Main Canal: Main canal is starting directly from the upstream side of weir head works. No direct irrigation is usually carried from the main canal.

3] Branch Canal: When a main canal reaches the area where irrigation is to be done, it divides out into branches joining to different parts of the area. The branch canal ends into a dis-tributary.

4] Major Dis-tributary or Dis-tributary: These are smaller channels taking off from the branch canal or sometimes from the main canal. The irrigation water is supplied to the outlets through these dis-tributaries. The capacity of dis-tributary channel may vary from 0.3 to 6 cumecs.

5] Minor Dis-tributaries or Minors: These are small channels of capacity less than 3.3 cumecs taking off from the branch or dis-tributary. They supply water to watercourses for irrigation. Main canals, branch canals, and distribution are called Government channels because they are owned, constructed and maintained by the Government.

6] Watercourses or Field channels: From these channels, water enters into the field of cultivators. Watercourses may be constructed by the government on behalf of the cultivators only. These are small channels known as field channels having capacity less than 0.05 cumecs. The length of watercourse is usually less than 1 km having a command of 10 to 15 hectares.