25. Trend Analysis of Temperature for Eastern Ganga Canal Command

Temperature and its analysis play a significant role in planning any irrigation project. However, expeditious climate change and shift have evolved with such footings, which were implausible earlier. On this respect, in the present study, analysis of temperature trend has been carried out over the command area of Eastern Ganga Canal (EGC) project for pre-climate shift period and post-climate shift period. Non-parametric Mann–Kendall and Sen’s methods have been applied to study the trends in annual and seasonal temperature (Kharif, Rabi and Summer). Results showed significant decreasing trends in annual, Kharif, Rabi and Summer season temperature with −0.03 °C/year, −0.02 °C/year, −0.04 °C/year, and −0.02 °C/year respectively, during pre-climate shift period; whereas the significant increasing trend has been observed in all the four parameters during post-climate shift period with 0.02 °C/year. This rise in temperature is directly affecting the water requirement of crops, by rise in reference crop evapotranspiration (ET₀). The ET₀ showed decreasing trends for above-mentioned period during pre-climate shift whereas significant increasing trends have been observed during post-climate shift. These results will help project managers and farmers in understanding the climate shift and manage them to the development of alternative water management strategies.