Principles and robustness of Spate community managed irrigation systems in the Punjab , Pakistan 1

The spate irrigation is among the oldest and largest community managed irrigation systems in Pakistan and is providing livelihood to local communities through indigenously developed, maintained and managed techniques. The “Riwajaat-eAabpashi” (irrigation customs) codified in British rule are main guidelines for irrigation in lowland systems while upland systems are governed through locally known customs. The upland systems with higher community involvement and free from government interventions in decision making and monitoring are robust compared to similar systems in lowlands with government involvement in decision making and management. The article presents cases from Dera Ghazi Khan (Punjab, Pakistan) where these systems have endured despite of water scarce and unpredictable resource availability by creating situation of equity, impartiality and obeying the rules. This study compares communities against Ostrom‟s design principles to know the comparative institutional robustness of these systems.