Kano River Irrigation Project, Phase I (KRIP I), is one of the largest and successful irrigation projects in Nigeria. The Project is located in Bunkure, Kura and Garun Malam Local Government Area of Kano State with Project Headquarters at Kura. It lies about 35km south-west of Kano city, on both sides of Kano – Zaria trunk road. The elevation of the project lies within 440 meters above sea level, with minimum storage level of Tiga Dam at 506.50 meters, which provides a perfect setting for gravity irrigation.

The KRIP I is unique in its design, in that, the entire water distribution network operates on gravity. The irrigation water is conveyed from the Tiga Dam to the project site through the Ruwan Kanya Reservoir and the 18-km long Main Canal II, which splits into West and East Branch Canals. These are then further broken into lateral canals, distributory canals, and field channels.

Each of the above mentioned structure is designed to carry a designated discharge, sufficient to irrigate the area it commands. Night Storage Reservoirs were constructed in different locations throughout the project area to receive and store the flow from the branch and lateral canals during the night. This is to store large quantities of water in different parts of the project at night when no irrigation is taking place to enable farmers carry out field irrigation at the same time during day. Also designed and built in the irrigation system is an elaborate road and drainage networks to allow easy access and drain excess irrigation and rainwater from the project area respectively.

The main features of the Project are as follows:

i. Total irrigable Area – 22,000 ha.
ii. Fully developed irrigable Area – 16,500 ha.
iii. Length of Main Canal – 18 km
iv. Length of Branch Canals – 56 km
v. Length of Secondary Canals – 320 km
vi. Length of Main Drain – 320 km
vii. Length of Collector Drains – 496 km
viii. Length of Field Canals – 1,120 km
ix. Length of Field Drains – 1,120 km
x. Length of Service Roads – 816 km
xi. No. of Night Storage Reservoirs – 8
xii. No. of Field Structures – 16,000 Nos.