WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Watershed management basically refers to efficient management and conservation of surface and ground

water resources and other natural(land, water, plants &

animals) and human resources within the watershed.

OBJECTIVES-To control damaging runoff and degradation and thereby conservation of soil and water. -To manage and utilize the runoff water for useful purpose.- To protect, conserve and improve the land of watershed for more efficient and sustained production. -To protect and enhance the water resource originating in the watershed.

-To check soil erosion and to reduce the effect of sediment yield on the watershed. -To rehabilitate the deteriorating lands. -To moderate the floods peaks at down stream areas-To increase infiltration of rainwater. -To improve and increase the production of timbers, fodder and wild life resource. -To enhance the ground water recharge, wherever applicable.

Its components are: a. To prevent runoff of rainwater b. To store and recharge groundwater through various methods like percolation tanks, recharge wells, etc.

WHY IS THERE A NEED TO CONSERVE WATER?

a. The availability of fresh water in many parts of our country is declining. b. The demand for water is increasing rapidly. c. Many areas face shortage of water. d. Sustainable development can only be achieved by water management. e. Its quality is getting lower by the human activities. f. Water available from sea/ocean is negligible due to high cost of de-salinisation. Under such view conservation of water is necessary.

Major activities of the Watershed project: • Soil & moisture conservation measures like terracing, bunding, trenching, vegetative barriers etc. • Rain water harvesting activities like farm ponds, percolation tanks, check dams etc. • Planting & sowing of multi-purpose trees, shrubs, grasses, legumes and pasture land development

• Encouraging natural regeneration • Promotion of agro-forestry and horticulture

• Measures needed to disseminate technology • Training, extension and creation of a greater degree of awareness among the participants • Encouraging peoples’ participation • Livelihood activities for asset less people • Production system and micro-enterprise

--The success of watershed management depends on community participation. --It aims at bringing a balance between natural resources and human society.

HARYALI WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Haryali is a watershed development project sponsored by the Central Government which aims at enabling the rural population to conserve water for drinking, irrigation, fisheries and afforestation. The Project is being executed by Gram Panchayats with people’s participation.

The objectives of projects under HARIYALI will be: --Harvesting every drop of rainwater for purposes of irrigation, plantations including horticulture and floriculture, pasture development, fisheries etc. to create sustainable sources of income for the village community as well as for drinking water supplies. --Ensuring overall development of rural areas through the Gram Panchayats and creating regular sources of income for the Panchayats from rainwater harvesting and management.--Employment generation, poverty alleviation, community empowerment and development of human and other economic resources of the rural areas.--Mitigating the adverse effects of extreme climatic conditions such as drought and desertification on crops, human and livestock population for the overall improvement of rural areas.

--Restoring ecological balance by harnessing, conserving and developing natural resources i.e. land, water, vegetative cover especially plantations.--Encouraging village community towards sustained community action for the operation and maintenance of assets created and further development of the potential of the natural resources in the watershed.--Promoting use of simple, easy and affordable technological solutions and institutional arrangements that make use of, and build upon, local technical knowledge and available materials.

Criteria for the selection of watersheds--Watersheds where People’s participation is assured through contribution of labour, cash, material etc. for its development as well as for the operation and maintenance of the assets created.--Watershed areas having acute shortage of drinking water.--Watersheds having large population of scheduled castes/scheduled tribes dependent on it.

--Watersheds where actual wages are significantly lower than the minimum wages. --Watershed area may be of an average size of 500 hectares, preferably covering an entire village. --In case a watershed covers two or more villages, it should be divided into village-wise sub-watersheds confined to the designated villages. Care should be taken to treat all the sub-watersheds simultaneously.

Activities undertaken in project Haryali--Development of small water harvesting structures such as low-cost farm ponds, nalla bunds, check-dams, percolation tanks and other ground water recharge measures.--Renovation of water sources, desiltation of village tanks for drinking water/irrigation/fisheries development.--Afforestation including block plantations, agro-forestry and horticultural development, shelterbelt plantations, sand dune stabilization, etc.

--Pasture development either by itself or in conjunction with plantations.--Land Development including in-situ soil and moisture conservation measures like contour and graded bunds fortified by plantation, bench terracing in hilly terrain, nursery raising for fodder, timber, fuel wood, horticulture and non-timber forest product species.--Drainage line treatment with a combination of vegetative and engineering structures. --Fisheries development in village ponds/tanks, farm ponds etc.

Contour bund Shelter belt

Check dam Percolation tank

Nursery raising Plantations

Agro forestry

Horticulture

Drainage line Fisheries treatment development

NEERU-MEERU PROGRAMME

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has constituted Water Conservation

mission to focus attention on conservation of water in a big way by taking large scale water conservation

measures under Neeru – Meeru Programme (Water and You) .It was

initiated on 01.05.2000.

Action PlanAn action plan for taking large scale water conservation works is prepared by the department under Neeru – Meeru Programme which is currently under implementation.The following activities are under execution.1. Continuous contour trenches2. Staggered trenches.3. Check dams4. Rockfill dams5. Percolation tanks 6. Gully plugging

IMPACTThe annual evaluation of the watersheds has revealed that the programme is immensely useful to the farmers and poor in dry areas.

1.No. of districts covered : 202.No. of watersheds evaluated : 52983.Average increase in water levels: 1.96m 4.Wells rejuvenated: 43%5.Additional area under cultivation: 3,34,7556.Decrease in labour mitigation: 61%7.Increase in milk production(ltrs/day):3,71,328 8.Additional area brought under horticulture/afforestation : 3,56,046

CHECK DAM

STAGGERED CONTOUR TRENCH

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH

PERCOLATION TANK

RAINWATER HARVESTING IN TAMIL NADU

Tamil Nadu is the first Indian state to make rainwater harvesting mandatory

Around 4,000 temples in Tamil nadu state traditionally had water tanks that were used for various rituals. The tanks also served as natural

aquifers and helped recharge groundwater. Now, following sustained campaigns by

voluntary organisations and departments it aims to convert the tanks into catchments for

rainwater harvesting.

In the state of Tamil Nadu, rainwater harvesting was made compulsory for every building to avoid ground water depletion. It proved excellent results

within five years, and Since its implementation. Chennai saw a 50

percent rise in water level in five years and the water quality significantly

improved.

--Vigorous campaign was adopted to bring awareness among the public--Conduction of awareness programme with the coordination of Self Help Groups, Welfare Associations, NGOs and school children.--Erection of hoardings displaying the importance and benefits of the Rain Water Harvesting.--Door to Door campaign on Rain water Harvesting with the participation of SHGs, NGOs.

Rain Water Harvesting structures in town panchayats

Awareness programme on Rain Water Harvesting - Student rallies

Awareness programme on Rain Water Harvesting - Street Drama

Awareness programme on Rain Water Harvesting - Workshop

Erection of hoardings displaying the importance and benefits of the Rain Water Harvesting

Door to Door campaign on Rain water Harvesting

ARVARY PANI SANSAD

Arvary Pani Sansad (in Alwar, Rajasthan) have taken up

constructions of various water-harvesting structures such as

percolation tanks, dug out ponds (Johad), check dams, etc. through

people’s participation.

The dominant structure was the johad, a crescent-shaped dam of earth and rocks, built to intercept rainfall runoff. On the surface, it held water for livestock. By holding water in place, it

allowed the liquid to percolate down through the soil. It recharged the aquifer below, as far as a

kilometer away. Stored underground, the water could not be lost to evaporation. In the midst of the dry season, villagers could always count on plenty of water from their wells, and irrigated

fields lush with wheat, mustard and beans.

The success of a rainwater harvesting programme in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, India, brought about increased water availability

and related benefits.

Rainwater harvesting in Rajasthan. A johad is a dam that collects rainwater to channel it into the ground to replenish the supply of underground

water.

A wheat field, irrigated during the dry season.

A mustard field, irrigated during the dry season. Mustard production is a major source of income

Restored village forests provide firewood close to home. The firewood is used primarily for

cooking for Rajasthan's farmers.

Gram sabah (traditional village council) meeting

A village well provides water for crop irrigation, livestock, and washing clothes.

A well provides drinking water for people and livestock.

A village well. The ditch at the right of the photo transports water to irrigate the wheat field in the background.

SOME ANCIENT INDIAN

METHODS OF WATER

CONSERVATION 

The Indus Valley Civilization, that flourished along the banks of the river Indus and other parts of western and northern India about 5,000 years ago, had one of the most sophisticated urban water supply and sewage systems in the world. The fact that the people were well acquainted with hygiene can be seen from the covered drains running beneath the streets of the ruins at both Mohenjodaro and Harappa.

Unique water supply from wells was integrated with a

drainage system. Waste water along with sewage

from houses was channeled into a complex system of drains running along and

below the streets.

Fresh water was supplied by a network of over 700 unique wells for drinking water, constructed in form of cylindrical shafts several meters deep.

A large number of tanks were cut in the rocks to provide drinking water

to tradesmen. Each fort had its own water

harvesting and storage system in the form of rock-cut cisterns,

ponds, tanks and wells.

Stone reservoir outside a cave

Himalayan Region Zing Guhl

Kul Circular tank

Northeastern Hill Ranges

Natural springs are used for drinking water purposes.

Zabo, meaning ‘impounding run-off’, is practiced in Nagaland. When rain falls

on terraced hill slopes, the runoff collects in ponds

Bamboo drip irrigation

Thar desert Tarais (reservoirs) were built in the

valley between sand dunes by constructing bunds at the two

ends. When it rained the rainwater collected in the reservoir.

Tankas are round or rectangular underground rooms that functioned as water tanks.

Stepwells

Kunds are saucer-shaped catchment area gently slopes

towards the pit in the centre which has a

dome-shaped cover, to protect the water. The water inlets are covered with mesh.

Kuis or beris were deep pits dug near tanks to

collect the seepage. From a narrow mouth a kui gets

wider to prevent evaporation of collected water but at the same

time facilitates more water collecting.

Central HighlandsIrrigation by wells and tanks was

very common in this region.

Check dams or diversion weirs called bhandaras were built across rivers in Maharashtra.

In Andhra Pradesh, large tanks called cheruvu were the main irrigation source.

Tanks called kere were the predominant traditional method of irrigation in the

Central Karnataka Plateau.

Tank irrigationTanks are the oldest source of water

for irrigation. There are tens of thousands of tanks all over India.

They are small reservoirs with earthen walls, used for storing water

diverted from a stream or run off.

Check dams are constructed across small streams with high banks.

Contour trenches are dug on hill slopes and on barren wastelands for soil

conservation through moisture retention.

Bunds or small earthen barriers are built on sloping agricultural land

Percolation ponds like irrigation tanks have a bund to restrain the

water flowing through a watershed.

Artificial GlaciersIn Ladakh people have channelised water through metal

pipes

Watershed development projects in some areas have been successful in

rejuvenating environment & economy.

Nenmeli before and after water harvesting

However there is only a few success stories. There is a need to generate awareness regarding the benefits of

watershed development & management .

Through integrated water resource management approach water availability can be ensured on

sustainable basis.

THANK YOU