81
PROJECT REPORT ON WATERSHED MANAGEMENT (BY CE6E STUDENTS, GOVT. POLYTECHNIC, NANDED) MEMBERS of GROUP : 1) SAURABH S. DESHPANDE 2) MOHD. SAQEEB ANWER 3) SHAIKH MUJAHED W. 4) MOHD. ISMAIL J. 5) YOGESH B. DONGRE 6) DILIP BANSODE 7) CHAKRAPANI KALGESWAMI 8) MANTGE JAGDISH 9) ANSARI AMER 10)MADOLE DNYANESHWAR 11)GAJANAN PADGILWAR INTRODUCTION TO WATERSHED MANAGEMENT What is a Watershed? Everyone lives in a watershed. A watershed is the land area drained by a river/stream system. Rain fall and snow melting from fields, forests, rooftops, lawns, parking lots, and streets flows toward a lake or river and forms a watershed. Smaller drainage areas — the component parts of a Water shed are called as sub-watersheds. Watersheds are separated from each other by high land elevation called the watershed divide.

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Page 1: Project on Watershed Management

PROJECT REPORT ON

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

(BY CE6E STUDENTS GOVT POLYTECHNIC NANDED)

MEMBERS of GROUP

1) SAURABH S DESHPANDE2) MOHD SAQEEB ANWER3) SHAIKH MUJAHED W4) MOHD ISMAIL J5) YOGESH B DONGRE6) DILIP BANSODE7) CHAKRAPANI KALGESWAMI8) MANTGE JAGDISH9) ANSARI AMER10) MADOLE DNYANESHWAR11) GAJANAN PADGILWAR

INTRODUCTION TO WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

What is a Watershed

Everyone lives in a watershed A watershed is the land area drained by a riverstream systemRain fall and snow melting from fields forests rooftops lawns parking lots and streets flows toward a lake or river and forms a watershed Smaller drainage areas mdash the component parts of aWater shed are called as sub-watersheds Watersheds are separated from each other by high landelevation called the watershed divide

Watershed is defined as a geo-hydrological unit draining to a common point by a system of drains All lands on earth are part of one watershed or other Watershed is thus the land and water area which contributes runoff to a common pointA watershed is an area of land and water bounded by a drainage divide within which the surface runoff collects and flows out of the watershed through a single outlet into a lager river ( or ) lake

What is Watershed Management

Human activities on land have a direct and cumulative impact on water and other natural

resources within a watershed Upstream activities influence river flows and water quality downstream Channelizing rivers removing riparian vegetation along watercourses paving rechargeareas filling in wetlands and consuming groundwater at rates faster than it can be replenishedcan have severe and in some cases irreversible effects on natural systems These effects in turn usually impair water quality degrade aquatic and terrestrial habitat contribute to a loss of biodiversity contaminate underground aquifers and increase risks of flooding and erosion damage At the heart of watershed management is the underlying philosophy that everything is connected to everything else Watershed components are interrelated and interdependent like the links of a chain or the spokes of a wheel Damage to any one watershed component runs the risk of damage to all The health of upstream components directly determines the health and function of areas downstream If the headwaters of Duffins Creek and Carruthers Creek are healthy areas downstream will benefit If the Duffins Creek and Carruthers Creek Watersheds are well managed then Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence River Basin will benefit Our actions affect our neighbors as well as neighboring communities

TYPES OF WATERSHED

Watersheds are classified depending upon the size drainage shape and land use pattern1) Macro watershed (gt 50000 Ha)2) Sub-watershed (10000 to 50000 Ha)3) Milli-watershed (1000 to10000 Ha)4) Micro watershed (100 to 1000 Ha)5) Mini watershed (1-100 Ha)

OBJECTIVES OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

The different objectives of watershed management programmes are

1 To control damaging runoff and degradation and thereby conservation of soil and water2 To manage and utilize the runoff water for useful purpose3 To protect conserve and improve the land of watershed for more efficient and sustained production4 To protect and enhance the water resource originating in the watershed5 To check soil erosion and to reduce the effect of sediment yield on the watershed6 To rehabilitate the deteriorating lands7 To moderate the floods peaks at downstream areas8 To increase infiltration of rainwater9 To improve and increase the production of timbers fodder and wild life resource10 To enhance the ground water recharge wherever applicable

FACTORS AFFECTING WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

a) Watershed characteristic

i) Size and shapeii) Topographyiii) Soilsiv) Relief

b) Climatic characteristic

i Precipitationii Amount and intensity of rainfall

c) Watershed operation

d) Land use pattern

i Vegetative coverii Density

e) Social status of inhability

f) Water resource and their capabilities

STRUCTURES BUILT UNDER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Loose Boulder Structure

These structures are effective for avoiding erosion of watershed land These are suitable for this work the boulders nearby the site shall be used

1) Objects-

i By plotting horizontal structure on the stream reducing the velocity of flowii To avoid erosion of land

iii To percolate runoffiv To plant trees of at downward side of bundv Silt stored at the bund can be used as fertilizer

2) Types Of Bund-

According to watershed area following are two types-

SrNo Type Area AvgHeight1 Small Loose Boulder Structure Up to 5 Ha 075m2 Large Loose Boulder Structure 5-10 Ha 1 m

3) Site Selection-

I For small structures area should be up to 5Ha and 5-10Ha for large structureII According to L-section of nala or stream the fixation of bund should be done

III Vertical distance between two bunds should be greater than 1mIV The bund should not be constructed on open rock in bottom of nalaV The site should be so that the boulders will available in 1m radius of bund

4) Design steps-

(a)Cutting and Filling-

1) Cutting = ( Avg Width of Base+03 ) xlenght 2m xdepth 03m (m3)

In this way the value of each 2m shall be found and finally total estimate should be obtained

2) The bund is to be extended 03m in banks of stream

Cutting in Cum = no of banks x length x width x depth

= 2 x 03 x 05 x 03= 009 m3

As shown above the total measurement of earthwork can be calculated and the filling will be equal to this amount of cutting

(b) Boulder construction on base-

The construction is done by section method Section are plotted on every 2m

Section (m2) = Base width+ topwidth

2 x height

Measurement of bund (m3) = Avg section (m2) x length 2m

(C) Live work -

The no of trees to be planted are calculated by

No of bushes = total lenthof bund

2 + 1

As shown above estimate of every boulder structure is obtained

Small structure ndash (details samples)

1) Length of bund ndash 66m2) Height of bund ndash 075m3) Side slope ndash Inside 11 backside 124) Top of bund ndash 05m5) Base of bund ndash 05m6) Watershed area ndash 4Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

Large structure (sample details)

1) Length ndash 86m2) Height ndash 1m3) Side slope ndash internal 11 Backside 124) Top width ndash 05m5) Base width ndash 35

6) Watershed area ndash 7Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

5) Estimate-

a) Small bund

Sr No

Work Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rs)

1) Cutting(Earthwork) 343 2703 M3 92712) Filling 343 2703 M3 92713) Collecting Boulders 343 4053 M3 139024) a)Supply Of Boulders 304 4053 M3 12321

b)Labour Wages 304 4502 M3 136865) Lead (Per 50) 304 2164 M3 65796) Planting Trees 26 Plants 200 Plant 52007) Contingency Charges 4

Total2800

73030

b) Large Bund

Sr No

Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rupees)

1) Cutting 3 2588 M3 77642) Filling 713 2588 M3 185523) Transporting Boulder 713 6038 M3 43050

4) Base Construction M3 1560025) Tree Plantation 36 Plants 200 Plant 726) Contingency 4

Total100

242568

Dugout Sunkan Pond

Definition-

The pond which is dug at the bottom of a nala is called as Dugout Sunkan Bund

BenefitsObjectives-

1) Storage of water and recharge of ground water table2) To decrease the velocity of flowing water3) This structure is economical than farm pond4) No need of cement stone sand etc5) To control erosion

Site Selection-

1) The nala should be in straight line2) The flow water should be same at any point3) The width of bottom of nala minimum has 15 m4) There should be no Murum up to depth of 3 to 5 m5) It is necessary to construct a loose boulder structure above 20 m of the Dugout Sunkan Pond

Design Steps-

1) Measurement of dugout sunkan (Cum)

( Surface area+4lowastCentral surfacearea+Bottomarea6 )

2) The construction of DSP is done at an interval of 05 m depth

3) The material obtained from the excavation is stored both sides of DSP4) The excavation should not be done by any blasting in any situation5) After the excavation is completed the work is checked by technical officer

Estimate-

Details-

1) Nala Bottom Width = 20 m2) Depth = 3 m3) Length = 3 m4) Slope along above side = 135) Slope along bottom side = 16

SrNo Classification Depth(m) Quantity(m3)1 Earth 0-1000 152 Soft Murum 1-1500 7503 Medium Murum 15-20 7504 Hard Murum 2-30 15

6)

General Estimate-

SrNo Description Volume Rate Amount1 Earthwork 882 285 224172 Transportation of earth (Up to 10 to

20 m)44050 518 216524

3 Stone Pitching 2400 648 155524 Stone Transportation 2440 2715

Total66246

2540022

BRUSHWOOD DAM

1 DEFINATION THE DAM WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE HELP OF BRUSHES OF TREES AND WET WOOD ON SMALL STREAM IS CALEED AS BRUSHWOOD DAM

2 OBJECTS

I To reduce the velocity of water flowing through streamII To stop erosion of land by storing earth in brushwood dam

3 SITE SELECTIONI In the upper reaches zone at downstream side of live check

bund where the stream has got 30 to 40 cm depth II Site should be selected from L-section of stream

4 Actual work (design steps)I On the selected site on stream at every 20 co distance wooden

sticks of 5 cm diameter and 65 cm long shall be fixed also one extra stick shall be fixed at both banks of stream

II In this way two rows strugured method shall be used Dam and brushes in layers Various bushes shall be planted behind the dam at 50cm distance

III The work shall be carried out in monsoon period

5 Estimate Sr No Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount

1) Marking out of dam

1 500 Bund 500

2) Buying sticks and their transport

52 100 Stick 5200

3) Fixing two rows

050 4700 Day 2350

4) Planting bushes

11 250 Bush 2750

5) Planting trees

3 750 Tree 2250

6) Other small works

42 025 - 1050

Total - 14100-

Earthen structure

1 Definition An earthen bund of length equal to width of

stream is build on stream it is called as earthen structure

Where loose boulder are not available at that place this type of work shall be done

2 Objects I To reduce velocity of flow through stream

II To stop and let water be percolate in landIII To stop erosion of land by flowing waterIV To plant trees around the bund

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 2: Project on Watershed Management

resources within a watershed Upstream activities influence river flows and water quality downstream Channelizing rivers removing riparian vegetation along watercourses paving rechargeareas filling in wetlands and consuming groundwater at rates faster than it can be replenishedcan have severe and in some cases irreversible effects on natural systems These effects in turn usually impair water quality degrade aquatic and terrestrial habitat contribute to a loss of biodiversity contaminate underground aquifers and increase risks of flooding and erosion damage At the heart of watershed management is the underlying philosophy that everything is connected to everything else Watershed components are interrelated and interdependent like the links of a chain or the spokes of a wheel Damage to any one watershed component runs the risk of damage to all The health of upstream components directly determines the health and function of areas downstream If the headwaters of Duffins Creek and Carruthers Creek are healthy areas downstream will benefit If the Duffins Creek and Carruthers Creek Watersheds are well managed then Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence River Basin will benefit Our actions affect our neighbors as well as neighboring communities

TYPES OF WATERSHED

Watersheds are classified depending upon the size drainage shape and land use pattern1) Macro watershed (gt 50000 Ha)2) Sub-watershed (10000 to 50000 Ha)3) Milli-watershed (1000 to10000 Ha)4) Micro watershed (100 to 1000 Ha)5) Mini watershed (1-100 Ha)

OBJECTIVES OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

The different objectives of watershed management programmes are

1 To control damaging runoff and degradation and thereby conservation of soil and water2 To manage and utilize the runoff water for useful purpose3 To protect conserve and improve the land of watershed for more efficient and sustained production4 To protect and enhance the water resource originating in the watershed5 To check soil erosion and to reduce the effect of sediment yield on the watershed6 To rehabilitate the deteriorating lands7 To moderate the floods peaks at downstream areas8 To increase infiltration of rainwater9 To improve and increase the production of timbers fodder and wild life resource10 To enhance the ground water recharge wherever applicable

FACTORS AFFECTING WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

a) Watershed characteristic

i) Size and shapeii) Topographyiii) Soilsiv) Relief

b) Climatic characteristic

i Precipitationii Amount and intensity of rainfall

c) Watershed operation

d) Land use pattern

i Vegetative coverii Density

e) Social status of inhability

f) Water resource and their capabilities

STRUCTURES BUILT UNDER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Loose Boulder Structure

These structures are effective for avoiding erosion of watershed land These are suitable for this work the boulders nearby the site shall be used

1) Objects-

i By plotting horizontal structure on the stream reducing the velocity of flowii To avoid erosion of land

iii To percolate runoffiv To plant trees of at downward side of bundv Silt stored at the bund can be used as fertilizer

2) Types Of Bund-

According to watershed area following are two types-

SrNo Type Area AvgHeight1 Small Loose Boulder Structure Up to 5 Ha 075m2 Large Loose Boulder Structure 5-10 Ha 1 m

3) Site Selection-

I For small structures area should be up to 5Ha and 5-10Ha for large structureII According to L-section of nala or stream the fixation of bund should be done

III Vertical distance between two bunds should be greater than 1mIV The bund should not be constructed on open rock in bottom of nalaV The site should be so that the boulders will available in 1m radius of bund

4) Design steps-

(a)Cutting and Filling-

1) Cutting = ( Avg Width of Base+03 ) xlenght 2m xdepth 03m (m3)

In this way the value of each 2m shall be found and finally total estimate should be obtained

2) The bund is to be extended 03m in banks of stream

Cutting in Cum = no of banks x length x width x depth

= 2 x 03 x 05 x 03= 009 m3

As shown above the total measurement of earthwork can be calculated and the filling will be equal to this amount of cutting

(b) Boulder construction on base-

The construction is done by section method Section are plotted on every 2m

Section (m2) = Base width+ topwidth

2 x height

Measurement of bund (m3) = Avg section (m2) x length 2m

(C) Live work -

The no of trees to be planted are calculated by

No of bushes = total lenthof bund

2 + 1

As shown above estimate of every boulder structure is obtained

Small structure ndash (details samples)

1) Length of bund ndash 66m2) Height of bund ndash 075m3) Side slope ndash Inside 11 backside 124) Top of bund ndash 05m5) Base of bund ndash 05m6) Watershed area ndash 4Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

Large structure (sample details)

1) Length ndash 86m2) Height ndash 1m3) Side slope ndash internal 11 Backside 124) Top width ndash 05m5) Base width ndash 35

6) Watershed area ndash 7Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

5) Estimate-

a) Small bund

Sr No

Work Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rs)

1) Cutting(Earthwork) 343 2703 M3 92712) Filling 343 2703 M3 92713) Collecting Boulders 343 4053 M3 139024) a)Supply Of Boulders 304 4053 M3 12321

b)Labour Wages 304 4502 M3 136865) Lead (Per 50) 304 2164 M3 65796) Planting Trees 26 Plants 200 Plant 52007) Contingency Charges 4

Total2800

73030

b) Large Bund

Sr No

Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rupees)

1) Cutting 3 2588 M3 77642) Filling 713 2588 M3 185523) Transporting Boulder 713 6038 M3 43050

4) Base Construction M3 1560025) Tree Plantation 36 Plants 200 Plant 726) Contingency 4

Total100

242568

Dugout Sunkan Pond

Definition-

The pond which is dug at the bottom of a nala is called as Dugout Sunkan Bund

BenefitsObjectives-

1) Storage of water and recharge of ground water table2) To decrease the velocity of flowing water3) This structure is economical than farm pond4) No need of cement stone sand etc5) To control erosion

Site Selection-

1) The nala should be in straight line2) The flow water should be same at any point3) The width of bottom of nala minimum has 15 m4) There should be no Murum up to depth of 3 to 5 m5) It is necessary to construct a loose boulder structure above 20 m of the Dugout Sunkan Pond

Design Steps-

1) Measurement of dugout sunkan (Cum)

( Surface area+4lowastCentral surfacearea+Bottomarea6 )

2) The construction of DSP is done at an interval of 05 m depth

3) The material obtained from the excavation is stored both sides of DSP4) The excavation should not be done by any blasting in any situation5) After the excavation is completed the work is checked by technical officer

Estimate-

Details-

1) Nala Bottom Width = 20 m2) Depth = 3 m3) Length = 3 m4) Slope along above side = 135) Slope along bottom side = 16

SrNo Classification Depth(m) Quantity(m3)1 Earth 0-1000 152 Soft Murum 1-1500 7503 Medium Murum 15-20 7504 Hard Murum 2-30 15

6)

General Estimate-

SrNo Description Volume Rate Amount1 Earthwork 882 285 224172 Transportation of earth (Up to 10 to

20 m)44050 518 216524

3 Stone Pitching 2400 648 155524 Stone Transportation 2440 2715

Total66246

2540022

BRUSHWOOD DAM

1 DEFINATION THE DAM WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE HELP OF BRUSHES OF TREES AND WET WOOD ON SMALL STREAM IS CALEED AS BRUSHWOOD DAM

2 OBJECTS

I To reduce the velocity of water flowing through streamII To stop erosion of land by storing earth in brushwood dam

3 SITE SELECTIONI In the upper reaches zone at downstream side of live check

bund where the stream has got 30 to 40 cm depth II Site should be selected from L-section of stream

4 Actual work (design steps)I On the selected site on stream at every 20 co distance wooden

sticks of 5 cm diameter and 65 cm long shall be fixed also one extra stick shall be fixed at both banks of stream

II In this way two rows strugured method shall be used Dam and brushes in layers Various bushes shall be planted behind the dam at 50cm distance

III The work shall be carried out in monsoon period

5 Estimate Sr No Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount

1) Marking out of dam

1 500 Bund 500

2) Buying sticks and their transport

52 100 Stick 5200

3) Fixing two rows

050 4700 Day 2350

4) Planting bushes

11 250 Bush 2750

5) Planting trees

3 750 Tree 2250

6) Other small works

42 025 - 1050

Total - 14100-

Earthen structure

1 Definition An earthen bund of length equal to width of

stream is build on stream it is called as earthen structure

Where loose boulder are not available at that place this type of work shall be done

2 Objects I To reduce velocity of flow through stream

II To stop and let water be percolate in landIII To stop erosion of land by flowing waterIV To plant trees around the bund

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 3: Project on Watershed Management

TYPES OF WATERSHED

Watersheds are classified depending upon the size drainage shape and land use pattern1) Macro watershed (gt 50000 Ha)2) Sub-watershed (10000 to 50000 Ha)3) Milli-watershed (1000 to10000 Ha)4) Micro watershed (100 to 1000 Ha)5) Mini watershed (1-100 Ha)

OBJECTIVES OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

The different objectives of watershed management programmes are

1 To control damaging runoff and degradation and thereby conservation of soil and water2 To manage and utilize the runoff water for useful purpose3 To protect conserve and improve the land of watershed for more efficient and sustained production4 To protect and enhance the water resource originating in the watershed5 To check soil erosion and to reduce the effect of sediment yield on the watershed6 To rehabilitate the deteriorating lands7 To moderate the floods peaks at downstream areas8 To increase infiltration of rainwater9 To improve and increase the production of timbers fodder and wild life resource10 To enhance the ground water recharge wherever applicable

FACTORS AFFECTING WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

a) Watershed characteristic

i) Size and shapeii) Topographyiii) Soilsiv) Relief

b) Climatic characteristic

i Precipitationii Amount and intensity of rainfall

c) Watershed operation

d) Land use pattern

i Vegetative coverii Density

e) Social status of inhability

f) Water resource and their capabilities

STRUCTURES BUILT UNDER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Loose Boulder Structure

These structures are effective for avoiding erosion of watershed land These are suitable for this work the boulders nearby the site shall be used

1) Objects-

i By plotting horizontal structure on the stream reducing the velocity of flowii To avoid erosion of land

iii To percolate runoffiv To plant trees of at downward side of bundv Silt stored at the bund can be used as fertilizer

2) Types Of Bund-

According to watershed area following are two types-

SrNo Type Area AvgHeight1 Small Loose Boulder Structure Up to 5 Ha 075m2 Large Loose Boulder Structure 5-10 Ha 1 m

3) Site Selection-

I For small structures area should be up to 5Ha and 5-10Ha for large structureII According to L-section of nala or stream the fixation of bund should be done

III Vertical distance between two bunds should be greater than 1mIV The bund should not be constructed on open rock in bottom of nalaV The site should be so that the boulders will available in 1m radius of bund

4) Design steps-

(a)Cutting and Filling-

1) Cutting = ( Avg Width of Base+03 ) xlenght 2m xdepth 03m (m3)

In this way the value of each 2m shall be found and finally total estimate should be obtained

2) The bund is to be extended 03m in banks of stream

Cutting in Cum = no of banks x length x width x depth

= 2 x 03 x 05 x 03= 009 m3

As shown above the total measurement of earthwork can be calculated and the filling will be equal to this amount of cutting

(b) Boulder construction on base-

The construction is done by section method Section are plotted on every 2m

Section (m2) = Base width+ topwidth

2 x height

Measurement of bund (m3) = Avg section (m2) x length 2m

(C) Live work -

The no of trees to be planted are calculated by

No of bushes = total lenthof bund

2 + 1

As shown above estimate of every boulder structure is obtained

Small structure ndash (details samples)

1) Length of bund ndash 66m2) Height of bund ndash 075m3) Side slope ndash Inside 11 backside 124) Top of bund ndash 05m5) Base of bund ndash 05m6) Watershed area ndash 4Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

Large structure (sample details)

1) Length ndash 86m2) Height ndash 1m3) Side slope ndash internal 11 Backside 124) Top width ndash 05m5) Base width ndash 35

6) Watershed area ndash 7Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

5) Estimate-

a) Small bund

Sr No

Work Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rs)

1) Cutting(Earthwork) 343 2703 M3 92712) Filling 343 2703 M3 92713) Collecting Boulders 343 4053 M3 139024) a)Supply Of Boulders 304 4053 M3 12321

b)Labour Wages 304 4502 M3 136865) Lead (Per 50) 304 2164 M3 65796) Planting Trees 26 Plants 200 Plant 52007) Contingency Charges 4

Total2800

73030

b) Large Bund

Sr No

Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rupees)

1) Cutting 3 2588 M3 77642) Filling 713 2588 M3 185523) Transporting Boulder 713 6038 M3 43050

4) Base Construction M3 1560025) Tree Plantation 36 Plants 200 Plant 726) Contingency 4

Total100

242568

Dugout Sunkan Pond

Definition-

The pond which is dug at the bottom of a nala is called as Dugout Sunkan Bund

BenefitsObjectives-

1) Storage of water and recharge of ground water table2) To decrease the velocity of flowing water3) This structure is economical than farm pond4) No need of cement stone sand etc5) To control erosion

Site Selection-

1) The nala should be in straight line2) The flow water should be same at any point3) The width of bottom of nala minimum has 15 m4) There should be no Murum up to depth of 3 to 5 m5) It is necessary to construct a loose boulder structure above 20 m of the Dugout Sunkan Pond

Design Steps-

1) Measurement of dugout sunkan (Cum)

( Surface area+4lowastCentral surfacearea+Bottomarea6 )

2) The construction of DSP is done at an interval of 05 m depth

3) The material obtained from the excavation is stored both sides of DSP4) The excavation should not be done by any blasting in any situation5) After the excavation is completed the work is checked by technical officer

Estimate-

Details-

1) Nala Bottom Width = 20 m2) Depth = 3 m3) Length = 3 m4) Slope along above side = 135) Slope along bottom side = 16

SrNo Classification Depth(m) Quantity(m3)1 Earth 0-1000 152 Soft Murum 1-1500 7503 Medium Murum 15-20 7504 Hard Murum 2-30 15

6)

General Estimate-

SrNo Description Volume Rate Amount1 Earthwork 882 285 224172 Transportation of earth (Up to 10 to

20 m)44050 518 216524

3 Stone Pitching 2400 648 155524 Stone Transportation 2440 2715

Total66246

2540022

BRUSHWOOD DAM

1 DEFINATION THE DAM WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE HELP OF BRUSHES OF TREES AND WET WOOD ON SMALL STREAM IS CALEED AS BRUSHWOOD DAM

2 OBJECTS

I To reduce the velocity of water flowing through streamII To stop erosion of land by storing earth in brushwood dam

3 SITE SELECTIONI In the upper reaches zone at downstream side of live check

bund where the stream has got 30 to 40 cm depth II Site should be selected from L-section of stream

4 Actual work (design steps)I On the selected site on stream at every 20 co distance wooden

sticks of 5 cm diameter and 65 cm long shall be fixed also one extra stick shall be fixed at both banks of stream

II In this way two rows strugured method shall be used Dam and brushes in layers Various bushes shall be planted behind the dam at 50cm distance

III The work shall be carried out in monsoon period

5 Estimate Sr No Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount

1) Marking out of dam

1 500 Bund 500

2) Buying sticks and their transport

52 100 Stick 5200

3) Fixing two rows

050 4700 Day 2350

4) Planting bushes

11 250 Bush 2750

5) Planting trees

3 750 Tree 2250

6) Other small works

42 025 - 1050

Total - 14100-

Earthen structure

1 Definition An earthen bund of length equal to width of

stream is build on stream it is called as earthen structure

Where loose boulder are not available at that place this type of work shall be done

2 Objects I To reduce velocity of flow through stream

II To stop and let water be percolate in landIII To stop erosion of land by flowing waterIV To plant trees around the bund

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 4: Project on Watershed Management

c) Watershed operation

d) Land use pattern

i Vegetative coverii Density

e) Social status of inhability

f) Water resource and their capabilities

STRUCTURES BUILT UNDER WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

Loose Boulder Structure

These structures are effective for avoiding erosion of watershed land These are suitable for this work the boulders nearby the site shall be used

1) Objects-

i By plotting horizontal structure on the stream reducing the velocity of flowii To avoid erosion of land

iii To percolate runoffiv To plant trees of at downward side of bundv Silt stored at the bund can be used as fertilizer

2) Types Of Bund-

According to watershed area following are two types-

SrNo Type Area AvgHeight1 Small Loose Boulder Structure Up to 5 Ha 075m2 Large Loose Boulder Structure 5-10 Ha 1 m

3) Site Selection-

I For small structures area should be up to 5Ha and 5-10Ha for large structureII According to L-section of nala or stream the fixation of bund should be done

III Vertical distance between two bunds should be greater than 1mIV The bund should not be constructed on open rock in bottom of nalaV The site should be so that the boulders will available in 1m radius of bund

4) Design steps-

(a)Cutting and Filling-

1) Cutting = ( Avg Width of Base+03 ) xlenght 2m xdepth 03m (m3)

In this way the value of each 2m shall be found and finally total estimate should be obtained

2) The bund is to be extended 03m in banks of stream

Cutting in Cum = no of banks x length x width x depth

= 2 x 03 x 05 x 03= 009 m3

As shown above the total measurement of earthwork can be calculated and the filling will be equal to this amount of cutting

(b) Boulder construction on base-

The construction is done by section method Section are plotted on every 2m

Section (m2) = Base width+ topwidth

2 x height

Measurement of bund (m3) = Avg section (m2) x length 2m

(C) Live work -

The no of trees to be planted are calculated by

No of bushes = total lenthof bund

2 + 1

As shown above estimate of every boulder structure is obtained

Small structure ndash (details samples)

1) Length of bund ndash 66m2) Height of bund ndash 075m3) Side slope ndash Inside 11 backside 124) Top of bund ndash 05m5) Base of bund ndash 05m6) Watershed area ndash 4Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

Large structure (sample details)

1) Length ndash 86m2) Height ndash 1m3) Side slope ndash internal 11 Backside 124) Top width ndash 05m5) Base width ndash 35

6) Watershed area ndash 7Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

5) Estimate-

a) Small bund

Sr No

Work Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rs)

1) Cutting(Earthwork) 343 2703 M3 92712) Filling 343 2703 M3 92713) Collecting Boulders 343 4053 M3 139024) a)Supply Of Boulders 304 4053 M3 12321

b)Labour Wages 304 4502 M3 136865) Lead (Per 50) 304 2164 M3 65796) Planting Trees 26 Plants 200 Plant 52007) Contingency Charges 4

Total2800

73030

b) Large Bund

Sr No

Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rupees)

1) Cutting 3 2588 M3 77642) Filling 713 2588 M3 185523) Transporting Boulder 713 6038 M3 43050

4) Base Construction M3 1560025) Tree Plantation 36 Plants 200 Plant 726) Contingency 4

Total100

242568

Dugout Sunkan Pond

Definition-

The pond which is dug at the bottom of a nala is called as Dugout Sunkan Bund

BenefitsObjectives-

1) Storage of water and recharge of ground water table2) To decrease the velocity of flowing water3) This structure is economical than farm pond4) No need of cement stone sand etc5) To control erosion

Site Selection-

1) The nala should be in straight line2) The flow water should be same at any point3) The width of bottom of nala minimum has 15 m4) There should be no Murum up to depth of 3 to 5 m5) It is necessary to construct a loose boulder structure above 20 m of the Dugout Sunkan Pond

Design Steps-

1) Measurement of dugout sunkan (Cum)

( Surface area+4lowastCentral surfacearea+Bottomarea6 )

2) The construction of DSP is done at an interval of 05 m depth

3) The material obtained from the excavation is stored both sides of DSP4) The excavation should not be done by any blasting in any situation5) After the excavation is completed the work is checked by technical officer

Estimate-

Details-

1) Nala Bottom Width = 20 m2) Depth = 3 m3) Length = 3 m4) Slope along above side = 135) Slope along bottom side = 16

SrNo Classification Depth(m) Quantity(m3)1 Earth 0-1000 152 Soft Murum 1-1500 7503 Medium Murum 15-20 7504 Hard Murum 2-30 15

6)

General Estimate-

SrNo Description Volume Rate Amount1 Earthwork 882 285 224172 Transportation of earth (Up to 10 to

20 m)44050 518 216524

3 Stone Pitching 2400 648 155524 Stone Transportation 2440 2715

Total66246

2540022

BRUSHWOOD DAM

1 DEFINATION THE DAM WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE HELP OF BRUSHES OF TREES AND WET WOOD ON SMALL STREAM IS CALEED AS BRUSHWOOD DAM

2 OBJECTS

I To reduce the velocity of water flowing through streamII To stop erosion of land by storing earth in brushwood dam

3 SITE SELECTIONI In the upper reaches zone at downstream side of live check

bund where the stream has got 30 to 40 cm depth II Site should be selected from L-section of stream

4 Actual work (design steps)I On the selected site on stream at every 20 co distance wooden

sticks of 5 cm diameter and 65 cm long shall be fixed also one extra stick shall be fixed at both banks of stream

II In this way two rows strugured method shall be used Dam and brushes in layers Various bushes shall be planted behind the dam at 50cm distance

III The work shall be carried out in monsoon period

5 Estimate Sr No Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount

1) Marking out of dam

1 500 Bund 500

2) Buying sticks and their transport

52 100 Stick 5200

3) Fixing two rows

050 4700 Day 2350

4) Planting bushes

11 250 Bush 2750

5) Planting trees

3 750 Tree 2250

6) Other small works

42 025 - 1050

Total - 14100-

Earthen structure

1 Definition An earthen bund of length equal to width of

stream is build on stream it is called as earthen structure

Where loose boulder are not available at that place this type of work shall be done

2 Objects I To reduce velocity of flow through stream

II To stop and let water be percolate in landIII To stop erosion of land by flowing waterIV To plant trees around the bund

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 5: Project on Watershed Management

I For small structures area should be up to 5Ha and 5-10Ha for large structureII According to L-section of nala or stream the fixation of bund should be done

III Vertical distance between two bunds should be greater than 1mIV The bund should not be constructed on open rock in bottom of nalaV The site should be so that the boulders will available in 1m radius of bund

4) Design steps-

(a)Cutting and Filling-

1) Cutting = ( Avg Width of Base+03 ) xlenght 2m xdepth 03m (m3)

In this way the value of each 2m shall be found and finally total estimate should be obtained

2) The bund is to be extended 03m in banks of stream

Cutting in Cum = no of banks x length x width x depth

= 2 x 03 x 05 x 03= 009 m3

As shown above the total measurement of earthwork can be calculated and the filling will be equal to this amount of cutting

(b) Boulder construction on base-

The construction is done by section method Section are plotted on every 2m

Section (m2) = Base width+ topwidth

2 x height

Measurement of bund (m3) = Avg section (m2) x length 2m

(C) Live work -

The no of trees to be planted are calculated by

No of bushes = total lenthof bund

2 + 1

As shown above estimate of every boulder structure is obtained

Small structure ndash (details samples)

1) Length of bund ndash 66m2) Height of bund ndash 075m3) Side slope ndash Inside 11 backside 124) Top of bund ndash 05m5) Base of bund ndash 05m6) Watershed area ndash 4Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

Large structure (sample details)

1) Length ndash 86m2) Height ndash 1m3) Side slope ndash internal 11 Backside 124) Top width ndash 05m5) Base width ndash 35

6) Watershed area ndash 7Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

5) Estimate-

a) Small bund

Sr No

Work Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rs)

1) Cutting(Earthwork) 343 2703 M3 92712) Filling 343 2703 M3 92713) Collecting Boulders 343 4053 M3 139024) a)Supply Of Boulders 304 4053 M3 12321

b)Labour Wages 304 4502 M3 136865) Lead (Per 50) 304 2164 M3 65796) Planting Trees 26 Plants 200 Plant 52007) Contingency Charges 4

Total2800

73030

b) Large Bund

Sr No

Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rupees)

1) Cutting 3 2588 M3 77642) Filling 713 2588 M3 185523) Transporting Boulder 713 6038 M3 43050

4) Base Construction M3 1560025) Tree Plantation 36 Plants 200 Plant 726) Contingency 4

Total100

242568

Dugout Sunkan Pond

Definition-

The pond which is dug at the bottom of a nala is called as Dugout Sunkan Bund

BenefitsObjectives-

1) Storage of water and recharge of ground water table2) To decrease the velocity of flowing water3) This structure is economical than farm pond4) No need of cement stone sand etc5) To control erosion

Site Selection-

1) The nala should be in straight line2) The flow water should be same at any point3) The width of bottom of nala minimum has 15 m4) There should be no Murum up to depth of 3 to 5 m5) It is necessary to construct a loose boulder structure above 20 m of the Dugout Sunkan Pond

Design Steps-

1) Measurement of dugout sunkan (Cum)

( Surface area+4lowastCentral surfacearea+Bottomarea6 )

2) The construction of DSP is done at an interval of 05 m depth

3) The material obtained from the excavation is stored both sides of DSP4) The excavation should not be done by any blasting in any situation5) After the excavation is completed the work is checked by technical officer

Estimate-

Details-

1) Nala Bottom Width = 20 m2) Depth = 3 m3) Length = 3 m4) Slope along above side = 135) Slope along bottom side = 16

SrNo Classification Depth(m) Quantity(m3)1 Earth 0-1000 152 Soft Murum 1-1500 7503 Medium Murum 15-20 7504 Hard Murum 2-30 15

6)

General Estimate-

SrNo Description Volume Rate Amount1 Earthwork 882 285 224172 Transportation of earth (Up to 10 to

20 m)44050 518 216524

3 Stone Pitching 2400 648 155524 Stone Transportation 2440 2715

Total66246

2540022

BRUSHWOOD DAM

1 DEFINATION THE DAM WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE HELP OF BRUSHES OF TREES AND WET WOOD ON SMALL STREAM IS CALEED AS BRUSHWOOD DAM

2 OBJECTS

I To reduce the velocity of water flowing through streamII To stop erosion of land by storing earth in brushwood dam

3 SITE SELECTIONI In the upper reaches zone at downstream side of live check

bund where the stream has got 30 to 40 cm depth II Site should be selected from L-section of stream

4 Actual work (design steps)I On the selected site on stream at every 20 co distance wooden

sticks of 5 cm diameter and 65 cm long shall be fixed also one extra stick shall be fixed at both banks of stream

II In this way two rows strugured method shall be used Dam and brushes in layers Various bushes shall be planted behind the dam at 50cm distance

III The work shall be carried out in monsoon period

5 Estimate Sr No Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount

1) Marking out of dam

1 500 Bund 500

2) Buying sticks and their transport

52 100 Stick 5200

3) Fixing two rows

050 4700 Day 2350

4) Planting bushes

11 250 Bush 2750

5) Planting trees

3 750 Tree 2250

6) Other small works

42 025 - 1050

Total - 14100-

Earthen structure

1 Definition An earthen bund of length equal to width of

stream is build on stream it is called as earthen structure

Where loose boulder are not available at that place this type of work shall be done

2 Objects I To reduce velocity of flow through stream

II To stop and let water be percolate in landIII To stop erosion of land by flowing waterIV To plant trees around the bund

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 6: Project on Watershed Management

Measurement of bund (m3) = Avg section (m2) x length 2m

(C) Live work -

The no of trees to be planted are calculated by

No of bushes = total lenthof bund

2 + 1

As shown above estimate of every boulder structure is obtained

Small structure ndash (details samples)

1) Length of bund ndash 66m2) Height of bund ndash 075m3) Side slope ndash Inside 11 backside 124) Top of bund ndash 05m5) Base of bund ndash 05m6) Watershed area ndash 4Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

Large structure (sample details)

1) Length ndash 86m2) Height ndash 1m3) Side slope ndash internal 11 Backside 124) Top width ndash 05m5) Base width ndash 35

6) Watershed area ndash 7Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

5) Estimate-

a) Small bund

Sr No

Work Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rs)

1) Cutting(Earthwork) 343 2703 M3 92712) Filling 343 2703 M3 92713) Collecting Boulders 343 4053 M3 139024) a)Supply Of Boulders 304 4053 M3 12321

b)Labour Wages 304 4502 M3 136865) Lead (Per 50) 304 2164 M3 65796) Planting Trees 26 Plants 200 Plant 52007) Contingency Charges 4

Total2800

73030

b) Large Bund

Sr No

Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rupees)

1) Cutting 3 2588 M3 77642) Filling 713 2588 M3 185523) Transporting Boulder 713 6038 M3 43050

4) Base Construction M3 1560025) Tree Plantation 36 Plants 200 Plant 726) Contingency 4

Total100

242568

Dugout Sunkan Pond

Definition-

The pond which is dug at the bottom of a nala is called as Dugout Sunkan Bund

BenefitsObjectives-

1) Storage of water and recharge of ground water table2) To decrease the velocity of flowing water3) This structure is economical than farm pond4) No need of cement stone sand etc5) To control erosion

Site Selection-

1) The nala should be in straight line2) The flow water should be same at any point3) The width of bottom of nala minimum has 15 m4) There should be no Murum up to depth of 3 to 5 m5) It is necessary to construct a loose boulder structure above 20 m of the Dugout Sunkan Pond

Design Steps-

1) Measurement of dugout sunkan (Cum)

( Surface area+4lowastCentral surfacearea+Bottomarea6 )

2) The construction of DSP is done at an interval of 05 m depth

3) The material obtained from the excavation is stored both sides of DSP4) The excavation should not be done by any blasting in any situation5) After the excavation is completed the work is checked by technical officer

Estimate-

Details-

1) Nala Bottom Width = 20 m2) Depth = 3 m3) Length = 3 m4) Slope along above side = 135) Slope along bottom side = 16

SrNo Classification Depth(m) Quantity(m3)1 Earth 0-1000 152 Soft Murum 1-1500 7503 Medium Murum 15-20 7504 Hard Murum 2-30 15

6)

General Estimate-

SrNo Description Volume Rate Amount1 Earthwork 882 285 224172 Transportation of earth (Up to 10 to

20 m)44050 518 216524

3 Stone Pitching 2400 648 155524 Stone Transportation 2440 2715

Total66246

2540022

BRUSHWOOD DAM

1 DEFINATION THE DAM WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE HELP OF BRUSHES OF TREES AND WET WOOD ON SMALL STREAM IS CALEED AS BRUSHWOOD DAM

2 OBJECTS

I To reduce the velocity of water flowing through streamII To stop erosion of land by storing earth in brushwood dam

3 SITE SELECTIONI In the upper reaches zone at downstream side of live check

bund where the stream has got 30 to 40 cm depth II Site should be selected from L-section of stream

4 Actual work (design steps)I On the selected site on stream at every 20 co distance wooden

sticks of 5 cm diameter and 65 cm long shall be fixed also one extra stick shall be fixed at both banks of stream

II In this way two rows strugured method shall be used Dam and brushes in layers Various bushes shall be planted behind the dam at 50cm distance

III The work shall be carried out in monsoon period

5 Estimate Sr No Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount

1) Marking out of dam

1 500 Bund 500

2) Buying sticks and their transport

52 100 Stick 5200

3) Fixing two rows

050 4700 Day 2350

4) Planting bushes

11 250 Bush 2750

5) Planting trees

3 750 Tree 2250

6) Other small works

42 025 - 1050

Total - 14100-

Earthen structure

1 Definition An earthen bund of length equal to width of

stream is build on stream it is called as earthen structure

Where loose boulder are not available at that place this type of work shall be done

2 Objects I To reduce velocity of flow through stream

II To stop and let water be percolate in landIII To stop erosion of land by flowing waterIV To plant trees around the bund

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 7: Project on Watershed Management

6) Watershed area ndash 7Ha7) Area ndash Western Ghat

5) Estimate-

a) Small bund

Sr No

Work Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rs)

1) Cutting(Earthwork) 343 2703 M3 92712) Filling 343 2703 M3 92713) Collecting Boulders 343 4053 M3 139024) a)Supply Of Boulders 304 4053 M3 12321

b)Labour Wages 304 4502 M3 136865) Lead (Per 50) 304 2164 M3 65796) Planting Trees 26 Plants 200 Plant 52007) Contingency Charges 4

Total2800

73030

b) Large Bund

Sr No

Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount(Rupees)

1) Cutting 3 2588 M3 77642) Filling 713 2588 M3 185523) Transporting Boulder 713 6038 M3 43050

4) Base Construction M3 1560025) Tree Plantation 36 Plants 200 Plant 726) Contingency 4

Total100

242568

Dugout Sunkan Pond

Definition-

The pond which is dug at the bottom of a nala is called as Dugout Sunkan Bund

BenefitsObjectives-

1) Storage of water and recharge of ground water table2) To decrease the velocity of flowing water3) This structure is economical than farm pond4) No need of cement stone sand etc5) To control erosion

Site Selection-

1) The nala should be in straight line2) The flow water should be same at any point3) The width of bottom of nala minimum has 15 m4) There should be no Murum up to depth of 3 to 5 m5) It is necessary to construct a loose boulder structure above 20 m of the Dugout Sunkan Pond

Design Steps-

1) Measurement of dugout sunkan (Cum)

( Surface area+4lowastCentral surfacearea+Bottomarea6 )

2) The construction of DSP is done at an interval of 05 m depth

3) The material obtained from the excavation is stored both sides of DSP4) The excavation should not be done by any blasting in any situation5) After the excavation is completed the work is checked by technical officer

Estimate-

Details-

1) Nala Bottom Width = 20 m2) Depth = 3 m3) Length = 3 m4) Slope along above side = 135) Slope along bottom side = 16

SrNo Classification Depth(m) Quantity(m3)1 Earth 0-1000 152 Soft Murum 1-1500 7503 Medium Murum 15-20 7504 Hard Murum 2-30 15

6)

General Estimate-

SrNo Description Volume Rate Amount1 Earthwork 882 285 224172 Transportation of earth (Up to 10 to

20 m)44050 518 216524

3 Stone Pitching 2400 648 155524 Stone Transportation 2440 2715

Total66246

2540022

BRUSHWOOD DAM

1 DEFINATION THE DAM WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE HELP OF BRUSHES OF TREES AND WET WOOD ON SMALL STREAM IS CALEED AS BRUSHWOOD DAM

2 OBJECTS

I To reduce the velocity of water flowing through streamII To stop erosion of land by storing earth in brushwood dam

3 SITE SELECTIONI In the upper reaches zone at downstream side of live check

bund where the stream has got 30 to 40 cm depth II Site should be selected from L-section of stream

4 Actual work (design steps)I On the selected site on stream at every 20 co distance wooden

sticks of 5 cm diameter and 65 cm long shall be fixed also one extra stick shall be fixed at both banks of stream

II In this way two rows strugured method shall be used Dam and brushes in layers Various bushes shall be planted behind the dam at 50cm distance

III The work shall be carried out in monsoon period

5 Estimate Sr No Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount

1) Marking out of dam

1 500 Bund 500

2) Buying sticks and their transport

52 100 Stick 5200

3) Fixing two rows

050 4700 Day 2350

4) Planting bushes

11 250 Bush 2750

5) Planting trees

3 750 Tree 2250

6) Other small works

42 025 - 1050

Total - 14100-

Earthen structure

1 Definition An earthen bund of length equal to width of

stream is build on stream it is called as earthen structure

Where loose boulder are not available at that place this type of work shall be done

2 Objects I To reduce velocity of flow through stream

II To stop and let water be percolate in landIII To stop erosion of land by flowing waterIV To plant trees around the bund

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 8: Project on Watershed Management

4) Base Construction M3 1560025) Tree Plantation 36 Plants 200 Plant 726) Contingency 4

Total100

242568

Dugout Sunkan Pond

Definition-

The pond which is dug at the bottom of a nala is called as Dugout Sunkan Bund

BenefitsObjectives-

1) Storage of water and recharge of ground water table2) To decrease the velocity of flowing water3) This structure is economical than farm pond4) No need of cement stone sand etc5) To control erosion

Site Selection-

1) The nala should be in straight line2) The flow water should be same at any point3) The width of bottom of nala minimum has 15 m4) There should be no Murum up to depth of 3 to 5 m5) It is necessary to construct a loose boulder structure above 20 m of the Dugout Sunkan Pond

Design Steps-

1) Measurement of dugout sunkan (Cum)

( Surface area+4lowastCentral surfacearea+Bottomarea6 )

2) The construction of DSP is done at an interval of 05 m depth

3) The material obtained from the excavation is stored both sides of DSP4) The excavation should not be done by any blasting in any situation5) After the excavation is completed the work is checked by technical officer

Estimate-

Details-

1) Nala Bottom Width = 20 m2) Depth = 3 m3) Length = 3 m4) Slope along above side = 135) Slope along bottom side = 16

SrNo Classification Depth(m) Quantity(m3)1 Earth 0-1000 152 Soft Murum 1-1500 7503 Medium Murum 15-20 7504 Hard Murum 2-30 15

6)

General Estimate-

SrNo Description Volume Rate Amount1 Earthwork 882 285 224172 Transportation of earth (Up to 10 to

20 m)44050 518 216524

3 Stone Pitching 2400 648 155524 Stone Transportation 2440 2715

Total66246

2540022

BRUSHWOOD DAM

1 DEFINATION THE DAM WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE HELP OF BRUSHES OF TREES AND WET WOOD ON SMALL STREAM IS CALEED AS BRUSHWOOD DAM

2 OBJECTS

I To reduce the velocity of water flowing through streamII To stop erosion of land by storing earth in brushwood dam

3 SITE SELECTIONI In the upper reaches zone at downstream side of live check

bund where the stream has got 30 to 40 cm depth II Site should be selected from L-section of stream

4 Actual work (design steps)I On the selected site on stream at every 20 co distance wooden

sticks of 5 cm diameter and 65 cm long shall be fixed also one extra stick shall be fixed at both banks of stream

II In this way two rows strugured method shall be used Dam and brushes in layers Various bushes shall be planted behind the dam at 50cm distance

III The work shall be carried out in monsoon period

5 Estimate Sr No Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount

1) Marking out of dam

1 500 Bund 500

2) Buying sticks and their transport

52 100 Stick 5200

3) Fixing two rows

050 4700 Day 2350

4) Planting bushes

11 250 Bush 2750

5) Planting trees

3 750 Tree 2250

6) Other small works

42 025 - 1050

Total - 14100-

Earthen structure

1 Definition An earthen bund of length equal to width of

stream is build on stream it is called as earthen structure

Where loose boulder are not available at that place this type of work shall be done

2 Objects I To reduce velocity of flow through stream

II To stop and let water be percolate in landIII To stop erosion of land by flowing waterIV To plant trees around the bund

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 9: Project on Watershed Management

3) The material obtained from the excavation is stored both sides of DSP4) The excavation should not be done by any blasting in any situation5) After the excavation is completed the work is checked by technical officer

Estimate-

Details-

1) Nala Bottom Width = 20 m2) Depth = 3 m3) Length = 3 m4) Slope along above side = 135) Slope along bottom side = 16

SrNo Classification Depth(m) Quantity(m3)1 Earth 0-1000 152 Soft Murum 1-1500 7503 Medium Murum 15-20 7504 Hard Murum 2-30 15

6)

General Estimate-

SrNo Description Volume Rate Amount1 Earthwork 882 285 224172 Transportation of earth (Up to 10 to

20 m)44050 518 216524

3 Stone Pitching 2400 648 155524 Stone Transportation 2440 2715

Total66246

2540022

BRUSHWOOD DAM

1 DEFINATION THE DAM WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE HELP OF BRUSHES OF TREES AND WET WOOD ON SMALL STREAM IS CALEED AS BRUSHWOOD DAM

2 OBJECTS

I To reduce the velocity of water flowing through streamII To stop erosion of land by storing earth in brushwood dam

3 SITE SELECTIONI In the upper reaches zone at downstream side of live check

bund where the stream has got 30 to 40 cm depth II Site should be selected from L-section of stream

4 Actual work (design steps)I On the selected site on stream at every 20 co distance wooden

sticks of 5 cm diameter and 65 cm long shall be fixed also one extra stick shall be fixed at both banks of stream

II In this way two rows strugured method shall be used Dam and brushes in layers Various bushes shall be planted behind the dam at 50cm distance

III The work shall be carried out in monsoon period

5 Estimate Sr No Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount

1) Marking out of dam

1 500 Bund 500

2) Buying sticks and their transport

52 100 Stick 5200

3) Fixing two rows

050 4700 Day 2350

4) Planting bushes

11 250 Bush 2750

5) Planting trees

3 750 Tree 2250

6) Other small works

42 025 - 1050

Total - 14100-

Earthen structure

1 Definition An earthen bund of length equal to width of

stream is build on stream it is called as earthen structure

Where loose boulder are not available at that place this type of work shall be done

2 Objects I To reduce velocity of flow through stream

II To stop and let water be percolate in landIII To stop erosion of land by flowing waterIV To plant trees around the bund

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 10: Project on Watershed Management

General Estimate-

SrNo Description Volume Rate Amount1 Earthwork 882 285 224172 Transportation of earth (Up to 10 to

20 m)44050 518 216524

3 Stone Pitching 2400 648 155524 Stone Transportation 2440 2715

Total66246

2540022

BRUSHWOOD DAM

1 DEFINATION THE DAM WHICH IS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE HELP OF BRUSHES OF TREES AND WET WOOD ON SMALL STREAM IS CALEED AS BRUSHWOOD DAM

2 OBJECTS

I To reduce the velocity of water flowing through streamII To stop erosion of land by storing earth in brushwood dam

3 SITE SELECTIONI In the upper reaches zone at downstream side of live check

bund where the stream has got 30 to 40 cm depth II Site should be selected from L-section of stream

4 Actual work (design steps)I On the selected site on stream at every 20 co distance wooden

sticks of 5 cm diameter and 65 cm long shall be fixed also one extra stick shall be fixed at both banks of stream

II In this way two rows strugured method shall be used Dam and brushes in layers Various bushes shall be planted behind the dam at 50cm distance

III The work shall be carried out in monsoon period

5 Estimate Sr No Description Quantity Rate Unit Amount

1) Marking out of dam

1 500 Bund 500

2) Buying sticks and their transport

52 100 Stick 5200

3) Fixing two rows

050 4700 Day 2350

4) Planting bushes

11 250 Bush 2750

5) Planting trees

3 750 Tree 2250

6) Other small works

42 025 - 1050

Total - 14100-

Earthen structure

1 Definition An earthen bund of length equal to width of

stream is build on stream it is called as earthen structure

Where loose boulder are not available at that place this type of work shall be done

2 Objects I To reduce velocity of flow through stream

II To stop and let water be percolate in landIII To stop erosion of land by flowing waterIV To plant trees around the bund

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 11: Project on Watershed Management

1) Marking out of dam

1 500 Bund 500

2) Buying sticks and their transport

52 100 Stick 5200

3) Fixing two rows

050 4700 Day 2350

4) Planting bushes

11 250 Bush 2750

5) Planting trees

3 750 Tree 2250

6) Other small works

42 025 - 1050

Total - 14100-

Earthen structure

1 Definition An earthen bund of length equal to width of

stream is build on stream it is called as earthen structure

Where loose boulder are not available at that place this type of work shall be done

2 Objects I To reduce velocity of flow through stream

II To stop and let water be percolate in landIII To stop erosion of land by flowing waterIV To plant trees around the bund

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 12: Project on Watershed Management

3 Site selection i The watershed area should area should be less than 10 hac

ii The site shall be fixed with the help of L-section of stream in watershed area

iii Vertical distance between 2 bunds should be greater than 1m

iv The bund should be constructed where the earth is available v The foundation should be watertight and hard murum strata

shall be available

4 Actual work (design steps)- Selected land shall be excavated 03 m the excavated material shall be stored behind the pit and the pit shall be filled with black cotton soil

5 Earthen work - Excavated murum shall be used for casing top of bund should be

06 m and the proportion of length height and side slope shall be (115)

The earthwork and pitching shall be done before monsoon

Quantity of excavation Of base = length x Avg base width x depth

(03 m)

Quantity of earthwork Done at base =average section x length (2m)

Section (m2 ) = (base + top width ) x height 2

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 13: Project on Watershed Management

6 Live work -Before monsoon period when the land will get sufficient wet trees shall be planted at a distance 05m behind the bund as well as local grass shall be planted on the filling

No of bushes = (length on bund 05 ) + 1 No of trees =(length of bund 250) + 1

7 Estimate -

Sr no Description of work

Quantity Rate Unit(per)

Amount

1) Base excavation 468 2703 M3 127002) Black cotton soil

filling468 2162 M3 10100

3) Construction of bund on base

M3

a) 30 2162 M3 6500b) 540 2703 M3 14600

4) Pitching 300 4700 M2 14100

5) Grass (planting) 420 215 M2 9006) Bushes

(planting)26 200 Plant 5200

7) Trees (planting) 3 75 Plant 22508) Other small

works- - - 2175

Total 68500

9) Contingencies 2 + 1400

= 69900

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 14: Project on Watershed Management

CHECK DAMS

INFORMATION-

Check Dams are small structures designed to slow the speed of storm water flows control erosion and allow suspended sediment to settle out Check Dams may be constructed of rocks gravel bags sand bags fiber rolls or other reusable products

Straw bales and silt fences are not appropriate materials since they have a history of

Failure when used for this purpose Mulch is also not an appropriate material

Check Dams may be temporary or permanent structures and should be used in Conjunction with other soil surface stabilization techniques Check-dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow on shallow rivers and streams for the purpose of water harvesting

TYPES OF CHECK DAMS-

EARTHEN CHECKDAMS(EMBANKMENTS)-MADE OF EARTH amp CLAY- SUITABLE FOR SHALLOW STREAMS WITH MINIMAL FLOW amp LOW GREDIENT-UNABLE TO WITHSTAND OVERFLOW CONDITIONSTONE RCC CHECK DAMS-LARGER STREAM FLOW-ALLOWING OVER FLOW

BENEFITS ndash

Inexpensive and easy to construct May be used as permanent storm water control devices if properly designed Can slow storm water runoff velocities May be used where it is not feasible to redirect water flows or otherwise stabilize water

channels

L = the distance such that the points A and B are of equal elevation

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 15: Project on Watershed Management

Fig CHECK DAMS

ADVANTAGES-Check dams not only prevent gully erosion from occurring before vegetation is established but also cause a high proportion of the sediment load in runoff to settle out-In some cases if carefully located and designed these check dams can remain as permanent installations with very minor repairs

DISADVANTAGESPROBLEMS-Because of their temporary nature many of these measures have to be repaired regularly-Temporary check dams are only suitable for a limited drainage area and benefits are limited-Removal may be a significant cost depending on the type of check dam installed

LIMITATIONS

Can kill grass linings in channels if water levels remain high for extended period or if there is significant sedimentation

Damage existing vegetation during installation These are inappropriate in channels that drain areas greater than 10 acres It requires extensive maintenance following high velocity water flow events It may fall during intensive storm eventshigh water flows

INSTALLATION TIPS - The center of the check dam should be lower than the edges to allow water to flow over

the dam

Must completely span the channel or swale to prevent washout Materials should be large enough and anchored so they do not wash away in heavier

flows

May be constructed from a variety of materials including logs and lumber logs and lumber have a longer life span than when compared to sand bags or fiber rolls and may be removed and reused elsewhere

Compose rock check dams of 8-12 in rock Construct log check dams of 4-6 in diameter logs logs should be embedded in the soil

to at least 18 in and may be further secured to vertical support logs that have been driven or buried into the soil

Place material of choice in the channel either by hand or mechanical methods never simply dump it into the channel

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 16: Project on Watershed Management

Install check dams at a distance and height allowing small pools to form between each dam

Check that the back water from downstream check dams reaches the toes of upstream dams

Excavate a sediment retention basin upstream of the check dam if additional sediment removal is desired

Detailed installation tips can be found in the ODNR Rainwater and Land Development manual

MAINTENANCE ndash

Inspect Check Dams for deficiencies prior to forecasted rain event daily during extended periods of rain events after rain events and at two week intervals at all other times

Repair damage to edges of check dam as these may lead to dam failure Replace any structural material that appears to be degraded or missing Remove captured sediments from behind check dams when the sediment depth reaches

50 of check dam height Remove all accumulated sediment prior to seeding or other soil stabilization techniques Remove check dam and captured sediment when erosion control is no longer necessary Dispose off removed sediment properly if dams are removed during the construction

process they may be reincorporated into the site

USAGE ndashCheck dams should be used in the following areas

Small open channels or swales that drain areas of 10 ac or less Steeply sloped swales or channels Swales or channels where adequate vegetation cannot or has not become established

Check dams should not be used in Live streams Large channels

SALIENT POINTS FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS

bull Need and site locationbull Design ndash Map of the area ndash Estimation of catchment area ndash Rainfall analysis ndash Plan and cross section ndash Yield at the site ndash High flood Estimationbull Estimates ndash Detailed quantities ndash Men and materialbull Constructionbull Project proposalbull Economics

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 17: Project on Watershed Management

DESIGN STEPS 1) ESTIMATION OF WATERSHED AREA

2) ESTMATION OF MEAN RAINFALL (THEISSEN POLYGON METHOD)

3) RAINFALL ANALYSIS AND DEPENDABILITY OF RAINFALL

4) CALCULATION OF YIELD

5) FLOOD DISCHARGE ESTIMATION

6) LENGTH OF CHECK DAM L= (15Q)(CHSQRT (2981H) Design Flood (cum) = 16324 Flood lift (H)-(FSL to HFL) = 100 Calculated Length of Weir (m) = 8845 Length of check dam actually proposed due to site conditions = 10000

7) ESTIMATION OF HFL AND AHFL

8) CHECK FOR OVERTURNING CRUSHING AND SLIDING

ESTIMATE

Item Qty Unit Rate Per Amount Item No1 Excavation in all sorts of soils Soil 61432 Cum 2900 Cum 1781526Soft rock 42916 Cum 7000 Cum 3004117Hard rock 14305 Cum 12500 Cum 1788165Item No 2 PCCPCC 136 9338 Cum 120800 Cum 11279888PCC 15 9932 Cum 87000 Cum 8640651PCC 124 50154 Cum 150900 Cum 75682333Item No 3 Drilling of Bores 50mm dia 1m length No of Holes 30300 No 6000 No 1818000Item No 4 Providing and Fixing in position Mild Steel

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 18: Project on Watershed Management

Mild Steel 736 Qtls 207000 Qtl 1524120Item No 5 Back FillingBack Filling 17250 Cum 1500 Cum 258750

3 for contingencies and work chargedEstablishments and tools

total 105777550

3173326Grand Total

108950876

PERCOLATION TANKS

INFORMATION ndash

The downward movement of the water through the soil due to force of gravity is termed as Percolation The percolation water goes deep into the soil until it meets the free water table On the one hand due to rapid percolation there is practically no danger of soil suffering from bed drainage but on the other hand there is a possibility of the dissolved plant nutrients like calcium and magnesium being carried deep into lower layers and depositing beyond the reach of the roots of common field crops In sandy or open textured soils there is a rapid loss of water through percolation The flow of water due to gravity is very marked when the soil is in a saturated condition and generally the direction of such flow is downward although a little lateral flow also takes place The larger pores ie the macro-pores serve as the main channels for this gravitational flow

Percolation losses When rainfall is high and water holding capacity of soil is less the losses due to percolation are very great Such losses are very rapid particularly when the soils are sandy and porous eg in case of lateritic soil in Konkan region the soil is quite workable within a few hours even after a heavy rainfall Besides rapid percolation of water there is also a heavy loss of plant nutrients viz Ca Mg S K etc resulting in soil becoming acidic

Percolation tanks are the structures for recharging ground water These are generally constructed across streams and bigger gullies in order to impound a part of the run-off water This water in due course finds its way into subsoil and recharges the found water This leads to better recuperation of wells in the downstream areas Such ponds have become popular in many a place In Maharashtra there is legislation to cover percolation tanks The water is not used for surface irrigation In Tamil Nadu where there is over-exploitation of ground water farmers are now volunteering to spare land for percolation tanks In the Saurashtra region of Gujarat these tanks are constructed for recharging wells that support peanut production

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 19: Project on Watershed Management

Importance of Percolation Tanks for Water Conservation for Sustainable Development of Ground Water in Hard-Rock Aquifers in India

Development of a natural resource like ground water is a concerted activity towards itssustainable use for human benefit The concept of sustainable use is related to variousfactors like the volume of water storage in the aquifer annual recharge or replenishmentvolume of annual pumpage for the proposed use benefitcost ratio of the proposed useand environmental impacts of the proposed useHard rock aquifers in this paper mean the non-carbonate fractured rocks like thecrystalline basement complex and metamorphic rocks which cover an area of about800000 sq Kms in central and southern India Basalts of western India also known as theDeccan traps of late Cretaceous to early Eocene period are also included as a special case

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 20: Project on Watershed Management

Deccan traps comprise hundreds of nearly horizontal basaltic lava flows in a thick pile and cover around 500000 sq kms of western India (Fig 1a and 1b) This pile was not tectonically disturbed after consolidation and a hand specimen does not show any primary porosity due to the non-frothy nature of the lava (Adyalkar amp Mani 1971) Hydro-geologically the Deccan traps have low porosity and are therefore akin to fractured hard rock aquifers

Occurrence of ground water

Ground water under phreatic condition occurs in the soft mantle of weathered rockalluvium and laterite overlying the hard rock Under this soft mantle ground water ismostly in semi-confined state in the fissures fractures cracks and joints (Deolankar1980) In basaltic terrain the lava flow junctions and red boles sandwiched between twolayers of lava flows also provide additional porosity The ratio of the volume ofwater stored under semi-confined condition within the body of the hard rock to thevolume of water in the overlying phreatic aquifer depends on local conditions in themini-watershed Dug-cum-bored wells tap water from the phreatic aquifer and also fromthe network of fissures joints and fractures in the underlying hard rock

GL ndash Ground Level HB ndash Horizontal Bore HR ndash Hard Rock SD ndash Sheet Fracture or joint VB ndash Vertical Bore VF ndash Vertical Fracture WR ndash Weathered rock WT ndash Water Table Fig 3A and 3B Dug cum Bored Wells

The recharge to ground water takes place during the rainy season through direct infiltration into the soft mantle overlying the hard rock and also into the exposed portions of the network of fissures and fractures In India and other Asian countries in Monsoon climate the ratio of recharge to rainfall in hard rock terrain is assumed between 3 to 15 (Limaye SD amp Limaye DG 1986) This ratio depends upon the amount and nature of precipitation the nature and thickness of topsoil and weathered zone type of vegetation evaporation from surface of wet soil profile of underlying hard rock the topographical features of the sub-basin and the status of soil and water conservation activities adopted by villagers Ground water flow rarely occurs across the topographical water divides and each basin or sub-basin can be treated as a separate hydro-geological unit for planning the development of ground water resources After the rainy season the fully recharged hard rock aquifer gradually loses its storage mainly due to pumpage and effluent drainage by streams and rivers The dry

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 21: Project on Watershed Management

season flow of the streams is thus supported by ground water outflow The flow of ground water is from the peripheral portions of a sub-basin to the central-valley portion thereby causing dewatering of the portions closer to topographical water divides In many cases the dug wells and bore wells yielding perennial supply of ground water can only be located in the central valley portion The annual recharge during Monsoons being a sizable part of the total storage of the aquifer the whole system in a sub-basin or mini-basin is very sensitive to the availability of this recharge A couple of drought years in succession could pose a serious problem The low permeability of hard rock aquifer is a redeeming feature under such conditions because it makes small quantities of water available at least for drinking purpose in the dug wells or bore wells in the central portion of a sub-basin If the hard rocks had very high permeability the ground water body would have quickly moved towards the main river basin thereby leaving the tributary sub-basins high and dry The low permeability in the range of 005 to 10 meter per day thus helps in retarding the outflow and regulating the availability of water in individual farm wells More farmers are thus able to dig or drill their wells and irrigate small plots of land without causing harmful mutual interferenceGround water development

In the highly populated but economically backward areas in hard rock terrain Governments in many developing countries have taken up schemes to encourage small farmers to dig or drill wells for small-scale irrigation This is especially true for the semi-arid regions where surface water resources are meager For example in peninsular India hard rocks such as granite gneiss schist quartzite (800000 sq kms) and basalts (Deccan traps- 500000 sq kms) occupy about 130 million sq kms area out of which about 40 is in semi-arid zone receiving less than 750 mm rainfall per year Over 400 million dug wells and bore wells are being used in the semi-arid region for irrigating small farm plots and for providing domestic water supply Development of ground water resources for irrigational and domestic use is thus a key factor in the economic thrift of vast stretches of semi-arid hard rock areas The basic need of millions of farmers in such areas is to obtain an assured supply for protective irrigation of at least one rain-fed crop per year and to have a protected perennial drinking water supply within a reasonable walking distance The hard-rock hydro-geologists in many developing countries have to meet this challenge to impart social and economic stability to the rural population which otherwise migrates to the neighboring cities The problem of rapid urbanization by exodus of rural population towards the cities which is common for many developing countries can only be solved by providing assurance of at least one crop and rural employment on farms Ground water development in a sub-basin results in increased pumpage and lowering of the water table due to the new wells resulting in the reduction of the effluent drainage from the sub-basin Such development in several sub-basins draining into the main river of the region reduces the surface flow and the underflow of the river thereby affecting the function of the surface water schemes depending on the river flow In order to minimize such interference it is advisable to augment ground water recharge by adopting artificial recharge techniques during rainy season and also during dry season The measures for artificial recharge during Monsoon rains include contour trenching on hill-slopes contour bunding of farms gully plugging farm-ponds underground stream bunds and forestation of

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 22: Project on Watershed Management

barren lands with suitable varieties of grass bushes and trees Artificial recharge in dry season is achieved through construction of percolation tanks However increase in pumpage takes place through the initiative of individual farmers to improve their living standard through irrigation of high value crops while recharge augmentation is traditionally considered as Governmentrsquos responsibility and always lags far behind the increase in pumpage In many parts of the world particularly in developing countries groundwater is thus being massively over-abstracted This is resulting in falling water levels and declining well yields land subsidence intrusion of salt water into freshwater supplies and ecological damages such as drying out wetlands Groundwater governance through regulations has been attempted without much success because the farmers have a strong sense of ownership of ground water occurring in their farms Integrated Water Resources Development (IWRM) is being promoted as a policy or a principle at national and international levels but in practice at field level it cannot be attained without cooperation of rural community NGOs sometimes play an important role in educating the villagers and ensure their cooperation

Importance of dry season recharge-

During the rainy season from June to September the recharge from rainfall causes recuperation of water table in a sub-basin from its minimum level in early June to its maximum level in late September This is represented by the equation P = R + ET + r

Where P is the precipitation R is surface runoff ET is evapo transpiration during the rainy season and r is the net recharge represented by the difference between the Minimum storage and Maximum storage in the aquifer However after the aquifer gets fully saturated the additional infiltration during the Monsoons is rejected and appears as delayed runoff During the dry season depletion of the aquifer storage in a sub-basin from its maximum value to minimum value is represented by the following equation

(Aquifer storage at the end of rainy season ie Maximum storage) =(Aquifer storage at the end of summer season ie Minimum storage) +(Pumpage mainly for irrigation during the dry season from dug wells amp bore wells) +(Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water) ndash(Recharge if any available during the dry season including the return flow from irrigated crops) The left-hand side of the above equation has an upper limit as mentioned above On the right-hand side the minimum storage cannot be depleted beyond a certain limit due to requirement for drinking water for people and cattle Dry season stream flow and underflow supported by ground water have to be protected as explained earlier so that the projects depending upon the surface flow of the main river are not adversely affected Any increase in the

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 23: Project on Watershed Management

pumpage for irrigation during dry season due to new wells must therefore be balanced by increasing the dry season recharge The best way to provide dry season recharge is to create small storages at various places in the basin by bunding gullies and streams for storing runoff during the rainy season and allowing it to percolate gradually during the first few months of the dry season Such storages created behind earthen bunds put across small streams are popularly known as percolation tanks In semi-arid regions an ideal percolation tank with a catchment area of 10 sq kms or holds maximum quantity by end of September and allows it to percolate for next 4 to 5 months of winter season Excess of runoff water received in Monsoon flows over the masonry waste weir constructed at one end of the earthen bund By February or March the tank is dry so that the shallow water body is not exposed to high rates of evaporation in summer months (Fig6) Ground water movement being very slow whatever quantity percolates between October and March is available in the wells on the downstream side of the tank even in summer months till June or the beginning of next Monsoon season Irrigation of small plots by farmers creates greenery in otherwise barren landscape of the watershed Studies carried out in granite-gneiss terrain have indicated that about 30 of the stored water in the tank percolates as recharge to ground water in the dry season The efficiency is thus 30 In basaltic terrain if the tank is located at suitable site and the cut-off trench in the foundation of tank-bund does not reach up to the hard rock higher efficiencies up to 70 could be obtained (Limaye DG amp Limaye S D 1986) However more research is required for estimation of the impact of percolation tanks in recharge augmentation In the state of Maharashtra in western India over 10000 percolation tanks have been constructed so far (DIRD website 2011) They are beneficial to the farmers and are very popular with them

Fig Stone Pitching on the face of the earthen bund of a percolation tank under construction Photo from village Hivre Bazar District Nagar Maharashtra state

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 24: Project on Watershed Management

Fig A percolation tank about to get dry towards beginning of summer Location Village Ralegan Siddhi District Nagar Maharashtra State

Conclusions ndash

A watershed is the meeting point of climatology amp hydrology It is therefore necessary to manage our watersheds so as to absorb the climatic shocks likely to come from the erratic climatic patterns expected in near future This can be done only through practicing soil and water conservation techniques for artificial recharge during rainy season and through construction of small percolation tanks for artificial recharge during the dry season Basin or Sub-Basin management begins with soil and water conservation activities taken up with peoplersquos active participation in several sub-basins within a large basin This improves the shape of hydrograph of the stream or river in the basin from a lsquosmall time-based and sharp-peaked hydrographrsquo to a lsquobroad time-based and low-peak hydrographrsquo Such a change also increases ground water recharge Small water storages or tanks created in the sub-basins by bunding streams and gullies store runoff water during the Monsoon season and cause recharge to ground water during the next few months of dry season The residence time of water in the basins is thus increased from a few months to a few years and the percolated water is available in the wells even during the summer season of a drought year After a few years of operation silting of the tank bed reduces the volume of water stored and also the rate of vertical infiltration Regular desilting of tanks by local people is therefore advisableA national policy for afforestation of degraded basins with proper species of grass bushes and trees should be formulated Afforestation with eucalyptus trees should not be encouraged in low

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 25: Project on Watershed Management

rainfall areas as this effectively reduces ground water recharge The main aim of forestation of a degraded watershed with local spices of hardy trees grasses etc should be to conserve soil reduce velocity of runoff water promote recharge to ground water and increase the biomass output of the watershed Involvement of NGOs should be encouraged in forestation schemes and soil amp water conservation programs so as to ensure active participation of rural community in recharge augmentation NGOs also motivate the farmers to maintain the soil and water conservation structures put in by Government Departments so as to ensure long-term augmentation of recharge to ground water Along with such management on supply side demand management is also equally important NGOs play a significant role in promoting the use of efficient irrigation methods and selection of crops with low water requirement The website wwwigcp-grownetorg of the UNESCO-IUGS-IGCP Project GROWNET(Ground Water Network for Best Practices in Ground Water Management in Low-Income countries) gives several best practices including soil and water conservation recharge augmentation etc for sustainable development of ground water The author of this Paper is the Project Leader of GROWNET The reader is advised to visit the website for detailed information Although the discussion in the Paper refers to hard rock terrain in India it would be equally applicable to many other developing countries having a similar hydro-geological and climatic set-upReferencesAdyalkar PG and Mani VVS (1971) Paloegeography Geomorphological setting and groundwater possibilities in Deccan Traps of western Maharashtra Bull Volcanol 35 pp 696-708 Deolankar S B (1980) The Deccan Basalts of Maharashtra State India Their potential as aquifers Ground Water Vol 18 (5) pp 434-437 DIRD website wwwdird-punegovinrp_PercolationTankhtm Efficiency of percolation tanks in Jeur sub Basin of Ahemadnagar District Maharashtra state India (VisitedJune 2011) Limaye D G amp Limaye S D (1986) Lakes amp Reservoirs Research and Management 2001 Vol6 pp 269-271 Limaye S D and Limaye D G (1986) Proc of International Conference on ground water systems under stress Australian Water Resources Conference Series 13 pp 277-282 Limaye SD (2010) Review Groundwater development and management in the Deccan Traps (Basalts) of western India Hydrogeology Journal (2010) 18 pp 543-558

DESIGN EXAMPLE OF PERCOLATION TANK

DataCatchment Area = 14 sqkm (0549 sqmiles)Nature of Catchment = GoodAverage annual rainfall = 786 mm65 percent dependable rainfall = 717 mm

Capacity Table for Tank

RL(M) CAPACITY(MCM) 9700 00070 9750 00090 9800 00105 9850 00116 9900 00120

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 26: Project on Watershed Management

9950 00131 10000 00139 10050 00142

Yield from CatchmentFrom Strangersquos TableYieldsq km for 717 mm rainfall = 0187 MCMYield from the catchment = 0187 times 14 = 0262 MCM

Assumptions(i) Number of fillings per year = 2(ii) Utilization of yield per filling = 5 percent

Design of TankCapacity of percolation tank = 005 times 0262 = 00131 MCMTotal utilization of yield per year = 2 times 00131 = 00262 MCMFull Tank Level for capacity of 00131 MCM = 9950 mCrest level of spillway = 9950 mProviding 05 m head over the spillway crestMaximum water level in tank = 10000 mProviding free board of 05 m above MWLTop of bund = 10050 m

Design FloodWhere a formula applicable to a given situation is available viz Dickenrsquos or Ryversquos formula Assuming that following Dickenrsquos formula is available This gives flood discharge of 25years frequency

Q = 1000 A 34

WhereQ = Flood discharge in cusecsA = Catchment area in sqmilesQ = 1000 times (0549) 34

= 1000 times 0638= 63800 cusecs= 1809 cumecs

Length of SpillwayHead over spillway crest = 05 mFor weir discharge per m length q = 184 (h)32

Length of spillway = Q

184 (h) 32

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 27: Project on Watershed Management

= 1809 184times (05)32 = 2782 Say 28 m

Design of Surplus CourseArea of flow = (28+05) 050 = 1425 sqmBed slope = 1 in 750P = 28 + (2 times 1118 times 050) = 29118 mSay 2912 m R = 1425 2912

= 04894 mR 23

= (04894) 23

= 0621 1Velocity = n times R 23

S 12

1 = 0025 times 0621 times (750)1 2

1 1= 0025times 0621 times 2738

= 0907 msec

Discharge = 1425 times 0907 = 1292 cumecs as against 1266 cumecs Hence safe

Depth of foundation

Design flood discharge Q = 1809 cumecs Normal Scour depth R = 135 ( q2 )13

f 1809q = 28 = 0646

Assuming f = 1

R = 135 (06462 ) 13

1

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 28: Project on Watershed Management

= 100 m

Scour depth = 15 R = 15 times 100 = 15 m

Maximum scour level = 10000 minus 150 = 9850

Height of body wall = 090 mThickness of foundation concrete = 015 m Foundation level = 9950 minus 090 minus 015 = 9845 OKEarthen Bund

Top width = 185 mSide slopes Taking into consideration the nature of soil and local practice side slopes of 21 are proposed on both sides of the bundThe sample drawings for Percolation Tank are shown in Figure A-41

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 29: Project on Watershed Management

UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS

Underground bandharas of various types have been constructed at Yavatmal Amaravati and Satara districts Large rivers such as Krishna Wardha Painganga Pus Bembla have been crossed successfully by RCC masonry bandharas Similarly nallas small rivers have been crossed by masonry soil bandharas Overall total more than 50 bandharas have been constructed using the site conditions One Arch type bandhara on Arunavati River has been successfully constructed Everywhere the experience was different However every bandhara was useful to the water supply system While constructing new concepts were added Confidence level for all the staff was high

Funding was mostly done by the Collectorate from the scarcity funds Problems tried by construction of bandharas were completely solved and they did not crop up again In other districts MJP did not contribute in construction of bandharas to a larger extent But this experience was shared to many people and canvassed for the benefits A large size river crossing within a very short time of about three weeks is a challenging job It is a scheduled work and time bound activities are required to be planned Dewatering problem was not a problem It was better to plan for diversion than pumping Hence it was economical and it is worth noting that none of bandhara was costing more than five lakhs in the years 1992 to 2000 That is why it could be accommodated in the scarcity funds Underground bandharas are constructed to arrest the underground water currents and also create a barrier to hold water upstream in the subsurface It is provided as a conservation measure They are economical structures They are not expected to flood the upstream ground surface They create a potential difference in subsurface water levels Underground filtration is also expected Ground water level is also improved Scarcity may or may not be required it creates a positive interaction of source improvements Combination of underground bandhara and above ground barrier can be done Both these structures can be in one line or having horizontal distance in between Above ground structures are built across the natural drain and try to arrest the surface water It has a chance to percolate water downstream in the subsurface When the underground water is pumped out of the system from the wells recharging takes place and water currents are establishedApart from increase in water quantity in soil quality is also improved Further soil movement along with current is restricted

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 30: Project on Watershed Management

TYPES OF UNDERGROUND BANDHARAS ndash

1) SOIL BANDHARA Underground bandharas can be constructed in soil cement concrete andor in masonry In case of soil bandhara however excavation across the stream has to be done up to hard strata Bottom width has to be designed for depth of excavation up to hard strata This depth is normally found to be 3 to 4 m Accordingly base width for soil bandhara comes to minimum 3 to 4 m Section at the top can be minimum 1 m which is about 03 m below the bed level in natural drain

For better and stable construction soil filled in plastic bags of cement can be used and constructed in fashion of brick masonry is recommended For protection from sides and top two layers of brick on edges shall be provided Approximate cost of this type of construction works out to Rs 5000- per meter length of underground bandhara Soil bandhara can be constructed across a nalla or small size river Time available for construction is about 30 days in the summer when water level is very low in the natural drain and dewatering involved can be minimum Similarly dewatering during construction can be minimized by diverting the flow rather than pumping out water Practically no skilled labour is involved for construction Local labour can do the job satisfactorilyBarrier constructed across the natural drain causes resistance to natural full flow of water in the rainy season Flow carries silt and it will try to accumulate along upstream side of underground bandhara It will exert pressure on the section of bandhara and this will be maximum at the center The decided section should withstand the pressures Further on downstream side there can be a void created due to barrier In this void on rear side a scouring is expected But after one season the conditions get stabilized Effects are seen immediately in same season Water retention upstream becomes effective and becomes useful during summer period

If the soil bandhara is constructed without packing black cotton soil in plastic bags then there are chances that soil can get displaced and effects of bandhara are not seen in the consecutive years Black cotton soil in wet conditions swells and it exerts pressures on the edges and it tries to come out of the confined position It is therefore necessary to use plastic empty cement bags for the black cotton soil Similarly the trapezoidal section of the soil bag masonry has to be retained in shape by providing brick on edge packing in two layers

2) MASONRY BANDHARA

In case of masonry bandhara length of bandhara is more important in design At every 2 m to 3 m distance along length a pier like structure should be provided to break the continuity Size of pier should be distinctly more than the wall thickness For a depth of 4 m masonry thickness should be minimum 2 m at the base and then it can be tapered up to the top Minimum top width should be 60 cm and should be walk-able Normally masonry bandharas are taken to 1 m to 15 m above the bed surface This ensures impounding of some surface water For occasional draining of water flanged pipe pieces are required to be provided On the flanged ends sluice valves shall be fitted or blank flanges can be fitted These can used to remove the accumulated silt near the upstream base of bandhara

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 31: Project on Watershed Management

As masonry bandhara is designed to impound water it will be replenished continuously by the surface flow If surface flow is in excess of any drawal from the system then water will overflow from the artificial barrier created Downstream structure has to be designed for the overflow A small height bucket has to be constructed along the downstream edge so that its energy gets dissipated This arrangement protects the foundation Also it smoothen the downstream flow Impounded water percolates underground and recharges the supply wells This action ensures the availability of water in the summer period Natural underground water currents are established Thus by construction of bandhara localized raising of surface water is ensured and all its advantages are deployed When there is a natural ponding in the stream some impervious barriers exist downstream Some of rocky outcrops also rise above surface across the stream bed The geography has to be studied carefully and the advantage can be taken to join these rock outcrops by constructing masonry to create a bandhara just above the existing natural underground bandhara This is the most economical proposal of constructing masonry bandhara The joints have to be carefully constructed For having substantial anchorage in the harder strata bores can be drilled and steel anchor bars can be provided and grouted with cement mortar Constructing masonry and soil bandhara is choice as per the available site conditions Masonry bandharas are slightly costlier as far as per meter cost is concerned But these are semi-permanent structures and can be relied upon When soft rock is available at nearer depths masonry bandhara is appropriate choice and in case of soft strata for deeper depths is available then soil bandhara is a better choice Similarly when banks are not sound soil bandhara is a better proposal

3) RCC BANDHARA

Wherever masonry is proposed RCC bandhara can be proposed RCC bandhara becomes economical due to its design The sections are less as compared to masonry sections Designed as couterforts the structures are really sturdy Fixtures such as pipes and valves are easily adoptable Further construction of downstream water bucket is also easy As far as economics is concerned per meter cost of RCC is slightly less than that of masonry bandhara Composite RCC and masonry structures in case of joining of out-crops can be thought of because they are further economical

PROTECTION OF BANKS It has been observed that the floodwater has a tendency to damage the banks If these banks are of soil they are likely to be cut by the floodwater These banks need to be protected Masonry or RCC bandhara structure has to be taken into the banks for getting sufficient anchorage Any loose portion of the bank has to be removed Provide a stone pitching for sufficient area upstream as well as downstream Very high soil banks shall be avoided Further try to provide full overflow section for the bandhara The top should have a central depression so that initially the flow should start from the central portion and as the flow increases it should spread all over the section During floods all the valves at the bottom shall have to be opened It will carry silt and large quantity of water which will flow downstreamThis is the part which has to be carefully attended to during maintenance Removal of silt and protection of banks has to be carefully attended to It will increase the life of bandhara

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 32: Project on Watershed Management

EXPECTED STORAGE

When the bandhara top is above the bed surface (15m) then some water has to be stored in the nallariver bed If the slope of bed is known then the length of stored water can be known egAssume 1 = length of bedb = width of bedh = height of bandhara thenstorage = 05bihAssume b = 150 m 1 = 1500 m and h = 15 m thenStorage = 05150150015 = 168750 cum = 16875 MLThere are number of other factors which affect the storage quantity Cross-section of bed width depression in the bed and outcrops in the bed strata etc has influence on the possible stored quantity Thus when bandhara is full and overflowing assume about 150 ML of water is stored When overflow stops depletion starts Depletion may be due to pumping evaporation and by seepage Still the available water can be used for pumping the storage builds up confidence in the maintenance of water supply systemFor urban water supply scheme this storage can be calculated in terms of days of city water supply For population of 50000 souls at the rate of 70 lpcd daily demand is 35 ML Storage in the above example will be adequate for 45 days minimum When bandhara is full the surface area is 1500150 = 225000 sq m and storage acts as large settling tank Instead of increasing the height of bandhara in the natural drain it is always better to construct a small bandhara upstream beyond the possible maximum spread of the existing bandhara Such series of storages upstream will be giving natural background to the river course If the water is flowing in the river then it will create series of storages in the bed In case of letting out water in the river course through a dam then also water utilization through bandharas downstream is justified Some of the water is utilized for agricultural irrigation purposes These are the system losses However the green area development is an asset Water stored has multiple uses and benefits These benefits are interactive All concerned indirectly contribute to continue the flowing conditions of natural stream In short the environment is changed by construction of bandhara

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 33: Project on Watershed Management

RAIN WATER HARVESTING AND ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE TO

GROUND WATER

WHAT IS RAIN WATER HARVESTING

The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface

An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way Rain water harvesting is

enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world but it traces its history to biblical

times Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the

Palestine and Greece In ancient Rome residences were built with individual

cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from citys

aqueducts As early as the third millennium BC farming communities in

Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain water and used it for irrigation dams

ARTIFICAL RECHARGE TO GROUND WATER

Artificial recharge to ground water is a process by which the ground water

reservoir is augmented at a rate exceeding that obtaining under natural conditions

or replenishment Any man-made scheme or facility that adds water to an aquifer

may be considered to be an artificial recharge system

WHY RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Rain water harvesting is essential because-

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on

ground water

Due to rapid urbanization infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has

decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished As you

read this guide seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing

this natural resource by artificially recharging the system The examples covering

several dozen installations successfully operating in India constructed and

maintained by CGWB provide an excellent snapshot of current systems

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 34: Project on Watershed Management

RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings

Storage of rainwater on surface for future use

Recharge to ground water

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used

were underground tanks ponds check dams weirs etc Recharge to ground water

is a new concept of rain water harvesting and the structures generally used are -

Pits - Recharge pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer

These are constructed 1 to 2 m wide and to 3 m deep which are back

filled with boulders gravels coarse sand

Trenches- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available

at shallow depth Trench may be 05 to 1 m wide 1 to 15m deep and 10

to 20 m long depending up availability of water These are back filled

with filter materials

Dug wells- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and

water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well

Hand pumps - The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the

shallowdeep aquifers if the availability of water is limited Water should

pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps

Recharge wells - Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm diameter are

generally constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is

passed through filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells

Recharge Shafts - For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located

below clayey surface recharge shafts of 05 to 3 m diameter and 10 to 15

m deep are constructed and back filled with boulders gravels amp coarse

sand

Lateral shafts with bore wells - For recharging the upper as well as

deeper aquifers lateral shafts of 15 to 2 m wide amp 10 to 30 m long

depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells are

constructed The lateral shafts is back filled with boulders gravels amp

coarse sand

Spreading techniques - When permeable strata starts from top then this

technique is used Spread the water in streamsNalas by making check

dams nala bunds cement plugs gabion structures or a percolation pond

may be constructed

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 35: Project on Watershed Management

Urbanization effects on Groundwater Hydrology

1) Increase in water demand

2) More dependence on ground water use

3) Over exploitation of ground water

4) Increase in run-off decline in well yields and fall in water levels

5) Reduction in open soil surface area

6) Reduction in infiltration and deterioration in water quality

METHODS OF ARTIFICIAL RECHARGE IN URBAN AREAS

Water spreading

Recharge through pits trenches wells shafts

Rooftop collection of rainwater

Road top collection of rainwater

Induced recharge from surface water bodies

Computation of artificial recharge from Roof top rainwater collection

Factors taken for computation

Roof top area 100 sqm for individual house and 500

sqm for multi-storied building

Average annual monsoon rainfall - 780 mm

Effective annual rainfall contributing to recharge 70 -

550 mm

Benefits of Artificial Recharge in Urban Areas

Improvement in infiltration and reduction in run-off

Improvement in groundwater levels and yields

Reduces strain on Special Village Panchayats Municipal Municipal

Corporation water supply

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 36: Project on Watershed Management

Improvement in groundwater quality

Estimated quantity of additional recharge from 100 sq m roof top area is 55000

liters

TECHNIQUES USED IN VILLAGES FOR RAIN WATER HARVESTING

Bund It is a wall to retain run-off water It is used to make ponds In Raigad district it is built out of stone masonry because the soil is too pervious as it allows water to seep through Gabions Gabions are bunds in which chain links are used to hold the rocks together This way the strength of the bunds is more than loose boulder structure In traditional water shed management these structures are used on large streams while in Konkan however the Gabions are needed even on smaller streams as the boulder bunds give way in heavy rainfall Re-charged Pond Also known as percolation pond it holds rain water and make it to percolate underground thereby strengthening the springs of the wells and bore wells downstream Cordoning of springs This is done to extend life of the springs Many springs yield water till December while others till March After this they all dry up In this technique a wall is built in front of the spring mouth so that the water coming out of the spring is collected in the small enclosure created by teh wall Depending on the yield of the spring and the height of the wall the accumulated water exerts back pressure on the spring Thus the water in the spring remains in the hill for longer time Due to this the spring may yield higher quantity of water later on Sub-surface wall It is a wall built from the base of a stream up to sand layer It may not be visible from the surface This wall helps in bunding under the sand flow which happens after winter The walls are located in such a manner as to benefit a well or bore wells downstream Check dam It is a bund on a stream The site for this structure has a more or less flat stream bed so that by building a small wall accumulated water can reach considerable length thereby recharging the soil with fresh water There is no submergence of land

ATTRIBUTES OF GROUND WATER

There is more ground water than surface water

Ground water is less expensive and economic resource

Ground water is sustainable and reliable source of water supply

Ground water is relatively less vulnerable to pollution

Ground water is usually of high bacteriological purity

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 37: Project on Watershed Management

Ground water is free of pathogenic organisms

Ground water needs little treatment before use

Ground water has no turbidity and colour

Ground water has distinct health advantage as art alternative for lower sanitary

quality surface water

Ground water is usually universally available

Ground water resource can be instantly developed and used

There are no conveyance losses in ground water based supplies

Ground water has low vulnerability to drought

Ground water is key to life in arid and semi-arid regions

Ground water is source of dry weather flow in rivers and streams

DESIGN OF GROUND WATER RECHARGE STRUCTURES

Design of an aquifer recharge systemTo achieve the objectives it is imperative to plan out an artificial recharge scheme in a scientific manner Thus it is imperative that proper scientific investigations be carried out for selection of site for artificial recharge of groundwater

The proper design will include the following considerations

Selection of site Recharge structures should be planned out after conducting proper hydro-geological investigations Based on the analysis of this data (already existing or those collected during investigation) it should be possible to

Define the sub-surface geology Determine the presence or absence of impermeable layers or lenses that can impede percolation Define depths to water table and groundwater flow directions Establish the maximum rate of recharge that could be achieved at the site

Source of water used for recharge Basically the potential of rainwater harvesting and the quantity and quality of water available for recharging have to be assessed

3 Engineering construction and costs

4 Operation maintenance and monitoring

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 38: Project on Watershed Management

Design of recharge structures and settlement tank

For designing the optimum capacity of the tank the following parameters need to be considered

1) Size of the catchment

2) Intensity of rainfall

3) Rate of recharge which depends on the geology of the site

The capacity of the tank should be enough to retain the runoff occurring from conditions of peak rainfall intensity The rate of recharge in comparison to runoff is a critical factor However since accurate recharge rates are not available without detailed geo-hydrological studies the rates have to be assumed The capacity of recharge tank is designed to retain runoff from at least 15 minutes rainfall of peak intensity (For Delhi peak hourly rainfall is 90 mm (based on 25 year frequency) and 15 minutes peak rainfall is 225 mmhr say 25 mm according to CGWB norms)

IllustrationFor an area of 100 sq mvolume of desilting tank required in Delhi = 100 x 0025 x 085 = 2125 cu m (2125 liters)

Design of a recharge trench

The methodology of design of a recharge trench is similar to that for a settlement tank The difference is that the water-holding capacity of a recharge trench is less than its gross volume because it is filled with porous material A factor of loose density of the media (void ratio) has to be applied to the equation The void ratio of the filler material varies with the kind of material used but for commonly used materials like brickbats pebbles and gravel a void ratio of 05 may be assumedUsing the same method as used for designing a settlement tankAssuming a void ratio of 05 the required capacity of a recharge tank = (100 x 0025 x 085)05 = 425 cu m (4250 litres)

In designing a recharge trench the length of the trench is an important factor Once the required capacity is calculated length can be calculated by considering a fixed depth and width

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 39: Project on Watershed Management

HARVESTING RAINWATER HARNESSING LIFE

A NOBLE GOAL - A COMMON RESPONSIBILITY

Ground water exploitation is inevitable is Urban areas But the groundwater

potential is getting reduced due to urbanization resulting in over exploitation

Hence a strategy to implement the groundwater recharge in a major way need to

be launched with concerted efforts by various Governmental and Non-

Governmental Agencies and Public at large to build up the water table and make

the groundwater resource a reliable and sustainable source for supplementing

water supply needs of the urban dwellers

Recharge of groundwater through storm runoff and roof top water collection

diversion and collection of runoff into dry tanks play grounds parks and other

vacant places are to be implemented by Special Village Panchayats

Municipalities Municipal Corporations and other Government Establishments

with special efforts

The Special Village Panchayats MunicipalitiesMunicipal Corporations will

help the citizens and builders to adopt suitable recharge method in ones own

house or building through demonstration and offering subsidies for materials and

incentives if possible

CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCH DEFINITION These are horizontal trenches built on hill slopes to store runoff and

thereby to avoid soil erosion

OBJECTIVES1) To reduce velocity of runoff flowing on hilly area 2) To avoid erosion of soil3) To percolate water in stored trenches4) To increase employment for local people5) Within a small time and money the work is done

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 40: Project on Watershed Management

SITE SELECTION This treatment shall be done on the class 5 and 6 of watershed area which are

unsuitable for agricultural purpose The land can be selected from middle and upper reaches zone having general slope

33

DIMENSIONS OF CCT

Width ndash 060 m

Depth - 030 M

Length ndash with respect to SLOPE ha

For 4 TO 8 - 1175M

For 8 TO 15 - 1500M

For 15 TO 33 - 2125M

SUSTAINABLE WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT BY REFILLED CONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

Based on per capita renewable water availability Indiamdashthe second most populous country in the worldmdashhas water enough to meet its peoplersquos needs But despite an estimated 2464 cubic meters per person per year many of its nearly 1 billion people suffer severe water shortages in part as a result of uneven availability of water Most rainfall comes during the monsoon season from June to September and levels of precipitation vary from 100 millimeters a year in the western parts of Rajasthan to over 9000 millimeters in the northeastern state of Meghalaya Floods and droughts are both common throughout the country While the number of people with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation increased between 1980 and 1990 population growth erased any substantial gain especially in urban areas Between 1990 and 2000 an additional 900 million people are projected to be born in regions without access to safe water and sanitation Indiarsquos vulnerability to regional water scarcity is well illustrated by the case of Rajasthan a state in northwest India Situated in one of the most inhospitable arid zones in the world Rajasthanrsquos northwest corner extends into the vast Thar Desert With a wide range of temperatures and an unpredictable monsoon climate drought and desertification are common and water is a scarce commodity Even those who live in areas of high rainfall in India often face drought because landscapes have been denuded Soil is compactedand most rainfall runs off before it can sink into the ground increasing flooding

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 41: Project on Watershed Management

The region of Cheerapunji in Meghalaya for example receives among the highest levels of mean rainfall recorded in the world Yet because of intense seasonal rainfall and the fact that the arearsquos forests have been cleared in the past few decades to meet growing demands for agricultural land and housing much of the runoff cannot be captured The region now suffers from excessive flooding for three or four months and frequent droughts the rest of the year

NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AT A GLANCE After decades of work by governments and organization to bring potable water to poorer people of the world the situation is still dire The reasons are many and varied The poor of the world cannot afford the capital intensive and technically complex traditional water supply systems which are widely promoted by government and agencies throughout the world Water is the key of life presence of water and its absence determine the fertility of the bareness of the land and the ecosystem that surrounds it Soil erosion takes place on steep slope because no obstruction to flowing water ldquoWater is explosive not to shunt looserdquo In degraded watershed which lacks forests and cropland conservation measures water running downhill too fast erodes soils and washes out cropsn It pollutes streams or fills lakes with sediment It causes frequent flash floods and contributes to bigger floods downstream In a well managed watershed most of the storm water soaks into the soil increasing groundwater supplies and providing crops pastures and trees with needed moisture Floods are controlled The overall objectives of all watershed management programmes are1048766 To increase infiltration into soil1048766 To control damaging excess runoff1048766 To manage and utilize runoff for useful purposes

In India out of about 328 million hectares about 175 million hectares of land is classified as wasteland Most of this wasteland can be transformed into a precious and bountiful natural capital in order to overcome this water crisis The denuded forestlands have great potential for producing fodder fuel and low quality timber To achieve this it is necessary to adopt the different soil and water conservation engineering measures supplemented with proper afforestation techniques grassland development In the top portion of catchment area Contour trenches are excavated all along a uniform level across of the slope of the land Bunds are formed downstream along the trenches with material taken out of them to create more favorable moisture conditions and thus accelerate the growth of vegetation Contour trenches break the velocity of runoff The rainwater percolates through the soil slowly and travels down and benefits the better types of land in the middle and lower sections of the catchments REFILLEDCONTINUOUS CONTOUR TRENCHING (RCCT ) method is the solution for watershed management soil conservation and water conservation

WHAT IS REFILLED CONTINUOUSCONTOUR TRENCHING TECHNOLOGY

The RCCT work starts from top to the bottom of the hill so that total area is covered with not only retention of soil in its own place but also arrests every drop of water and infiltrate into the subsoil instead of flowing as surface water with evaporation losses making soil erosion It recharges downstream water sources eg nalla dug wells tube wells etc This particular technique has proved most effective Principle behind this technique can be narrated asldquoONE WHICH IS RUNNING MAKE IT TO WALK ONE WHICH IS WALKING MAKES ITTO STOP ONE WHICH IS STOPPED LET IT BE ABSORB IN SUBSOILrdquoWhen rainwater is in excess allow it to pass through subsoil to down below drains This gives desired effect of zero to minimum soil erosion and once subsoil water starts draining due to obstruction

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 42: Project on Watershed Management

Moisture detain for more period which is in term available for plant growth This RCCT Technology reduces soil erosion to minimum level and the plant growth on such trenches is very promising with 90 to 95 survival rate with increase in height of plant from 45 cm basic height to 2m within only 6 monthsThis method can be adopted in low rainfall area to high rainfall area up to 3200mm and from flat area to hilly area with 65 steep slope This method is suitable for plantation of all species and easy simple for laborers and comparatively less record keeping The most advantage of this method is easy and detail checking is possible at a glance RCCT has proven that the wasteland can be transformed into natural capital at very low cost within a short span of time and with guaranteed and instantaneous results RCCT is proven to be applicable to diverse agro-climatic zones for watershed development soil conservation and forestation RCCT is based on knowledge input as against costly material and capital inputs used in other conventional techniques of watershed development In Maharashtra state (INDIA) within last eight years 30000 hectares forest area is covered with this RCCT Technology The average length of RCCT is 1200m per hectare The number of plants actually planted in the above mentioned area is 540 lakhs with average survival rate 9425 The rainfall ranges from 200 mm to 3200 mm The approximate quantity of water conservation is 89155 million cubic meters Considering 50 evaporation and other losses 4458 million cubic meter is infiltrated into the soil strata

METHODOLOGYAssumptionFor the watershed area with soil cover more than 30 cm to be treated average length of CCT per hectare is 1200 meter gives good result Similarly for soil cover in between 10 cm to 30 cm average length of CCT per hectare is 1060 meter and for the area with soil covers less than 10 cm average length of CCT is 200 meter assumedCollection of DataAfter selection of area where afforestation activity to be carried out first of all detail in section of the total area is necessary for collection of data about1 Available depth of soil cover2 Width and length of the streams in selected area3 Area and definite boundary marking4 Ground levels at bottom and top of the hills5 Horizontal distance between bottom and top of the hill

Theory

1From the collected data and map of the area total work to be carried out can be worked outSimilarly possible minimum and maximum length of CCT can be worked out2 From that data average length of the trench can be calculated3 umber of CCT line is calculated by using the relation

No of CCT line == Total work to be done average length of CCT

4 Height difference between top and bottom of the hill is calculated by using the collected data5 Contour interval can be calculated by using the relation Contour interval == Total height difference no of CCT line

Instruments Following equipment are used

1 CONTOUR MARKER Contour marker consists of two staff members of 1meter to 150 meter height with piezometric transparent tube of 12 meter length to show the level difference between two points Every staff member consists of scale of 1meter or 150 meter Each centimeter of scale is divided into

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 43: Project on Watershed Management

four parts with accuracy of 025 cm This instrument is used for finding out contour interval as well as to lay out the contour

2 CENTRELINE MARKER Centerline marker is simple instrument having two edges about 35 cm apart with handle at center Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of centerline marker

3 SPACEMENT MARKER is the instrument used for marking position of plantation at specified spacing The instrument consists of three pegs at equidistant at specified spacing of plantation with handle at center The spacement marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline point is for plantation

Process of Laying Out Contour

The process starts from top of the hillContour marker is the instrument for lying of contour and marking of contour lines at calculated contour interval One staff member at one point and another staff member at fullest length which is roughly 12 meter Once reading is same at both points two points are marked First person with staff or follower has not to move till the contouring between two points is completed Once farthest two points marked person ldquoLEADERrdquo again come back close to follower amp goes on selecting amp fixing points of equal height till he reaches to the original farthest point This method of measurement is called ldquoWhole to Partrdquo In this method error is minimized or avoided completely and check is obtained Once LEADER reaches his original point then follower becomes LEADER The process continues till completion of that particular CCT line For change in CCT line contour interval is taken into consideration Similarly the total CCT lines are marked Simultaneously number of CCT lines can be operated for speedy completion of work All spots are marked with lime or by putting a small stone to avoid confusion Once lines are marked digging of trench operation is started To maintain accuracy in digging original marking is kept untouched amp about 5cm apart Size of trenches is 60 cm 30 cm Upperm fertile layer of soil is deposited on uphill side of the trench amp remaining material like murum boulderof size more than 20 cm on downhill side Wherever plenty of stones are available contour bunds are constructed on downhill side in advance and then digging of trench is started on up hillside of bund Trenches are kept expose to weather for about two months After this operation refilling operation starts In this operation for refilling good quality comparatively fertile soil which is stored on uphill with topsoil layer upto 1meter width of that area is utilized It is necessary to develop the perfect shape with 55cm to 60cm central depths During transportation of plants from nursery it is necessary to provide cushion layer of grass to avoid damage to the plants due to shocks The plants should be arranged in vertical position in two layers maximum At the time of unloading it is necessary to take utmost care of seedlings so that minimum damages or injury to the plants Plants are to be unloaded at convenient places where from transport to actual planting site is easy They should be arranged in upright position

Plantation Procedure

In draught prone area Nature is very tricky it may rain torrential or may not at all for longer period And even it rains there is large dry spell This is the most critical point to be thought at the time of planting In order to have success it is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spellsThe plantation operation is carried out with optimum management of man power and time The plantation team consists of 15 persons with plantation of 750 plantsday The plantation operation is divided in following stages The plantation process starts with formation of groups of 15 persons in each group The plantation area is distributed in the formed groups After draining of seedlings every person transports the

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 44: Project on Watershed Management

plants to plantation site while proceeding for on site Then three persons are allotted separately forn transportation of plants In order to have success itn is essential to protect the plant at initial stage of transplantation during dry spells For that the poly plants is fully drained with water till all air bubblesfrom bag are out and the surrounding soil is fully saturated The excess water from polybag is removed Centerline of CCT is marked with the help of CENTERLINE marker The SPACEMENT marker is operated across the centerline starting from one end with reference to the last point as first point for the next position The point where cross line matches to the centerline that point is for plantation Simultaneously drained seedlings are transported and laid all along ridge of the contour on the upper side of the cross which is actual plantation spot The digger digs it to the specified size followed by the excavator Excavator excavate the pit to the size required for plantation followed by cutter who is taking cut from the top to centerline of bottom of one side of polybag Fertiliserer who is spreading the specified dose of fertilizer in the pit follows cutter Then planter is planting the plants by removing the plastic poly bag and taking the plant on forearm and gently put in polypot pit Filling the vacuum with adjoining soil and gentle press is given with hands This process continues till completion of plantation

ADVANTAGES1 Barren land gets permanent biomass cover and soil protection2 Soil loss in cultivable area becomes nil3 Every drop of rain is held in situ4 Augmentation of ground water without grouting5 Good soil moisture and good ground water available in the wells tube wells and tanks6 Increase in life of dams prevention of floods by avoiding silting7 No displacement of communities or creation of environmental refugees and hence no rehabilitation costs8 No migration of villagers to cities as the local water availability ensures livelihood sustainability9 Decentralized and democratic water management10 Evaporation losses are negligible as compared to tanks and dams11 No separate nullah bunding gully plugging and such other civil structures12 Accelerates soil formation and natural succession dramatically13 Increases fodder resources for feeding cattle and livestock14 Increased agricultural and biomass production15 Guaranteed mass employment generation to rural people at their doorstep16 Land value increases significantly17 Increases crop intensity and biodiversity18 Women free from the drudgery of finding and fetching water fuel and fodder from distant places19 Clean water for drinking purposes

DISADVANTAGES

1 Very tedious and laborious for alignment2 Time consuming3 Requirement of accuracy skilled labours and instruments like contour marker4 There is potential danger of water flowing along the upper edge in case the trench breaks

CONCLUSION

The CCT helps to increase the water levels in the surrounding areas dug wells and tube wells which increases the yield of farms due to change in crop pattern from food grains to cash crops This will also avoid loss of soil due to erosion increase the grass coverage which will helpful for soil stabilization Due to CCT tree development is better than any other type of trenching

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 45: Project on Watershed Management

FARM PONDS

OBJECT

TO STORE THE RUNOFF BY FORMING THE FARM PONDS THAT WATER IS THEN USED FOR IRRIGATION THUS PROTECTION OF CROPS IS POSSIBLE BY USING THE STORED WATER

BENEFITS WATER CAN BE USED IN EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IRRIGATION CAUSES INCREASE IN

PRODUCTION FARM POND IS ALSO USED FOR PISCICULTURE GROUND WATER TABLE CAN BE INCREASED

SELECTION OF LAND FARMERS SHOULD SELECT SUITABLE PITS AVAILABLE IN THEIR FARMS FARM PONDS SHOULD NOT BE ON THE LINE OF FLOW TO AVOID QUICK DEPOSITION OF SILT THEREFORE PONDS SHOULD BE FORMED AT A DISTANCE FROM FLOW AREA OF FARM POND IS DEPENDENT UPON YIELD OF RESPECTIVE PLACES

Farm Pond for Sustainable Livelihood -A Case Study of Pampanur (April 21-222009)CRIDA Hyderabad

Anantapur Profile

Largest district in AP with geographical area of 19 13000 ha Arid district in the state with annual rainfall 536 mm Lies in rain shadow area and suffers from frequent droughts10-15 of water received from rainfall is utilized for agriculture while remaining is wasted as runoffGround water level is alarmingly depleting (below 200 ft depth)

It has a population of 3640478 of which 589465 are rural householdsMore than 67 of the population are engaged in agricultureThe cropping intensity of the District is 106 Major crops include groundnut (major crop-75 of the cropped area) sunflower gram pigeon pea rice and sorghum The productivity of the major crops is less than half a tone

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 46: Project on Watershed Management

FARM PONDA dugout pond for water storage It is used as an alternative to check dam where the topography does not permit the storage of water by construction of embankments

FunctionsIrrigation Raising nursery or for protective irrigation of cropsDrinking water for livestockDomestic use for human populationPiscicultureAdvantages Ground water rechargeFodder and vegetables cultivation on the embankmentsCreation of employment for excavation earth works stone pitching and de-silting etcSpecifications An ideal farm pond having dimensions of 10m x 10m x 3m (300 cum) can be used to harvest 3 lakh liters of water that is enough for providing criticalprotective irrigation 1-2 ha Area

Identified Issues in Pampanur villagebullLow rainfall with uneven distributionbullPoor crop yields due to moisture stress bullNon-availability of water harvesting structuresbullMono cropping of groundnut and lack of alternative choicesbullInadequate fodder supply to milchanimals

Interventions to address these issues

Strategies for harvesting and storage of rainwater for later useas well as in situ conservation of the rainfall and moisture such as 1Farm ponds 2Gully plugs3Check dams4Trench cum bunds5Water diversion structures6Mini percolation tanks

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 47: Project on Watershed Management

Case Study on Farm Pond

1 Name of the farmer Mr P Govindu So Meetya Naik2 Total Land Holding 8 acres (324 ha)3 No of farm ponds 2 (1 with lining + 1 without lining)4 Dimensions 10m x 10m x 3m5 Type of lining Gravel based with cement and sand lining6 Cost of pond a Pond without lining Rs 8000 b Pond with lining Rs 120007 Water storage capacity 300 m3

Pond without lining Pond with lining

Year wise increase in the water table (2003-04 to 2008-09) Ground water recharge by farm ponds without lining

SrNo

Year

Depth of Water table

1 2003-04

Dried well

2 2004-05

140 feet (Bore well was drilled by farmer)

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 48: Project on Watershed Management

3 200

5-06

40 feet

4 2006-07

38 feet

52007- 08

34 feet

62008-

09

35 feet

Lessons Learnt

bull Water for critical irrigation can be made available by excavating farm ponds to harvest the rain water

bull Productivity can be enhanced by adopting farm ponds

bull Crop diversification and cultivation of perennial crops promoting agro forestry can be effectively done by introducing farm ponds with lining

bull Nutritional needs of the rural poor can be addressed by enabling them to cultivate vegetables through irrigation from farm ponds

bull Farm ponds are means to achieve increased income level of farmers with low investment

EARTHEN NALA BUND

OBJECTS

PERCOLATION OF WATER AND WITH THIS INCREASING THE

GROUND WATER TABLE

FLOOD CONTROL

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 49: Project on Watershed Management

DETENTION OF SILT COMING FROM LARGER WATER

SOURCES

USE OF STORED WATER IN SHORT FAMINE AND THUS

PROTECTING THE CROPS

USING THE DEPOSITED SILT FOR BETTER AGRICULTURAL

LAND

SELECTION OF LAND

AREA SHOULD BE 40 TO 500 Ha BUT IN SOME CASES

IT MAY BE 500 TO 1000 Ha

BOTTOM SLOPE SHOULD NOT BE GRATER THAN 3

WIDTH OF BOTTOM SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 5 M AND

SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 15 M

THE DEPTH SHOULD NOT BE LESS THAN 1 M

HARD STRATA SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR STORAGE

THERE SHOULD BE WELLS IN THE EFFECTIVE AREA OF BUND

THE ACIDIC INDEX OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

DIMENSIONS (in m)

WATER STORAGE - 3

FREE BOARD - 100

TOP WIDTH - 150

SIDE SLOPE - 1 2

FLOOD LINE - 100

TOTAL HEIGHT - 500

BASE WIDTH - 2150

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 50: Project on Watershed Management

LIFT (in m)

0 TO 150 - NULL

150 TO 300 - Rs 2540

3 TO 450 - Rs 3650

45 TO 6 - Rs 5250

LEAD

10 M - Rs 1030

20 M - Rs 1910

30 M - Rs 2780

40 M - Rs 3650

50 M - Rs 4540

60 M - Rs 5410

70 M - Rs 6280

80 M - Rs 7160

90 M - Rs 8030

100 M - Rs 8900

CEMENT NALA BUND

OBJECTS

REDUCIND EROSION OF LAND PERCOLATION OF RUNOFF AS LARGE AS POSSIBLE REDUCING THE VELOCITY OF RUNOFF INCREASING THE GROUND WATER TABLE INCREASING THE IRRIGABLE AREA FLOOD CONTROL PROTECTION OF CROPS

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 51: Project on Watershed Management

SELECTION OF LAND AREA SHOULD BE BETWEEN 40 TO 500 Ha

BED SLOPE SHOULD NOT EXCEED 3

BED WIDTH SHOULD NOT BE GREATER THAN 30 M AND WIDTH OF STREAM SHOULD BE GREATER THAN 5 M

STREAM SHOULD HAVE CLEAR DEPTH AND CLEAR BANKSON BOTH SIDES AND THE DEPTH FROM BANK TO BED SHOULD BE MINIMUN 2 M

STRATA SHOULD BE HARD

THE PH VALUE OF LAND SHOULD BE BETWEEN 65 TO 8

THERE SHOULD NOT BE HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRIC POLES IN THE BUND AREA

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ndash A MEANS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - A CASE STUDY

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

One of the definitions of watershed management is ldquothe process of creating and implementing plans programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant animal and human communities within a watershed boundaryrdquoIn spite of sufficient rainfall people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water supply in summers in most of the areas This is mainly due to large runoff which is responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land A raindrop when flows along the slope carries the loose soil along it In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly Due to high intensity rainfall it is estimated that more than 100 tons of soil is lost The techniques used to avoid this soil and water loss are one of the best techniques of watershed development Watershed Development program is a revolutionary program aimed at fulfilling the water needs in the water scarce areas If we take steps to encourage each drop of rainfall to penetrate in the ground at the point where it strikes earth it will result in addition of one drop to our useful water supply and subtraction of one drop

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 52: Project on Watershed Management

from a potential flood It is the management of each raindrop falling on the ground In areas where there is inadequate water supply watershed management offers an ideal solution It helps in utilizing the primary source of water and prevents the runoff from going into sewer or storm drains thereby reducing the load on treatment plants

RESEARCH REVIEW

In India a lot of work has been done on watershed management through rainwater harvesting Different Organizations such as WOTR (Watershed Organization Trust) CMLR (Centre for Management for Local Resources) Sehgal Foundation TCSRD (Tata Chemical Society for Rural Development) are trying to handle the problem of water scarcity through development of watersheds Anna Hazare et al (1980) was the first for developing the Adarsha Gaon Scheme This seeks to replicate Ralegan Siddhi Model in 300 villages by combining the technical staff of Jal Sandharan Program with social organizations

Throughout the world and particularly in India now Watershed Development Programme has also evolved as a comprehensive development concept for sustainable and efficient utilization of natural resources for the benefit of the local community with special attention to the rural poor The basic objective under the watershed programme ought to be that the conservation and development measures be conceived as means and the production systems compatible with the concept of ecological security as ends ldquoWatershed development is thus holistic development seeking sustainable livelihood security system for all life forms in the area (2001)

Many success stories for example are found in hilly bowl-shaped micro watersheds with very favorable conditions for water harvesting In more typical cases benefits are incremental and gradual With a less visible connection between investments made and benefits realized organizational challenges become more apparent (Kerr 2002)

The success has made the Government of India to request the leader (Mr Anna Hazare) to take up the program in 300 counties (talukas) of Maharastra stateThe major elements responsible for thesuccessful peoples participation in watershed management at the Ralegan Siddhi village are emergence of local leadership underpinning of moral sanctions for all voluntary moral codes eg ban on uncontrolled grazing and tree cutting etc GONGO partnership involvement of all sections of society holistic and sustained development over long time (10-20 years) use of simple appropriate but efficient technology for watershed management primacy of village assembly in decision making The only weakness sighted with this model of peoples participation in watershed management has been that it is driven by a strong and highly motivated local leader which is the case of most Gandhian models of development It is still to be seen if it is replicable when it is tested on the 300 proposed counties(BMishra et al1993)

A field study was conducted to determine the effect of various bioengineering measures like vegetative barriers of citronella lemon vetiver and Geranium grass and mechanical soil conservation measures like contour bund graded bund and graded bund with vegetative single

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 53: Project on Watershed Management

row live hedge of 040 m2 cross section were evaluated to assess their effectiveness in reducing soil erosion and supplementing residual moisture Popular hill millet ie ragi (Elucine coracana) grown in this area was selected as representative crop to assess erosion A vertical interval of 15 m was maintained in case of different soil conservation measures while an area of 01 ha was maintained under each treatment Average run off and soil loss during the year 2002 to 2004 on weekly as well as on annual basis revealed that run off (mm) was maximum in control plot (20620) followed by plots with geranium grass (12158) citronella grass (10265) lemon grass (9180) contour bund (8580) graded bund (7389) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (7126) while the soil loss (t haminus1) showed a different trend in all these treatments Maximum soil loss was observed in control plot (863) followed by plots with graded bund (320) citronella grass (375) geranium grass (354) lemon grass (269) contour bund (174) and graded bund with vegetative hedge (156) Plots with graded bund with vegetative hedge (T7) were the most effective in reducing run off as well as preventing soil erosion hence it is recommended as the best soil conservation practice for this region(Mane Mahadkar Thorat 2009)

DrMSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) made Integrated watershed management and waste land development of an area of 300 acres of dry land near Karisery village in Kamarajar district (Tamilnadu) and evaluated it for effectiveness of various watershed techniques VJothiprakash SMohan KElango (1997) studied the influence of percolation ponds as a recharging structure in a small watershed They concluded that the percolation pond has increased the water availability by about three times as compared to the situation without pond In order to assess the quantity of recharge in the percolation pond a lumped model analysis was carried out

TECHNIQUES FOR WATER AND SOIL CONSERVATION

Percolation Tanks-small storage structures constructed across natural streams and nallahs to collect spread and impound surface runoff to facilitate infiltration and percolation of water into the subsoil Interceptor drains- Usually provided on foothills to intercept the runoff arising from hills Such interception enhances the groundwater recharge considerably Lined pond-Lining of a good sealant such as 81 soil cement to the thickness of 5mm High Density Polyethylene (HDP) film or clay blanketing to the ponds where seepage is very large Late rainfall harvesting ponds-Precipitation occurring during the end of rainy season is stored in the pond to irrigate rabbi crop in the field downstream For ex Traditional ponds in Goa Village pond or Tank ndash Ponds are most suited to relatively flat area and impervious subsoil conditions Small earthen dams-For collecting water across nallah in command areas for promoting waste land development and enhancing the productivity by conserving moisture and creating local water resources

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 54: Project on Watershed Management

Soil and water conservation measures and practices-To reduce the kinetic energy of falling raindrop to reduce surface runoff which increases the opportunity time to water to infiltrate down and recharge the ground water

AREA SELECTED FOR STUDY

Somwar Peth near Panhala 15 Kms from Kolhapur Population 718 Male 378 Female 340 Total Livestock 273 Total Area 57455 Hectares Area under Agriculture 34225 Hectares Area under Forests 14319 Hectares Area under Pasture 1156 Hectares Area under Fallow land 157 Hectares Roads Gaothan Nallah 749 Hectares

PROBLEMS EXISTING IN THE AREA

Poverty Low income levels hence low living standards Lack of water supplies in summer season Agricultural production in only one season

VERAGE RAINFALL

2002-03 1428 mm 2003-04 1287 mm 2004-05 1885 mm

2005-06 2574 mm

2006-07 2660mm

2007-08 2797 mm

GROUND WATER DEPTH

2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Pre-monsoon 75 -80 m 775 - 15m 8 - 825 m

Post-monsoon 3 - 35 m 25 to 3 m 275- 325 m

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 55: Project on Watershed Management

GEOLOGY OF THE AREA

-Basaltic lava flow which are part of Deccan Trap Basaltic Formation

-Brownish colour highly porous clayey soil with 10 to 60 cm thickness

-Uneven hills with 10 to 50 degree slope

STRUCTURES CONSTRUCTED IN THE AREA

o Staggered Contour Trenches o Loose boulder structures o Earthen Bunds o Pond o Continuous Contour trenches o Terraced Bunds

WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE AREA

Catchment area 57455 Ha

Available water due to rainfall 786128 TCM

Run-off 227977 TCM PROPOSED WORKS IN THE AREA

A) ENGINEERING MEASURES

Roof top rainwater harvesting The site includes one residential school ndash Sanjeevan Public School - admeasuring 1552 sqm terrace area Hence it is proposed to have roof top rainwater harvesting from the roofs of all the buildings The total water collected from roofs =312 TCM Contour trenching and tree plantation It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream sides Surface Water storage Tanks Total 3 tanks have been proposed The details are as below o Tank- A of size 125mx 75mx4m near plantation area o Tank B of size 125mx50mx4m near swimming pool o Tank C of size 75mx40mx4m at left side of entrance Total water stored = 86 TCM Farm Ponds Three farm ponds have been proposed o near play ground area o behind school mess o behind hospital

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 56: Project on Watershed Management

Bore Well Recharging The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons Hence it is proposed to recharge them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them Construction of continuous contour trenches on upstream side of the hill Constructing 60 cm high bund on the downstream edge of pond which is available on downstream of the residential locality for rainwater conservation Provision of percolation pits with a depth of more than 10 ft in the roadside drains at suitable distance from each other Constructing recharging pit around the existing wells in the locality

B) BIOLOGICAL MEASURES

Plantation of lsquoMadras Anjanrsquo grass on hilly slope lsquoStylorsquo grass on downstream of continuous contour trenches and lsquoKhusrsquo grass on bund constructed on pond Plantation of grass for muroom strata for first 3 to 4 years and CCT there afterwards

CONCLUSION Along with the measures taken by Social Forestry Department if we will adopt the biological as well as technical measures for rainwater harvesting it will certainly add to the ground water storage In our case study water conserved due to rooftop rainwater harvesting and due to construction of storage tanks total 8912 TCM water will certainly be conserved Water conserved through contour trenches bore well recharging percolation pits and farm ponds have not been assessed in this study but it is sure that it will certainly add to the ground water storage The work will be executed with the help of local people with the financial help of Government hence it will be economically viable As these techniques are eco-friendly the development due to this in future will be sustainable

REFERENCES

[1] B Mishra (Associate Secretary Association of Voluntary Agencies for Rural Development (AVARD) New Delhi India] 1993 A successful case of participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi Village in district Ahmadnagar Maharastra India [2] VJothiprakash SMohan KElango ldquoInfluence of percolation ponds-A recharging structure in a small watershedrdquo (1997) Paper in National Conference on Ground Water Sources at JNTU Hyderabad pp 280-289

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -
Page 57: Project on Watershed Management

[3] MSPalanichamy PVincent Benny Joseph (1997) - ldquoIntegrated watershed management and waste land developmentrdquo Proceedings of NCGWS-97 No 1 pp218-226 [4] Report of the working group on watershed development rainfed farming and natural resource management for the tenth five year plan government of india planning commission september 2001 [5] DrSuresh Chand Rairdquo Integrated watershed management-A case study in Sikkim Himalayardquo (2003) Proceedings of National Conference on Development in Water Science and Management NGDWSM at Vellore [6] Ronald Feldner and Lee Phillips ldquoWatershed based storm water master planningrdquo Proceedings of Water Resources Conference Georgia (2003) [7] Reena Ahuja Delhi ldquoRole of women in watershed management for poverty alleviationrdquo 8th Annual International conference Geomatics (2005) in New Delhi [8] Budumuru Yoganand and Tesfa Gebermedhin ldquoParticipatory watershed management for sustainable rural livelihood in Indiardquo Research paper (2006)-2 West Virginia University

  • BRUSHWOOD DAM
  • 2 OBJECTS
  • 3 SITE SELECTION
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)
  • 5 Estimate
  • 1 Definition
  • 2 Objects
  • 3 Site selection
  • 4 Actual work (design steps)-
  • 5 Earthen work -
    • 6 Live work -
      • 7 Estimate -