Renovating water harvesting techniques in Shivaliks

by

A.K. TiwariPrincipal Scientist & Head

Central Soil & Water Conservation Research & Training Institute,

Research Centre, Chandigarh

Sukhomajri Water Harvesting Structure

Sukhomajri Watershed

Catchment - 9.2 haStorage - 5.6 haCommand Area – 20 ha

Relmajra Water Harvesting Structure

Catchment - 59 haStorage - 13.7 haCommand Area – 22 ha

Bunga Water Harvesting Structure

Catchment – 155 haStorage - 60 hamCommand Area – 240 ha

Details of catchment area (ha), storage capacity created (ha-m) and area irrigated (under different water harvesting structures under participatory watershed management programme)

1.581.811.80Benefit: cost

22.0243.020.0Command area

13.760.05.56Storage capacity created

59.0155.09.2Catchment area

Nawanshahar(Punjab)

Panchkula(Haryana)

Panchkula(Haryana)

District (state) where located

RelmajraBungaSukhomajriParticular/Project

Mandhala Watershed Programme

Village Pond of Mandhala

Catchment area of pond 4.32 haInitial capacity of pond 0.7 ha mFinal capacity of pond (After de-siltation) 2 ha mArea being irrigated at present 10.0 haGravity irrigation 6.0 haLift irrigation 4.0 ha

Irrigation

• 10 ha of agricultural land through• - gravity• - lift irrigation• (underground pipelines)

• 2 – 3 supplemental irrigations were provided• 4-5 cm water was provided in each irrigation• Crop yields increased by 3-4 times• Water was available in the pond throughout the year.

Water distribution by gravity flow

Water Users Society

• Watershed Committee Mandhala, Teh. Kasauli, Distt. Solan (HP)• Managing water distribution

– @ Rs.45/- per hour (2003-04)– @ Rs.55/- per hour (2004-05)– @ Rs.70/- per hour (2005-06)– All decisions of developmental works– Purchase of electric motor

• Fish cultivation

Rainfall–runoff relationship at WHS in Mandhala

1-1->100

121475.1-100.0

413550.1-75.0

81151025.1-50.0

1117131212.6-25.0

233120210-12.5

Storm category (mm)

14141019Rainfall event (>25mm)

1.591.321.222.0Runoff (ha-m)

875.0844.5819.21467.8*Rainy season rainfall (mm)

1085.41080.91075.21467.8*Total rainfall (mm)

2006200520042003

YearsParticulars

Note: * Measurement started during June, 2003

Cost of storing and distribution of rainwater in renovated waterharvesting structure (2003-05)

14.960,000*8,94,677Pooled analysis for 3 yrsSl No. 2 + Recurring expenditure (pooled analysis of storing and distribution of water in 2003-05, including recurring cost)

3.

43.520,0008,70,717Sl No. 1+ laying out pipe lines+cost of pipes+ diesel pump

2.

28.520,0005,69,642Renovation of WHS(Desilting+sodding+embankment stabilization)

1.

Cost per unit quantity of

water stored (Rs/cu-m)

Water stored (Cu.m)

Cost (Rs.)ParticularsS.No.

(Note:* Refers storing of 2 ha-m (20,000 cu-m) in each year, so as a whole 6 ha-m in 3 years)

Mandhala pond in Monsoon

Water balance in Mandhala

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov

Months

Ran

fall

/ Eva

pora

tion,

mm

Rainfall,mm

Evaporation,mm

Multi-purpose Check dam to supplement water to main pond

Height : 4.5 mCatchment : 8 haFor surface and sub-surface storageSupplements water to main pond when needed

Pipe line

Fish cultivation

Tapping of sub-surface flow

Dimension of tank: (6.05 m X 3.25 m X 1.40 m)The upper zone of soil is treated with dry stone pitching and on lower side a pakka wall is made to check the down stream seepage.Capacity of tank :25000 l.

The sub-surface flow is perennial in nature and can meet the irrigation requirement of 1-2ha of land on the downstream terraces in the hills.

Variation in depth of WHS with rainfall

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1/1/08 3/1/08 4/30/08 6/29/08 8/28/08 10/27/08 12/26/08

Date

Dep

th o

f wat

er in

WH

S,m

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Rai

nfal

l,mm

Depth of w ater in WHS,mRainfall, mm

Water level in piezometric wells

70.00

75.00

80.00

85.00

90.00

95.00

100.00

1/1/

2008

1/31

/200

8

3/1/

2008

3/31

/200

8

4/30

/200

8

5/30

/200

8

6/29

/200

8

7/29

/200

8

8/28

/200

8

9/27

/200

8

10/2

7/20

08

11/2

6/20

08

12/2

6/20

08

Date

Dep

th o

f wat

er le

vel (

RL)

,m Piezometer-1 Piezometer-2Piezometer-3 Piezometer-4Piezometer-5 Piezometer-6

Piezometer-8

Post-monsoon Iso-bath map for wells of Mandhala

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 4000

50

100

150

200

250

300

77.8

7878.278.478.678.8

7979.279.479.679.8

8080.280.480.680.8

8181.2

Significant findings and their potential in meeting the goals of the project

Watershed Committee Mandhala, Tehsil Kasauli, Distt. Solan (HP) was established to look after the water distribution and other maintenance work, thus developing a team spirit and a feeling of possessiveness for the water resource developed among the farmers which helped in maintenance and judicious use of the water resource.

The project resulted in increase in cropped area to the tune of 27.4 percent during kharif are 46.8 % during Rabi season.

Yield of wheat and maize shot up to 29.8 q/ha and 30.0 q/ha respectively as compared to the earlier level of 8.8 q/ha and 9.5 q/ha, respectively.

Milk yield increased from 37,925 l/annum before the project to 48,056 l/annum after the project.

The project over the 3 years (2002-05) generated employment worth 7271 man days.

Economics of growing wheat under four types of situations at Mandhala (Rs/ha)

(-) 8374,9914,154Rainfed

8,4717,78816,259Private tube well irrigated

8,71410,57819,292Govt. tube well irrigated

9,2319,32718,558Pond irrigated

Net return

Input cost

Gross returnSituations

Appropriateness of Mandhala Project

• Farmers evaluation about appropriateness of the project interventions was got done.

• 95 percent of the farmers of the village termed farm pond very appropriate while 86.8 percent termed the irrigation system as the most appropriate.

• Project component were viewed by almost all the farmers as very appropriate or appropriate.

• Majority of the farmers were satisfied with the availability of water, production aspect, increased income, working of the water users society, redressal of gender issues and soil conservation measures.

• Only some were satisfied with the land leveling while most of them (88.0%) were optimistic about it.

Case Study – Johranpur ponds, district Solan (HP)

For developing rainwater harvesting and recycling technology, an agricultural watershed measuring 19.6 hain village Johranpur, district Solan (HP) was selected.

Two existing village pond spread on 1.5 ha were renovated to store 2.4 ha-m of water. Construction of drainage cum diversion channels @ Rs 43,000 per hectare enhanced the catchment area contributing runoff from 2.5 to 8.5 hectares.

Harvested rainwater was recycled back in participatory mode on equitable basis for crop production.

Two supplemental irrigations to existing crops caused increase in yield in the range 186 to 289 per cent in the watershed

Channelization of runoff water

Pond after renovation

Improved crop yields

Details of rainwater management of Johranpur project

33.27.9**Wheat yield with two irrigations (q ha-1)9

19.77.9**Wheat yield without irrigation (q ha-1)8

2712Maize yield (q ha-1) without irrigation7

8.0NilArea covered under supplemental irrigation (ha)6

23.53NARunoff (%)5

1.940.60Runoff (ha-m)4

1049NARainfall during monsoon (Jun.-Sept.)3

8.52.5Area contributing runoff to ponds (ha)2

2.41.0Water storage capacity (ha-m)1

During Project*

Before Project

ParticularsS. No.

*Average volume for the period 2001-2003** Average yield under rainfed condition

Cost of different interventions in pond renovation for rainwater harvesting and recycling by inducing runoff through increase in the

contributing area (At 2000 prices)

9,21,061Total

57,80314,4504 yearsRepair, maintenance and minor extension9

1,49, 020300500 mUnderground irrigation pipeline8

24,27840607 m2Polythene lining including laying7

28,08014,0402 Nos.Inlet spillway6

2,55,995320800 mDrainage channel5

28,87958498 mHDPE pipe4

12,50012,5001 No.Diesel engine3

21,60054400 m2Embankment shaping & grass sodding2

3,42, 906457620 m3Digging of pond 1

Total cost (Rs)

Unit cost (Rs)

QuantityParticular/ItemS. No

Benefit

• The overall net agricultural income per hectare per year was raised by 3.3 times from Rs.7, 448 to Rs.24, 590.

• Rainfed wheat which used to fail completely in two out of five years having net loss (Rs.3, 289) provided a net profit to the tune of Rs.14, 318 ha-1 yr-1.

• The project implemented at a cost of Rs. 9.21 lakhs had a benefit-cost ratio of 2.38. The net present value (NPV) of the project was calculated as Rs 47.5 lakhs assuming the life of project as 20 years.

Watershed gauging station at Research Farm

Environmental impactThe experiments at the Research Farm and field demonstrations

at the project sites brought out that - soil conservation measures like check dams, contour trenches and plantations reduced the runoff from 30 per cent to less than 7 per cent of rainfall amount while the soil loss dropped down from 150 t/ha/year to as low as 1 t/ha/yr. Catchment treatment resulted in manifold increase in vegetation cover.

Water harvesting in different watershed

0.3524359.6170Bunga0.232013.759Relmajra0.523.26.1211.7III0.27155.9922II0.31257.8625Nada I0.288.02.48.5Johranpur

0.48102.04.2Mandhalapond

0.7351.92.6Dam 40.6721.01.5Dam 30.60205.69.2Dam 20.1960.84.3Dam 1

Sukhomajri

Water yield

ham/ha

Command Area

Storageha.m

CatchmentArea

Watershed

Area of different types of catchments required to produce 1 ha-m of runoff in Shivalik region

5.0Sandy loamAgricultural crops

Moderately sloping plains

2.5Silt Clay Degraded mixed forest

Hills

10.0Sandy loamManaged mixed forest

Hills

5.0Sandy loamMixed forestHills

3.3Clay loamMixed forestHills

2.5ClayMixed forestHills

Area required (ha)

Soil typeLand usePhysiography

Causes of failureof water harvesting structures

The reasons identified were:

• Silting of major portion of dam capacity due to lack of treatment of its self catchment.

• Breaching of pond due to clogging of pipe spillway or damage of open spillway.

• No storage owing to high seepage rate from sandy loam soil from which it was constructed without core wall or clogging of inlet.

• No or inadequate provision of distribution pipeline to carry water to fields or its malfunctioning due to its or outlet tank blockage.

• Over or under designing of one or more component of the water harvesting systems.

• Poor management of the structures leading to its failure.

Well designed earthen embankment at Relmajra (Punjab)

Maintenance of embankment

• Maintain good grass cover on downstream embankment.

• Periodically clear blockage in inlet, outlet and conveyance system.

• Repair the rills formed by drained water from top of embankment for first 2-3 years.

• Uneven settlement during first two years needs to be filled and compacted.

• Check for any rat/animal hole or piping formed by seepage water.

• Don’t allow big plants to grow on the embankment.

Catchment treatment

In any project on runoff harvesting and recycling it is important to conceive a system of treatment in the watershed that by and large will yield more water while safeguarding against rapid siltation. This requires suitable combinations of measures as follows.

• Effective closure against grazing and cutting of trees and grasses in the catchment.

• Construction of staggered contour trenches in hilly areas.

• Construction of stone check dams and grade stabilizers.

• Construction of debris / silt detention basin to retain the silt.

• Stabilization of gully bed to reduce flow velocity.

• Channelize the water from agricultural fields to the pond.

Peoples’ participation

• Sustainability of any watershed project can be ensured through peoples’ participation only.

• Constitution of various local institutions like Watershed Committee, Users Groups and Self Help Groups and improving their capability through training and field visits for their efficient participation in planning, execution, maintenance and running of the project is required.

• It is local people who have to be responsible for conservation and protection of natural resources and sustainable productivity.

WUE (kg/ha/mm) of wheat crop under different sourcesof irrigation at Mandhala

WUE (kg/ha/mm) of wheat crop under different sourcesof irrigation at Mandhala

--14.97-Rainfed

8.248.047.609.07Private tubewell

4.314.733.844.38Govttubewell

11.4711.4010.5812.42PondMean2005-062004-052003-04

WUE (kg/ha/mm)Irrigation source

CSWCRTI, RC, Chandigarh

Rainwater Harvesting by Small Earthen Dams for Livelihood Security in the Shivalik Foothills Ecosystem

Salient features of 17 water harvesting projectsS.No.

Year ofConstr.

Village ForestCatchmentArea (ha.)

StorageCapacity(ha. m)

TotalHeight(m)

TopLengthof dam(m)

TotalCost(LakhRs.)

LabourCost(LakhRs.)

CommandArea (ha)

1 2001-02 Bharauli 90 24.70 14.0 120 31.22 24.24 93.52 2001-02 Ibrahimpur 30 13.25 9.0 129 8.80 5.94 52.63 2002-03 Kaimbwala 50 17.50 14.5 110 21.10 15.25 35.04 2002-03 Mirpur 70 24.50 14.5 85 25.55 18.27 60.05 2002-03 Bhagwanpur 26 9.10 12.0 140 16.46 12.45 20.06 2003-04 Turon 65 15.53 14.7 117 28.62 22.00 50.07 2003-04 Dhandion 31 9.86 14.0 96 17.10 13.27 45.08 2003-04 Banswala 23 9.79 14.0 77 15.43 10.72 31.09 2003-04 Thaska 25 5.10 12.0 70 12.18 8.46 40.010 2003-04 Kathgarh 40 8.44 14.0 85 17.51 13.87 42.011 2003-04 Kansli 32 7.07 12.0 94 14.23 10.56 43.012 2003-04 Mandappa 145 15.61 15.0 79 27.27 20.11 70.013 2004-05 Mawas 32 8.11 14.0 100 25.81 20.78 36.014 2004-05 Bhediwala 46 13.83 14.0 110 30.97 23.02 32.015 2004-05 Rana 54 19.54 14.0 95 25.58 15.38 60.016 2004-05 Nanheri 145 29.97 15.0 210 19.50 44.30 67.017 2004-05 Nawangaon 124 29.08 15.0 200 54.60 48.79 90.0

Total 1028 260.98 421.93 327.41 867.1Labour component formed about 77.6% of the total cost

Focus on sustainability • Preparation of a field manual for staff.

• Formation of Society for use of water resource.

• Cost sharing by communities.

• Employment generation for poor and landless.

• Social fencing by strong motivation.

• Provisions against siltation of reservoirs.

• Water acts as a catalyst for change.

Sukhna Lake Chandigarh

• 141 t/ha/yr from 4200 ha catchment

• 65 % capacity lost

• 10.74 MCM to 4.2 MCM

• Water spread 2.28 km2 to 1.52 Km2

• Dry excavation & wet dredging costed

– 1st Phase - Rs 1164 lakhs

– 2nd phase - Rs 1560 lakhs

Measures against siltation

Denuded catchment during inception year of the project

Siltation rates (t /ha /year) after the treatment of watershed

9259.4 (2004)768.0 (1984)Bunga9157.2 (2004)622.8 (1993)Relmajra32111.6 (1988)164 (1979)Nada-III5157.8 (1988)117.4 (1979)Nada-II7225.7 (1988)90.2 (1979)Nada-I

Nada2837.7 (1988)52.6 (1978)SM-II6538.0 (1988)106.9 (1976)SM-I

Sukhomajri971.0 (1985)37 (1965)Farm pond

Reduction (%)

After treatment

Base yearWatershed

Rehabilitated catchment after treatment

Catchment – 9.2 haStorage – 5.6 ha-m

ISSUES IN RAINWATER HARVESTING TECHNOLOGY

• Are the donar forest catchments protected by social fencing. (Forester’s Concern)

• Are silt flows to ponds/reservoirs reduced to permissible limits? (Soil conservation)

• Are hydrological, technical and safety norms tested for 3 decades OK or need modification. What are safer ways to economies on cost? (ENGG)

• Are we disturbing hydrodynamics at disadvantage to plains down below? (Hydrologists/Geo-hydrologists)

• Can we revive the silted, non-functional systems? How and at what cost. (SOIL CONS)

• Is harvested water used efficiently for higher income and employment? (AGRI-HORTI, LIVESTOCK)

• Whether community management systems evolved are efficient, dynamic, responsive, democratic and apolitical. (SOCIAL ENGG)

• Are marginalized, landless, women are focussed and brought in the main decision making framework. (SOCIAL ENGG)

• Is research system getting feed back, responding to implementation problems and geared up for transfer of technology. (RESEARCH)

• Are we sensitizing politicians, bureaucrats, policy planners andcreating needed awareness. (Policy)

• Water Advocacy (Social Scientist)

Recommendations arising out of experience of water harvesting in Shivaliks

• Project is to be taken up in participatory mode to get the desired impacts of development of water harvesting structures and effective water management.

• Old ponds in the region should be renovated in the following manner.• Desilting of old pond.• Retaining upper layer of the pond spreading at

the bottom after desilting.• Channelization of rain water to the pond.

• Refinement in water harvesting technique by:I. Runoff inducement through diversion from other

potential catchments.II. Channelization with an increase in existing

catchment area to have a sustained water yield.

Recommendations arising out of experience of water harvesting in Shivaliks (Contd.)

• Water market governance by the society has to be effective to force the beneficiaries to utilize the water judiciously.

• Increase in water conveyance efficiency by underground pipelines and suitable valves and improved irrigation technology is required for proper water management.

• Research investigation are needed for developing design procedures/specification for water harvesting structures in such areas.

• Efforts should be made to generate social funds to the maximum by introduction of fishery in the harvested water/reservoir and adopt alternative use systems in common land/Panchayat land.

• Treatment of the catchment area of WHS with appropriate soil conservation measures should ideally start before their construction in order to reduce erosion from the degraded hilly areas.

• Villagers should be the actors to manage the water harvesting systems and the govt. department should be only facilitators. Thus village level societies is a pre requisite for effective utilization of harvested water resources, proper maintenance and operation of the system including catchmentprotection and command area development.

Research on water harvesting techniques and efficient utilization of harvested rainwater

• Study of runoff, soil loss and watershed hydrology to improvise and refine the water harvesting systems.

• To determine a land use system that could give maximum water yield with minimum soil loss.

• Vegetation manipulation in an established land use for sustained water yield.

• Development of various mechanisms for rainwater harvesting in different terrains.

• Development of low cost micro irrigation techniques for adoption by the small and marginal farmers.

• Reducing seepage and evaporation losses through improved technology• Study of exploring short duration fish farming in the harvested rainwater.• Rainfall, runoff and sediment modeling in different agro-ecological

region.

IRRIGATION THROUGH HARVESTED WATER BY SIPHONING

Village Sukret, Pathankot

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