Watershed Management

What is watershed ?

    The watershed area for a small stream may be a few hectares , while for a large river the watershed may be many square kilometers . for proper planning and execution ,  the size of a watershed area should ideally be 1,000 to 2,500 hectares . if the area is within this range . it will be possible to prepare a will balanced plan and to implement it in a period of 2 to 3 years . 

 

Objective of watershed management -

 Watershed management is an attempt to halt land degradation and a holistic process for getting maximum production out of land . watershed management implies rational utilisation of land and water resources for optimum and sustained production , with the minimum of hazard to natural resources . Reducing the impact of the rain on the soil , checking its speed at various intervals , taking up all operations on the contour and diverting the excess to prevent the pressure , are some of the procedures one could adopt ; a process that starts at the highest point of the watershed and ends right down in the lower parts. 

Steps in Watershed planning - 

* Preparation of base maps for carrying out surveys .

*Reconnaissance survey of the watershed for overall development .

*Assessing rainfall characteristics.

*Preparation of inventory of existing land uses and farm sizes .

*Preparation of soil maps and classification for agriculture , forestry , pasture , horticulture , etc . 

* Appraisal of agricultural production patterns and potentials , present and potential markets and possible group action arrangements.

*Carrying out topographic and hydrologic surveys for engineering works.

*Geo- hydrological survey to delineate areas suitable for groundwater development .

*Assigning priorities for implementation of the project.

* Assessing social costs and benefits. 

Water Management Activities-

The best opportunities for moisture conservation lie in the control of the portion of precipitation which is normal runoff . Retaining surface water on the land surface for a longer time , increases the amount of water entering the soil . Effective methods are the following :

* Contour bunding / graded bunding 

* check dams and gully control structures.

* Land levelling / and smoothing .

*Bench terracing 

* Farm ponds 

* Percolation ponds 

* Waterways 

* Diversion drains

water conservation starts in the topmost rocky areas where the runoff water needs to be drained out by forming diversion drains . This protects the steep slopes below which are suited only for growing fodder . while prevention of grazing in these areas ensures optimum regeneration , luxuriant fodder cut and fed to the animals ensures better nutrition and health . 

Watershed management Programees in India -

To accelerate the pace of development of wastelands / degraded lands the Government had set up the National Wastelands Development Board in 1985 under the Ministry of Environment and Forests . Later a separate Department of Wastelands Development in the Ministry of Rural  Development  and  Poverty Alleviation was created in 1992 and the National Wastelands Development Board was created in 1992 and the National Wastelands Development Board was transferred to it . in April 1999 , the Department of Wastelands Development was renamed as the Department of Land Resources to act as the nodal agency for land resource management consequently , all land - based development programmes and the land Reforms Division were brought under this department . Drought prone Areas  programme (DDP) and integrated wastelands Development  Programee ( IWDP) were the watershed management programees implemented by the department . 

Later for optimum use of resources , sustainable outcomes and intergrated planning , DPAP , DDP and IWDP  were consolidated as the Watershed Development Component of prime Minister Krishi Sinchan Yojna ( WDC- PMKSY). 

Neeranchal Watershed  Program-

* bring about institutional changes in watershed and rainfed agricultural management practices in India.

* build systems that ensure watershed programmes and rainfed irrigation management  practices are better focussed , and more coordinated , and have quantifiable results.

* devise strategies for the sustainability of improved watershed . management practices in programme areas , even after the withdrawal  of project support .

* through the watershed plus approach , support improved equity , livelihoods , and incomes through forward linkages , on a platform of inclusiveness and local participation.

    What is a Watershed ?

 A watershed - the land area that drains to one stream , lake or river - affects the water quality in the water body that it surrounds . like water bodies ( e.g . lakes , rivers , and streams ) , individual watersheds share similarities but also differ in many ways . all land drains into a lake , river , stream or other water body and directly affects its quality . Because we all live on the land , we all live in a watershed - thus watershed condition is important to everyone .

What is a Healthy Watershed? 

A healthy watershed is one in which natural land cover supports :

 * dynamic hydrologic

* and geomorphologic 

* processes within their natural range of variation ,

 * habitat of sufficient size and connectivity to support native aquatic and riparian .

 * species , and 

* physical and chemical water quality conditions able to support healthy biological communities.

What is Being Done to Protect Healthy Watersheds ?

A very wide range of activities could be called healthy watersheds protection . These may include regulatory approaches . EPA's healthy watersheds protection activities are non regulatory . Approaches used at state and local level could be either . The private sector is also actively involved in many forms of protection .

*emerging water quality problems ,

*loss and fragmentation of aquatic habitat,

* altered water flow and availability ,

* invasive species , and 

* climate change.