WATER HARVESTING-DEFINITION,TYPES & ADVANTAGES

INTRODUCTION

Water harvesting is a method of collecting and storing water for future use. Generally water harvesting is direct rainwater collection. Rain is primary water source while lakes, groundwater and rivers are the secondary water source. Rainwater harvesting is a type of harvest in which the rain water are collected and stored for the future use, instead of allowing them to run off. However, it is used for orchards/gardens, raising livestock, irrigation, domestic use with proper treatment etc. The harvested water can also be used as drinking water, longer-term storage, and for other purposes such as groundwater recharge.

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WATER HARVESTING FOR AGRICULTURE

Normally water harvesting is practiced in arid and semi- arid regions for agriculture and it is more effective in areas situated near hillside or where cultivation is difficult due to large portion of bare soil.
To enhance irrigation in arid environments, ridges of soil are constructed to collect and prevent rainwater from running down hills and slopes. Water can be collected from roofs, dams and ponds can be constructed to hold large quantities of rainwater so that at the time of little or no rainfall occurs, enough is available to irrigate growing crops.
WH enables farmers to store water when it is plentiful and make it available when it is scarce. Three categories of small-scale storage can be distinguished: (1) soil moisture storage (2) groundwater storage and (3) surface storage.

WH TYPES

In India, generally three type of WH techniques are practiced as described here-

Inter-row water harvesting– this technique is practiced in arid areas where annual rainfall is less than 750mm. crops are grown in narrow strips between wide intervals that are ridged as artificial miniature watersheds. Later on these are compacted to increase runoff to the crop rows. There is no sacrifice of land in this technique. Inter-row systems, also called “roaded catchments”, may be the best technique to apply on flat lands. Triangular cross sectional bunds or levees are constructed along the main slope of the land. The height of bunds are ranges from 40 to 100 cm, built at distances of 2-10 m, runoff flowing down the slope is collected between the ridges and either directed to a reservoir at the end of a feed canal or to a crop cultivated between the ridges.
Inter-plot or Micro plot water harvesting– water is harvested in the passages or furrows between the plots when rainfall is rather more. In this case runoff from the sloping area supplements rainfall for growing crops on level land.
WH in farm pond & Reservoirs– Farm ponds are small tanks or reservoirs constructed for the purpose of storing water essentially from surface runoff. Farm ponds are useful for life saving irrigation, water supply for the cattle, fish production etc. It is usually of 3 ft. depth with width and length varying depending upon the farmer’s land and catchment water potential in his field. Depending on the source of water and their location with respect to the land surface, farm ponds are grouped into four types- Dugout ponds, Surface ponds, spring or Creek fed ponds and Off-stream storage ponds. For controlling seepage loss, waterborne asphalt emulsion is used.

ADVANTAGES

It reduces soil erosion, storm water runoff, flooding, and pollution of surface water with fertilizers, pesticides, metals and other sediments.
It is an excellent source of water for landscape irrigation with no chemicals and dissolved salts and free from all minerals.
It can be used for watering gardens in our homes and crop plants in agricultural fields.
Water harvesting practices are the key for dry land farming in arid and semi-arid regions. In our country about 65% area is dryland and rainfed out of 143 M hectare of cultivated land. Furthermore dry land agriculture contributes about 40-45% of national food grain production.

WATER HARVESTING-DEFINITION,TYPES & ADVANTAGES

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