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Low-Cost Groundwater Recharge through Open Wells in Indian Semi-Arid Tropical watersheds

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/3903/
 
Title Low-Cost Groundwater Recharge through Open Wells in Indian Semi-Arid Tropical watersheds
 
Creator Sachan, R C
Wani, S P
Sreedevi, T K
Pathak, P
Jangawad, L S
Sudi, R
 
Subject Watershed management
Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics
 
Description The traditional runoff harvesting facilities in Indian semi arid tropics (SAT) have degenerated due to lack of proper
management and policy support. Due to vagaries of monsoon and scarcity of surface water in Indian SAT,
dependence on groundwater has increased tremendously and water resource has transformed from community
resource to a private resource. Farmers have dug open wells to draw groundwater from shallow aquifers. With
advent of bore well technology and subsidized power, there has been shift in groundwater extraction from shallow
aquifers to deeper aquifers creating mining effect. Intensity of rainfall in Indian SAT is grossly adequate to
adequately charge the aquifers. A study was made in a watershed at Kothapally, Rangareddy district, AP, to
recharge groundwater thru diversion of clean rain runoff in 35 failed (dry) open wells. Quantity of groundwater
recharged thru diversion of t~e nlnoff was estimated which averaged 96100 m3 over two yearof study. To store same
quantity of runoff on land suiface, it would have required approximately 4 ha land area, Rs 20 lakhs as construction
cost and Rs 20,000 as annual maintenance cost. The enhanced water availability in open wells resulted into
increased irrigated area in rabi and post rabi seasons. It resulted into increased area under fodder cultivation,
milch animals, marketable milk production, area under flowers and vegetables. Area under irrigation and yield
increase of annual crops was affected. Increased water availability culminated into increased income and livelihood
opportunities for farmers in the watershed.
 
Publisher Soil Conservation Society of India
 
Date 2008
 
Type Article
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
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Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/3903/1/Low-cost_groundwater_recharge_through_open_wells_in_Indian_semi-arid_tropical_watersheds.pdf
Sachan, R C and Wani, S P and Sreedevi, T K and Pathak, P and Jangawad, L S and Sudi, R (2008) Low-Cost Groundwater Recharge through Open Wells in Indian Semi-Arid Tropical watersheds. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 7 (4). pp. 48-57. ISSN 0022-457X