Rainwater Harvesting

This document by ACWADAM is a report of a rapid geohydrological assessment of some of the microwatersheds from parts of Bolangir district Orissa.

Bolangir district in Orissa forms a part of one of the hottest and backward regions of India with low land-productivity, and opportunities and technologies for agriculture in the district remain relatively unexplored.

Vagaries of rainfall and the underlying hard-rock geology further compound the problem and limit agricultural productivity to a great extent. Given such natural uncertainties, systematic implementation of a watershed management programme is the most viable avenue to overcome the problems of this region.

Bolangir district was thus selected as pilot area to conduct a pre-feasibility exercise for planning of water resources management. ACWADAM, Pune was invited, along with Samaj Pragati Sahayog, Bagli to conduct this pre-feasibility exercise.

This set of case studies is part of a book prepared by Lokayan in collaboration with the Planning Commission titled “Seeds of Hope", covers themes of agricultur

The report gives an account of a feasibility study of rainwater harvesting in semi-arid regions. A review of water harvesting systems is followed by a section wherein numerical solutions for surface flow equations are explained. 

The study discusses the hydrological aspects of rainwater harvesting in the Kandi belt in the foothill zone of Siwalik in Jammu region with the help of a case study on water availability in a pond in village Badhori (Samba district, Jammu). It describes the climate, soils, geology, geomorphology and drainage of the Kandi belt. It is marked with small watersheds having low denuded hills and undulating cultivated lands that need to be developed on a watershed basis through engineering and non-engineering measures of rainwater harvesting and soil conservation.

In the recent past, Dr. Dipul Choudhury from Guwahati (Assam), managed to ensure rainwater harvesting arrangements in his newly constructed multistoried building at Tarun Nagar, Guwahati (Assam).

Small and big dams and big embankments were constructed in this region, without understanding the nature of the rivers which have always changed course or overshot their banks. Assuming however, that the river will not change course, the Government adopted a skewed development program - that of building embankments to contain the river.

IF CONSERVATION OF WATER SOURCES, RECYCLE, REUSE IS SERIOUSLY NOT ADOPTED NOW THE TIME IS NOT FAR WHEN WE MAY  NEED TO "DRAIN HARVEST" WASTEWATER FOR ALL KINDS OF CONSUMPTIONS.

This paper refers to the recent plans by the Government of India to undertake artificial recharge of groundwater in over-exploited areas of the country to meet the demands for water and raises certain fundamental questions about the methods used for analysing the hydrological and economic impacts of the interventions.

13th SearNet International Conference
Theme:"Rainwater Harvesting as a Means of Adaptation to the Challenges of Climate Change”

Organizers: Southern and Eastern Africa Rainwater Network (SearNet), Ethiopia Rainwater Harvesting Association (ERHA), Rainwater Harvesting Implementation Network (RAIN)

Venue: Taddesse Enjori Hotel in Awassa, Ethiopia.

"Worldwide Multi-objective Rainwater Harvesting and Utilization"

Organizers:

• Taiwan Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
• International Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
• Chinese Culture University
• National Taiwan Ocean University
• National Cheng Kung University

Venue:
There will be 2 separate venues:

• Northern part of Taiwan (Chinese Culture University, Taipei), March 28-29, 2011
• Southern part of Taiwan (National Cheng Kung University,  ), April 1, 2011

Topics:

• Surface / groundwater water supplies
• Domestic / agricultural / industrial / commercial usages