Watershed Management

Introduction
 Water is a basic need for everyone.

 The word “WATERSHED” was introduced in 1920.

 Watershed is defined as a geo-hydrological unit

draining to a common point by a system of drains.
Introduction
• A watershed is simply the geographic
area through which water flows
across the land and drains into a
common body of water, whether a
stream, river, lake, or ocean.
• The watershed boundary will more
or less follow the highest ridgeline
around the stream channels and
meet at the bottom or lowest point
of the land where water flows out of
the watershed, the mouth of the
waterway.
Introduction
• Much of the water comes from
rainfall and stormwater runoff.

• The quality and quantity of

stormwater is affected by all the
alterations to the land--mining,
agriculture, roadways, urban
development, and the activities
of people within a watershed.
Significance
• Watersheds are important because the surface water features and
stormwater runoff within a watershed ultimately drain to other bodies of
water.
• It is essential to consider these downstream impacts when developing
and implementing water quality protection and restoration actions.
• Everything upstream ends up downstream.
• We need to remember that we all live downstream and that our everyday
activities can affect downstream water
TYPES OF WATERSHED
• Watersheds is classified depending upon the size, drainage, shape
and land use pattern.

 Macro watershed (> 50,000 Hect)

 Sub-watershed (10,000 to 50,000 Hect)

 Milli-watershed (1000 to10000 Hect)

 Micro watershed (100 to 1000 Hect)

 Mini watershed (1-100 Hect)

Objectives
• To control damaging runoff and degradation and thereby
conservation of soil and water.
• To manage and utilize the runoff water for useful purpose.
• To protect, conserve and improve the land of watershed for more
efficient and sustained production.
• To protect and enhance the water resource originating in the
watershed.
• To check soil erosion and to reduce the effect of sediment yield on
the watershed.
• To rehabilitate the deteriorating lands.
• To moderate the floods peaks at down stream areas.
• To increase infiltration of rainwater.
• To improve and increase the production of timbers, fodder and wild
life resource.
• To enhance the ground water recharge, wherever applicable.
Factors affecting watershed management
a) Watershed characters
i) Size and shape
ii) Topography
iii) Soils
iv) Relief
b) Climatic characteristic
• i. Precipitation
ii. Amount and intensity of rainfall
c) Watershed operation
d) Land use pattern
• i. Vegetative cover
ii. Density
Some of the watershed management
structures
BROAD BEDS AND FURROWS
Broad beds and furrows
Function
To control erosion and to conserve soil moisture in the
soil during rainy days.
General information
The broad bed and furrow system is laid within the field
boundaries. The land levels taken and it is laid using either
animal drawn or tractor drawn ridgers.
Cost
Approximate cost for laying beds & furrows is rs.1800 /
ha.
Salient features
• conserves soil moisture in dryland
• Controls soil erosion.
• Acts as a drainage channel during heavy rainy days.
CONTOUR BUND
 .
CONTOUR BUND
Function
• To intercept the run off flowing down the
slope by an embankment.
General information.
• It helps to control run off velocity. The
embankment may be closed or open,
surplus arrangements are provided
wherever necessary.

Cost
Approximate cost of laying contour bund is
rs.1400 / ha.

Salient features
• It can be adopted on all soils
• It can be laid upto 6% slopes.
• It helps to retain moisture in the field.
BENCH TERRACING
BENCH TERRACING
Function
It helps to bring sloping land into different level strips to enable cultivation.

General information
It consists of construction of step like fields along contours by half cutting and half filling. Original
slope is converted into level fields. The vertical & horizontal intervals are decided based on level
slope.

Cost
Approximate cost for laying the terrace is rs.5000 / ha.

Salient features
• Suitable for hilly regions.
• The benches may be inward sloping to drain off excess water.
• The outward sloping benches will help to reduce the existing steep slope to mild one.
• It is adopted in soils with slopes greater than 6%
MICROCATCHMENTS FOR SLOPING LANDS
 MICROCATCHMENTS FOR SLOPING LANDS
Function
• It is useful for insitu moisture conservation and erosion control for
tree crops.
Salient features
• Slope ranges from 2 –8%
• Soil type – light to moderate texture
• Insitu moisture conservation with staggered planting
• Suitable for dry land horticulture & agroforestry
• Bund height – 30 to 45 cm.

•
Check dam
Check dam
Salient features
• A low weir normally constructed across the gullies
• Constructed on small streams and long gullies formed by erosive
activity of flood water
• It cuts the velocity and reduces erosive activity
• The stored water improves soil moisture of the adjoining area and
allows percolation to recharge the aquifers
• Spacing between the check dams water spread of one should be
beyond the water spread of the other
• Height depends on the bank height, varies from a metre to 3 metre and
length varies from less than 3m to 10m
• Cost varies from Rs. 40000/- to Rs. 100000/- per unit
Percolation pond:
Percolation pond:
function
To augment the ground water recharge

Salient features
• Shallow depression created at lower portions in a natural or
diverted stream course
• Preferable under gentle sloping stream where narrow valley exists
• Located in soils of permeable nature
• Adaptable where 20-30 ground water wells for irrigation exist with
in the zone of influence about 800 – 900m
• Minimum capacity may be around 5000 m3 for the sack of
economy
• Also act as silt detention reservoir
• Cost varies from Rs. 60000 to 150000 per unit
Stone Barriers
Thank You….
A CASE STUDY OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT OF A
NAIKBOMWADIVILLAGE
Introduction
 Water is a prime natural resource for human beings and hence a precious
national asset.

 The easy and cheaply available groundwater is the most important resource for
domestic, industrial and agricultural uses etc.

 Rapid growth of population, vagaries of rainfall, expansion ofirrigation,

increased industrialization etc. have resulted into enhanced demand for
groundwater in various countries

 As a result, the groundwater prospecting,exploration and management have

become a big task inIndia in general, and certain drought prone areas
inparticular.
Introduction
 Tremendous rise in population, urbanization,industrialization and
agriculture area, resulting in steep incline water demand line.

 Indian agriculture sector is lot more depend upon the monsoon.

 In last 3-4 years due to inadequate rainfall, people are looking towards the
underground water as alternative source without regarding to its recharge
resulting in deepening of ground water table near about 100m below the
ground surface
METHODOLOGY
Quantum GIS
 To get contour map and stream line map of whole area.With the help of
this they get possible outlet and their location.
G.P.S.
 They got survey plot the location after meet outlet points.
 To study the ground water level fluctuation of the study area, water levels in
different wells located in the study area have been observed for different period
for these 11 wells have been selected.
 These pre and post monsoon water levels are plotted and are compared with
the overall fluctuation of average rainfall.
Measurement of ground water fluctuation
•To study the ground water level fluctuation of the study area, water levels in different wells
located in the study area have been observed for different period for these 11 wellshave
been selected.

•These pre and post monsoon water levels are plotted and are compared with the overall
fluctuation of average rainfall
Implementing Techniques
Following steps were followed
 Selection of site for implementing watershed techniques.

 Collection of data of site condition and surrounding area.

 To manage and utilize run-off water for useful purpose, the suitable
structures on water outlet points were suggested
 Study Area
 Study area lies in Phaltan tehsil, in the
Indian State of Maharashtra.
 It is located at 14 km away from Phaltan
tehsil city.
 It lies between North latitude 17056ˈ5" and
East longitude 740 32’33", covering an area
of 825.93 hector.
 The average rainfall ranging is 337mm
Land use pattern Crop Pattern
Problems in selected area
 Naikbomwadi were facing water shortage problems throughout the year,
especially in summer season
 Even though the soil condition was good due to water shortage people
cultivated only one season crop during the rainy season.
 On the hill top due to rain erosion of the soil is taking place is too high thus
reducing the soil cover on the hill surface.
 The lack water availability has also resulted in low agriculture production.
 Supply of water through tankers becomes essential.
 Low income level with low living standard.
 High percentage of barren, cultivable waste land.
 The average rainfall is very less and also havinghigh fluctuation i.e. average annual
rainfall of 450mm.
 Silting of existing water harvesting structures like percolation tank and Nala bunds
etc
Demand and Supply Analysis
Total population= 722
Standard demand=135lit/day
For drought area water requirement per capita=70lit/day=70×722 =50540 lit/day
Annual water required for domestic = 50540×365 = 18447.1cu.m.

numbers of Ships & Goats =1166

Total water demand for animal=1405.25+9570.3+3903.675+25.11+11.66= 14916.80 cu.m

Total water demand for agri land = 0.375×59067000 = 2215012.5 cu.m

Total demand = Domestic requirement +Animal requirement+ Agri.requirement

=18447.1+14916.86+2215012.5 = 2248376.4 cu.m
 Total available water = Area of watershed[sq.m]×Rainfall
= 82593000×0.3369 = 2782558.17 cu.m
 Ground water recharge = Area of watershed [sq.m] ×avg.fluctution ×
Specific yield= 82593000×1.5×0.15 = 1858342.5 cu.m
Measures to be taken for improvement of water table
surface as well as subsurface and reduce soil
conservation
Contour trenching and tree plantation:
 It is proposed to excavate trenches along the contours and planting the trees on their downstream
sides.

Bore Well Recharging:

 The area has two bore wells which would dry in summer seasons. Hence it is proposed to recharge
them by diverting the water from contour ditches nearby them.

continuous contour trenches

 Construction of continuous contour trenches onupstream side of the hill.

Plantation
 Plantation of ‘Madras Anjan’ grass on hilly slope, ‘Stylo’ grass on downstream of continuous contour
trenches and ‘Khus’ grass on bund constructed on pond.
 Check Dams
 Gully plugs, also called check dams, are
mainly built to prevent erosion and to
settle sediments and pollutants.
 Furthermore, it is possible to keep soil
moisture due to infiltration. Depending
on the topography, amount of
precipitation, material and financial
resources available, there are several
methods to construct a gully plug.
 They have to be inspected regularly and
any damages must be repaired.
Check dam
Design details
 Available land slope = 0-15(%)
 Horizontal interval (Spacing between two bunds)=depends on site conditions
 Dimensions of the Check dam:
 Top Width = 1.0 mBase
 width = 2.0m
 Height =3.0m above ground
 Depth of foundation = 1.0m
 Length of check dam = depends on site conditions
 Free board = 0.50m
Advantages
 Water speed is slowed, which reduces erosion and prevents unwanted gully
formation during a flood
 No trench design required, just uses existing gully drainage pattern
 Can assist recharge of shallow wells
 Can reduce salinity in groundwater
 Allows groundwater recharge and sediment to settle out (reduces sediment
transport)
 Cost effective – these dams can use locally available materials

Disadvantages
•They can silt up and will need maintenance
•Levels of infiltration can be slow due to silt build-up
•Unclear land tenure can result in ownership of the structure
•If designed incorrectly, may block fish passage
•When only focussing on gully plug construction, the main cause of gully development is
missed.
Percolation Pond
 Percolation ponds are small ponds located mostly in low lying areas of
poromboke lands and formed in order to store the run-off of rainwater and to
allow it to percolate downwards and sideways.
Deep ponds are preferred since evaporation of the stored water therein will be
less.
It has been observed that the percolation ponds are effective up to a distance of
1000 metres on the downstream side and wells within this range are benefited
with more replenishment of water.
Percolation Pond
 Side earthen bund details:
 Top width = 0.9 m
 Height = 1.0m
 Side slope = 2:1
Conclusion
 After the rainy season around month of February upto month may of each year
the water scarcity starts in the study area and water demand increases.
 As large amount of ground water is drawn out from under ground, reduction of
ground water table which in turn reduces water level in wells.
 To cater this problem of water storage in study area, the technique of watershed
management is best suited. By implementing this method the ground water table
is increased thus providing sufficient water to the farmers during drought season and
reducing the call of tankers.
 This method is cheap and also provides employment to villagers.
Reference
A CASE STUDY OF WATERSHED MANAGEMENT OF A
NAIKBOMWADIVILLAGE
Mr.Kalbhor Pravin S, Mr.Baravkar Amit B, Mr.Deokate Bhalerao S
3, Prof. Kasar Snehal
1,2,3 BE Civil SSPM COE Baramti 2BE Civil SVPM COE Baramati, Pune
Maharashtra.4 Professor Miss. Kasar Snehal , Dept. of Civil Engineering,
SSPM college, Maharashtra, India
Thank You!