Watershed management
A
watershed refers to a geographical area that drains to a common point. It is a
viable unit for technical efforts for simultaneous conservation of soil along
with maximization in the utilization of surface and sub-surface water for
developing efficient production systems. Watershed management is a risk
aversion management approach, aiming to protect the dwellers of the fragile
ecosystems from severe distress caused by frequent droughts through development
and supervision of land, water, and biomass resources with a focus on social
and institutional aspects apart from bio-physical aspects following a
participatory “bottom-up” approach. It aims at
- Conserving as much rainwater at
the place of its inception, without distressing the natural hydrological
system, increasing the GW level and maintaining it for sustainability and
stabilizing the flow of water for a long period
- Preventing soil erosion and
sediment production through suitable SWC measures
- Controlling the damaging runoff
and moderate floods in the downstream areas
- Drain the excess water safely
and avoiding gully formation
- Maximize the water storage
capacity in the watershed, both in the soil and developing the existing and new
water bodies