Water shed management

Tuesday, 8 October 2019 8:25 PM

• Objectives
1. It can prevent future community water shortages and poor water
quality
India is a developing country which needs water for its
increasing population and economy. However, Its
population is outgrowing its water supply. Disaster in India
has already arrived wherein the major 4 reservoirs in
Chennai have run nearly dry. 12 per cent of India’s
population is already living the 'Day Zero' scenario, thanks to
excessive groundwater pumping, an inefficient and wasteful
water management system and years of deficient rains. 600
million people are facing acute water shortages
nationwide -- and 200,000 die each year from inadequate or
unsafe water supplies, according to the NITI Aayog report.
Hundreds of thousands of residents wait in line each day to
fill their pots at government water tankers, and critical
services like hospitals and schools are struggling. People
are forced to wash utensils in the same dirty water, saving a
few bottles of clean water to cook food. Lack of proper
maintenance of existing infrastructure causes further losses
of almost 40 per cent of piped water in urban areas.
Demand for water will reach twice the available supply by
2030, the UN report said -- placing hundreds of millions of
lives in danger.

Looking at the current situation, there is a need for a

paradigm shift. We urgently require a transition from this

'supply-and-supply-more water' provision to measures

which lead towards improving water use efficiency, reducing

leakages, recharging/restoring local waterbodies as well as

applying for higher tariffs and ownership by various

 References
https://www.topperlearning.com/answer/wh
is-watershed-management-and-what-are-its-
advantages/6eikof99

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/27/india/ind
-water-crisis-intl-hnk/index.html

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/water/
dia-s-water-crisis-the-clock-is-ticking-65217

https://financialtribune.com/articles/environm
nt/20988/watershed-management-a-possible
solution-to-water-crisis

https://www.teriin.org/events/terijislcentre/f
s/GW_paper.pdf

Disadvantage includes the higher cost need to built it . Also

maintaining in order to continue working properly. Also, th
rainfall of the area .
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o a watershed needs regular

his type of system depends on the
 which lead towards improving water use efficiency, reducing

leakages, recharging/restoring local waterbodies as well as

applying for higher tariffs and ownership by various

stakeholders.

A recovery-based closed loop system is the need of the

hour.

2. It increases the production and income of the watershed

community.

3. It mitigates droughts and floods.

India’s water resources are not evenly
distributed. Half of India’s annual precipitation
falls in just 15 rain-soaked days, making floods
and droughts a fact of life in the country. India
does not so much face a water crisis as a water
management crisis, calling for a fundamental
reassessment of the way the country manages
water.
Knowing how much water India has, where it has
it, and when it has it, is essential for the country
to manage its water resources effectively. This is
especially important for reservoir managers, as
even small mistakes when dealing with large
volumes of water can have devastating
consequences for lives and livelihoods
downstream.

Since 1995, a series of World Bank supported

http://www.fao.org/tempref/fi/cdrom/fao_training/fao_tr
.htm for consulting
raining/general/x6708e/x6708e01
 even small mistakes when dealing with large
volumes of water can have devastating
consequences for lives and livelihoods
downstream.

Since 1995, a series of World Bank supported

hydrology projects – Hydrology I
(1995-2003); Hydrology II (2004-2014) - have
introduced systems and technology that enable
reservoir managers to take crucial decisions so
that their reservoirs remain full, dams remain
safe, and no damage is caused downstream.

Installed at a cost of cost of Rs 30 crores, these

reservoir management systems have helped
avert flood damages of over Rs. 238 crores per
year. They have also cushioned farmers and
townsfolk from the harshest impacts of drought
in the dry season.

Under the ongoing National Hydrology Project

III (2017-2025) federal water agencies will now
share critical water data with states in real time,
making it transparent and accessible to all.

4. Helps in recharging groundwater levels.

.