Integrated Watershed Management

& Rainwater Harvesting

Prof. T. I. Eldho , Department of Civil Engineering,

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay/ India.

Contents
Indias Water Resources
Watershed Development & Modelling
Integrated Watershed Management
Water Conservation & Harvesting
Successful Case Study

Integrated Water Resources Development and

Management: IWRDM.
Integration of - River basin resources- surface and ground.
- Demands - consumptive and non-consumptive,
and supplies.
- Facilities - mega to micro.
- Human and eco-systems.
- S&T and engineering with social, economic,
synergic needs.

INDIAS LAND RESOURCE, IRRIGATION

AND FOOD PRODUCTION
India has 2% of worlds land, 4% of freshwater, 16% of
population, and 10% of its cattle.
Geographical area = 329 Mha of which 47% (142 Mha) is
cultivated, 23% forested, 7% under non-agri use, 23%
waste.
Per capita availability of land 50 years ago was 0.9 ha,
could be only 0. 14 ha in 2050.
Out of cultivated area, 37% is irrigated which produces
55% food; 63% is rain-fed producing 45% of 200 M t of
food.
In 50 years (ultimate), proportion could be 50:50
producing 75:25 of 500 M t of required food.

SOME INFERENCES FROM RIVER BASIN STATISTICS

Himalayan Rivers Water: 300 utilizable, 1200 BCM
available.
Himalayan large dams presently store 80 BCM. New
dams under consideration could store 90 BCM.
Peninsular Rivers Water: 400 utilizable, 700 BCM
available.
Peninsular large dams presently store 160 BCM. New
dams under consideration could store 45 BCM.
In all, large dams presently store 240 BCM. New
dams under consideration could store 135 BCM. Total
storage thus could be 375 BCM only.

WITHDRAWAL OF WATER- 2050, AVAILABILITY

Indias Yearly Requirement in 2050 (Km3 = BCM)
For growing food and feed at 420 to 500 million tonnes = 628 to 807 BCM
Drinking water plus domestic and municipal use for rural population at
150 lpcd and for urban population at 220 lpcd = 90 to 110 BCM
Hydropower and other energy generation = 63 to 70 BCM
Industrial use = 81 to 103 BCM
Navigational use = 15 BCM
Loss of water by evaporation from reservoirs = 76 BCM
Environment and ecology = 20 BCM
Total

970 to 1200 BCM

Availability

1100 to 1400 BCM

Where does the water come from?

New dams - inter-basin transfer
Groundwater - underdeveloped
Demand Management
Water savings - increase in efficiency,
reduce evaporation.
Water productivity - increases in crop per
drop
Trade (virtual water), import food.

Part 2: Watershed

Development & Modelling

Limited water resources,more demand.

Watershed is the basic scientific unit.

Need for proper planning and

management.
Integrated watershed development
approach
Digital revolution
Recent advances in watershed
modelling - use of computer models,

WATERSHED Development
Watershed
Characteristics.
Hydrology of
watershed.
Watershed (ha)
50,0002,00,000
10,000-50,000
1,000-10,000
100-1,000
10-100

Classification
Watershed
Sub-watershed
Milli- watershed
Micro-watershed
Mini-watershed

WATERSHED Development
Parameters of Watershed
Size
Shape
Physiography
Climate
Drainage
Land use
Vegetation
Geology and Soils
Hydrology
Hydrogeology
Socioeconomics

WATERSHED MODELLING
Watershed modelling steps
1. Formulation
2. Calibration/verification
3. Application
Watershed model constitutes
1. Input function
2. Output function
3. Transform function

WATERSHED MODELLING
ET

Precipitation

ET

Interception
Storage

Surface Storage

Surface Runoff

Infiltration

Interflow

Percolation

Direct Runoff

Baseflow
Groundwater
Storage

Channel
Processes

Fig Flowchart of simple watershed model (McCuen, 1989)

WATERSHED MODELLING
General Classification of Models
Broadly classified into three types
Black Box Models: These models describe mathematically the
relation between rainfall and surface runoff without
describing the physical process by which they are related.
e.g. Unit Hydrograph approach
Lumped models:
These models occupy an intermediate position between the
distributed models and Black Box Models. e.g. Stanford
Watershed Model
Distributed Models:
These models are based on complex physical theory, i.e. based
on the solution of unsteady flow equations.

Part 3: Integrated Watershed Management

Background

Large water resources development projects in India

have adverse socio-economic and environmental consequences.
consequences

The failure of such projects, contributed to indebtedness,

indebtedness
raising economic pressure and jeopardising future development.
Indiscriminate expansion of marginal lands and over-utilisation
of existing water resources for irrigation.

Traditional water harvesting systems have suffered sever neglect.

This type of development not only called into question

the adequacy of water resources schemes but triggered the urgent
search for more effective and appropriate management strategies.
Major response to follow Integrated Watershed Management Approach.

Concepts and Principles of IWM

Objectives:
Water has multiples uses and must be managed in an integrated way.
Water should be managed at the lowest appropriate level.
Water allocation should take account of the interests of all who are affected.
Water should be recognised and treated as an economic good.
Strategies:
A long term, viable sustainable future for basin stake holders.
Equitable access to water resources for water users.
The application of principles of demand management for efficient utilisation.
Prevention of further environmental degradation (short term) and the restoration of
degraded resources (long term). .
Implementation Programs:
Comprise an overall strategy that clearly defines the management objectives, a delivery
mechanisms and a monitoring schedule that evaluates program performance.
Recognise that the development of water resources may require research, to assess the
resource base through modelling and development of DSS, and to determine the
linkage between water resources and the impacts on environment, socio-economy.
Ensure that mechanisms and policies are established that enables long term support.

Integrated Watershed Approach

1980

Low

1990

Project success
Public participation
planning, design,
implementation

1970

Socio-economic,
water conservation,
participation

Socio-economic with
water conservation

High

Mainly water
conservation

Public Participation

IWM is the process of planning and implementing water and natural

resources an emphasis on integrating the bio-physical, socio-economic
and institutional aspects.

2000

Watershed development program

Social issues are addressed through involvement of women and minority.

Community led water users groups have led the implementation efforts.

Thefourengineeringandmanagementtoolsforeffective
andsustainabledevelopmentofwaterresourcesinsemiarid
ruralIndia:
Appropriatetechnologies
Decentraliseddevelopmentsystem
Catchmentbasedwaterresourcesplanning
Managementinformationsystem
In past the efforts were more on the soil conservation and
taking measures on the land where as we used to neglect the
welfare of the land users.
Forsustainablewatershedmanagement there is need to
integrate the social and economic development together with
soil and water conservation

IWA Modeling through

Advanced Technologies

Part 4: Water Conservation &

Harvesting

Total water management

for sustainable
development?.

Water Conservation
Important step for solutions to issues of water
and environmental conservation is to change
people's attitudes and habits
Conserve water because it is right thing to do!.

What you can do to conserve

water?
Use only as much water as you require. Close
the taps well after use. While brushing or other
use, do not leave the tap running, open it only
when you require it. See that there are no
leaking taps.
Use a washing machine that does not
consume too much water. Do not leave the
taps running while washing dishes and
clothes.

Water Conservation
Install small shower heads to reduce the flow
of the water. Water in which the vegetables &
fruits have been washed - use to water the
flowers & plants.
At the end of the day if you have water left in
your water bottle do not throw it away, pour it
over some plants.

Re-use water as much as

possible
Change in attitude & habits for
water conservation
Every drop counts!!!

Rain Water Harvesting?.

Rain Water Harvesting RWH- process of collecting,
conveying & storing water from rainfall in an area for
beneficial use.
Storage in tanks, reservoirs, underground storagegroundwater
Hydrological Cycle

Rain Water Harvesting?.

RWH - yield copious amounts of water. For an
average rainfall of 1,000mm, approximately four million
litres of rainwater can be collected in a year in an acre
of land (4,047 m2), post-evaporation.
As RWH - neither energy-intensive nor labourintensive
It can be a cost-effective alternative to other wateraccruing methods.
With the water table falling rapidly, & concrete
surfaces and landfill dumps taking the place of water
bodies, RWH is the most reliable solution for
augmenting groundwater level to attain self-sufficiency

RWH Methodologies

Roof Rain Water Harvesting

Land based Rain Water Harvesting
Watershed based Rain Water harvesting
For Urban & Industrial Environment
Roof & Land based RWH
Public, Private, Office & Industrial buildings
Pavements, Lawns, Gardens & other open
spaces

Rain Water Harvesting Advantages

1.Provides self-sufficiency to water supply
2.Reduces the cost for pumping of ground water
3.Provides high quality water, soft and low in minerals
4.Improves the quality of ground water through
dilution when recharged
5.Reduces soil erosion & flooding in urban areas
6.The rooftop rain water harvesting is less expensive
& easy to construct, operate and maintain
7. In desert, RWH only relief
8. In saline or coastal areas & Islands, rain
water provides good quality water

Part 5: Successful Case Study

Catchment Area =
1800 km2

Jhabua Watershed: Case Study

Madhya Pradesh ( INDIA ), ~ altitude of 380 m to
540 m. Area 1800 sq.km
Highly undulating, sparsely distributed forest cover.
~ 57% arable land including cultivable fellow and
~ 18% notified as forest land.
Average rainfall ~ 750 mm per annum.

~ 20-30 events during June-September

~ Classified as drought prone region.
Moisture deficit during January
to May months each year.

Jhabua watershed: Case study

Major crops:
Maize, Cotton, Peanuts,
Soyabeans;
Gram, Black beans, Oil
seeds.
Predominantly tribal population, 92%
engaged in agriculture.
~ high seasonal migration
~ economically one of the
most backward district

Yearlyrainfalldeparturefromthemeanforrainfallstation
Jhabua

Seasonal
rainfall
departure
are
extremely
variable.

Development Issues

Subsistence of rainfed monocropping farming system

withlowagricultureproductivity
Undulating topography and soil erosion due to
overgrazingcausingdegradationofland.
High pressure of population on the agriculture land
leadingtosubstantialpovertycausingimmigration.
Absence of decentralized water resources and basic
infrastructurefacilities.
Degradation of forestry land due to absence of
communityinvolvementinprotectionoftheforest.

Planning & Implementation

AThreestepIWMAmodelapproach

1. Resources Mapping using Geographical

InformationSystem
2. AppropriateTechnology
3. ManagementInformationSystem

Resources mapping: Ground water dynamics

Total alluvium area= 18.5 km2

Channel porosity = 20%
Depth of wetting front = 4.0 m

Total storage capacity = 14.8 x106 m3.

Reservoir in main channel

Resources mapping: Surface water storage

Total number of reservoirs = 144

Storage capacity = 81.3 x 106 m3

AppropriateTechnology

Waterconservation
andgroundwater
rechargetechniques

Waterharvestingcum
supplementary
irrigationtechniquesin
Jhabua

Water Conservation
Water conservation interventions includes
contour trenches, gully plugging, vegetative
and field bunding, percolation tanks.
Overall land treatment against potential area is varying between 40-60%.
Type of land ownership for
soil and water
conservation measures

2%

5%
28%

25%

65%
45%

Contour bunding
Staggered trenching

Gully plugging
Level terraces

30%
Private land

Fallow land

Forest land

Techniques of soil and

water conservation
measures

Joint Forest Management

Redevelopment of forest is essential for catering socioeconomics needs of the people and ecological needs
of the region.
Forest committees are formed for forest protection and
part of area is made available for grazing on rotation
basis.
Implementing agencies promoted the concept of Social
Fencing people protecting the forest and grazing land.

Community participation and local capacity building

Development of new village level institutions and local capacity building.
Operation & maintenance of structures, regulation of financial matters, and
conflict resolution.

Discussion
Success interventions reside in integration of appropriate technical and
managerial measures.
measures
Peoples participation in the entire process are most important.
The benefits of water harvesting and water conservation definitely reached.
Efficient utilisation of funds, only 10-15% spent on non-project costs.
Thus, IWM approach may be characterised by
Community management built on existing social structure,
structure
Project management drawn from village level organisations,
organisations
Joint forest management with community participation,
Self-help water user groups and community based banking institutions.
Limitation: 100% drought proofing for every water use can not be achieved.

Concluding Remarks
The integrated watershed management approach
have the following major components:
Promote sustainable economic development through optimum
utilisation of natural resources and local capacity building.
Restore ecological balance through community participation
and cost affordable technologies for easy acceptance.
Improving living conditions of the poorer through more equitable
resources distribution and greater access to income
generating activities.

Concluding Remarks
About 2-4 meter water level increase is observed in selected wells.
Watershed management can easily cope with climate change impacts.

The benefits of water harvesting and water conservation not only for
drinking water security but also for agriculture definitely reached.
Efficient utilisation of funds as only 10-15% of the total budget
spent on non-project costs.

Water security through IWM

Dr. T. I. Eldho
Associate Professor,
Department of Civil Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay,
Mumbai, India, 400 076.
Email: eldho@iitb.ac.in
Phone: (022) 25767339; Fax: 25767302
http://www.civil.iitb.ac.in