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In this article we will discuss about:- 1. Introduction to Watershed Management 2. Watershed Management Principles 3. Watershed Management Objectives 4. Factors 5. Components 6. Integrated Watershed Management Programmes (IWMP) 7. New Guidelines 8. Watershed Management Site 9. Watershed Planning and Management 10. Steps 11. Evaluation 12. Watershed Management and Restoration.
Contents:
- Introduction to Watershed Management
- Watershed Management Principles
- Watershed Management Objectives
- Factors Affecting Watershed Management
- Components of Watershed Management
- Integrated Watershed Management Programmes (IWMP)
- New Guidelines for Integrated Watershed Management Programme
- Watershed Management Site
- Watershed Planning and Management
- Steps of Watershed Management
- Evaluation of Watershed Management
- Watershed Management and Restoration
1. Introduction to Watershed Management:
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Watershed is the geographic area from where the entire rainwater running off the land gets drain to a single outlet. The outlet may be the stream, river, lake, wetland or coastal water bodies. The planning and management of watershed is done to accomplish the tasks related to overall development of watershed, which may be in respect of water quality & quantity improvement; management of ecosystem; enrichment of socioeconomic condition of the population living in the watershed; enhancing the employment opportunity for the people and selection of most appropriate cropping pattern.
In brief, the watershed management is solely for the people’s overall development. For example – if in a particular area there is the water scarcity problem, i.e., in off-season (summer/winter) the people face severe problem regarding non-availability of water for their day-to-day need, then to remove this problem from the area is one of the tasks of watershed management.
Similarly, if in an area there is the disease problem, i.e., there is no medical facility such as hospitals etc., as result a simple disease causes massive effect on the populations. For this case, the development of medical facilities comes under watershed development task. The removal of water pollution problem may also be an important task of watershed management. Because the polluted water, either it is the ground water or surface water can cause very severe effect on population health and crop, also.
The watershed planning and management involve a number of activities, few important amongst them are outlined as under:
i. Targeting of priority problems.
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ii. Promotion of high level of involvement of interested and affected mass.
iii. Development of problem’s solutions with the co-operation of experts and authorities of multi-agencies and organizations.
iv. Measurement of success through monitoring and data gathering.
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The activities may be at the state level, river basin level, or individual watershed level depending on the problem. Many activities/issues are best dealt at individual watershed level.
Few possible examples are outlined as below:
(i) Identification of pollution sources caused by storm-water to a lake, can be best tackled at the watershed level (considering the contributing watershed of the concerned lake).
(ii) Determination of appropriate discharge limits for wastewater, can be best studied at basin level.
(iii) The operation of statewide permit program can be suitably workout at state level management and planning.
The watershed management is also treated as an iterative process of integrated decision-making, regarding use and modification of land and water resources within the watershed boundary. The process could provide a kind of opportunity for the stakeholders to balance the diverse goals, to use the environmental resources, and to evaluate the cumulative effects of actions taken regarding long-term sustainability of the resources.
In brief, the watershed management provides a framework for integrated decision-making in following aspects:
i. Assessment of natural resources and status of watershed ecosystem.
ii. Formulation of short-term and long-term goals of the system.
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iii. Formulation of appropriate objectives and respective implementing actions for them.
iv. Assessment of benefits and incurred expenditures under each action.
v. Implementation of required actions.
vi. Evaluation of the effects of various actions towards management objectives; and
vii. Re-evaluation of goals and objectives as the part of iterative process.
In ecosystem management the entire watershed system starting from uplands/headwaters to floodplain, wetlands and river channels are included.
The watershed management requires use of social, ecological and economics science. The awareness about common goals for land and water resource management should be developed among the people. The informations on historical and current events of watershed system should be taken into consideration for formulation of action plans. The decision process should also be considered the economical benefits and costs of action plans; and blend current market dynamics for long-term sustainability of ecosystem, in better way.
2. Watershed Management Principles:
The watershed management tasks are very sensitive to each and every involvements. The watershed management is assumed to be successful, when it is carried out under proper planning approach, objectives, implementation methods and attitude of associated staffs. However, it is also based on the concrete principle for better management.
There have been devised several principles to operate the watershed management tasks, effectively; few important amongst them are outlined as below:
i. Watershed should be in natural form.
ii. The watershed management should be on multi-disciplinary approach.
iii. A strong framework should support the watershed management, in proper way.
iv. There should be proper team of personnel and with most appropriate technology, as well.
v. The approach should be flexible.
The important watershed management principles based on the resource conservation, resource generation and resource utilization are given as under:
i. The utilization of land resource should be based on its capability.
ii. Protection of top fertile soil depth should be there.
iii. The silting of farm pond/tanks, reservoirs and foot hill fertile lands should be checked.
iv. There should be the provision for protecting the vegetative cover throughout the year, to maintain the soil in proper form.
v. In watershed there should be priority for in-situ rainwater conservation.
vi. In gullied areas there should be safe diversion of runoff and construction of check dams for reclaiming the gullies, and also enhancing the ground water recharge.
vii. The cropping intensity should be high, which can be done by adopting inter-and sequential cropping systems.
viii. For efficient use of marginal lands, there should be alternative land use systems.
ix. For development of supplemental irrigation facility in the watershed, there should be the provision of rainwater harvesting.
x. In order to maximize the farm income, there should be the introduction of agricultural based activities, such as dairy, poultry, sheep and goat farming in the watershed.
xi. There should be very good infrastructures related to storage of farm produce, transportation system and agricultural marketing.
xii. The overall objective of watershed management should be oriented to improve the socio-economic condition of the people living in the watershed.
The watershed management implies the judicious use of all the resources, i.e., the land, vegetations and water in the watershed to achieve maximum production with minimum hazard of the natural resources and for the well-being of people. The management should be carried out on the watershed basis. The task of watershed management includes the treatment of land by using most suitable biological and engineering measures in such a manner that, the management work is economical and socially acceptable.
3. Watershed Management Objectives:
The formulation of watershed management objectives depends very much on the problem to be removed from the watershed. For example – a watershed which is under massive soil erosion problem, due to which there is very difficult to grow the crops with better b/c ratio.
In this condition, for a planner it is very important to fix the objective on control of soil erosion/soil loss for management point of view. Similarly, if there is the problem of water logging or drainage in the watershed, then there must be an objective to reclaim the water logging/drainage for management.
Sometimes, the watershed management tasks are synonymous to the soil and water conservation, with the difference that under soil conservation the emphasis is given on flood protection and sediment control, in addition to maximize the crop production. In this condition, the basic objective of watershed management is decided to reclaim the problems associated to better utilization of land and water; which should not be in terms of any one resource but on the basis of whole interdependent resources.
Overall, the watershed management aims is to improve the standards of living of the population of the watershed by increasing their earning level, either by creating employment opportunity, developing marketing facility or creating the facilities like electricity, drinking water, irrigation water, freedom from fears of floods, droughts etc.
However, depending on the common problems of majority of watersheds the followings are few important management objectives:
i. To recognize the watershed as a unit for development and efficient land use according to their capabilities for crop production.
ii. To control damaging runoff and land degradation; and thereby planning for soil and water conservation.
iii. To control the flood by constructing small and multipurpose reservoirs, and also by other water storage structures at the river head and in problem areas.
iv. To supply adequate water for satisfying domestic, agricultural and industrial needs.
v. To abate the organic, inorganic and soil pollution.
vi. To improve the agricultural and allied productions by efficient use of natural resources.
vii. To expand recreation facilities such as picnic and camping sites.
viii. To manage and utilize the runoff water for conducive purposes.
ix. To protect/conserve and improve the land for more efficient and sustained crop production.
x. To protect and enhance the water resources originating from the watershed.
xi. To check the soil erosion and to reduce the effect of sediment yield in the watershed.
xii. To rehabilitate the deteriorating lands.
xiii. To moderate the flood peaks al down-stream areas.
xiv. To enhance the infiltration of rainwater.
xv. To improve and increase the production of timbers, fodder and wild life conservation resources.
xvi. To enhance the ground water recharge, wherever applicable.
4. Factors Affecting Watershed Management:
The various factors which affect the task of watershed management are listed as under:
(a) Watershed Characteristics-
(i) Shape and size
(ii) Topography
(iii) Relief
(iv) Soils
(b) Climatic Characteristics-
(i) Precipitation
(ii) Amount and intensity of rainfall
(c) Watershed operation-
(d) Land use pattern-
(i) Vegetative cover
(ii) Density
(iii) State, i.e., type and quality.
(e) Social status of inhabitants.
(f) Water resources and their capabilities.
5. Components of Watershed Management:
The land, water and biomass are the three main resources existing within the watershed boundary. Keeping of these resources in their proper form is the main task of watershed management.
Based on this facts the main components of watershed management are outlined as under:
i. Land management
ii. Water management; and
iii. Biomass management.
6.
Integrated Watershed Management Programmes (IWMP):
The integrated watershed development refers to the conservation, regeneration and judicious use of all the natural resources including land, water, plants, animals etc. under consideration for management point of view. It mainly brings the best possible balance between the natural resources on one side, and the human beings on the other sides.
The human beings and the ecology both are interdependent to each other. In other words, the food, fiber and shelter for survival of human beings are obtained from the ecology. On the other hand, the conservation of ecology in healthy way depends on the human being.
The changes in the ecology directly affect the lives of people. The degradation in environment always lowers the standards of people’s life. Therefore, it is always kept in priority to save the environment or ecology so that the degradation will not be there. The degradation can be controlled to a large extent by applying holistic development approach of watershed. The watershed is the best natural geo-hydrological unit for planning of any developmental activities. The watershed provides the space from ridge to valley.
7. New Guidelines for Integrated Watershed Management Programme
:
The Government of India issued new common guidelines for watershed development projects in the year 2008.
The salient features of new guidelines are outlined as under:
i. The extent of area coverage in a project under cluster of micro watersheds is from 1000 to 5000 ha.
ii. The amount of unit cost is raised from Rs.6000/ha to Rs.12000/ha.
iii. The allocation of fund is for livelihoods; for poor resources and for productivity enhancement of agriculture and livestock.
iv. The project period is from 4 to 7 years.
v. The funding share between central government and slate government is 90:10.
vi. Onward 2008-09 all new watersheds will be implemented under IWMP, only.
8.
Watershed Management Site:
It should be selected by considering the following points:
1. The site should be small, which is easily manageable. Invariably drainage sites are most appropriate.
2. To arrive at most appropriate site for study purposes two or more experimental watersheds are selected which are in close proximity or similar to each other with identical physiography, vegetal covers, soils, geology and climate. The trials are conducted by keeping one watershed under control throughout the study and to the other under treatments.
9. Watershed Planning and Management
:
It is done for protecting the water quality and quantity in watershed.
The planning and management of watershed involves a number of activities; the most important amongst them are listed below:
i. Targeting priority problems in the watershed.
ii. Promoting a high level of involvement of interested and affected mass.
iii. Developing solutions of problems with the help of experts and authorities of multi-agencies and organizations and measuring success through monitoring and other data gathering.
The watershed management activities may be at the state level, river basin level, or individual watershed level. However, the issues are best addressed at the individual watershed level. Few issues are more appropriate at the basin level such as determining appropriate discharge limits for wastewater within the basin. Likewise, the programmes at the state level may be the statewide permit program.
Watershed management is basically an iterative process in which integrated decisions are taken regarding use and modifications in land features and water resources, in such a form that could provide a kind of contribution to uplift the status of people living in the watershed. The watershed management provides a means to balance the diversified objectives and use of natural resources in judicious way, so that their cumulative effect may create a long-term sustainability to the resources.
The watershed management provides a framework for integrated decision-making on following aspects:
i. To assess the nature and status of watershed eco-system.
ii. To define short-term and long-term goals for the system.
iii. To determine objectives and actions needed to achieve selected goals.
iv. To assess the benefits and costs of each implemented activity.
v. To implement desired actions.
vi. To evaluate the effects of implemented actions and progress toward goals; and
vii. To re-evaluate the goals and objectives as the part of iterative process.
If ecosystem is considered for management, then the entire watershed system including uplands, headwaters, floodplain, wetlands and river channels are taken into consideration for their development and management, if required. It also requires the use of social, ecological and economic aspects to deal the matter in judicious way.
10. Steps of Watershed Management:
In order to achieve the solution of different objectives selected for watershed management, it is necessary to go through the following distinct steps:
1. Recognition of problems.
2. Analysis to determine the causes of watershed problem.
3. Development of alternative solutions for the objectives formulated to solve the problem.
4. Selection of best solution.
5. Application of selected solution.
6. Protection and improvement of works, which have already been implemented.
The above steps can further be grouped in following four phases:
(a) Recognition phase
(b) Restoration phase
(c) Protection phase; and
(d) Improvement phase.
All these phases are described as under:
1. Recognition Phase:
Under this phase the recognition of watershed problems, their probable causes and development of alternatives for them are described, which is carried out by conducting several surveys, given as:
(i) Soil survey
(ii) Land capability survey
(iii) Agronomic survey
(iv) Forest lands under permanent vegetation survey
(v) Engineering survey; and
(vi) Socio-economic survey.
These surveys are required to ascertain the watershed’s problems, qualitatively and quantitatively, both to formulate a guideline for deciding the land treatment measures. Furthermore, the compilation of above surveys and informations are also analysed to determine the nature of watershed’s problem, causes of problem and effect of the problems on land unit as well as human beings, too. All these informations obtained so make a basis to select the alternatives for rectification of problems and fulfillment of management objectives.
2. Restoration Phase:
This phase accomplishes the task of selection of best solutions and their applications for watershed management. In other way, this phase comes after recognition phase, in which treatment measures are applied to the critical areas for recognized problems identified earlier during recognition phase, so that these critical areas can be restored to pre-deterioration stage. In next phase, the proper treatment measures, which includes the biological and engineering measures are implemented to all types of lands falling under watershed.
3. Protection Phase:
It is third phase of watershed management, in which general health of watershed is taken care and its normal working is also ensured. In addition, the protection of watershed against all those factors which cause deterioration is also carried out under this management phase. The protection is preferably applied on the critical areas which are restored in restoration phase.
4. Improvement Phase:
This is the last phase, has importance in watershed management work. Under this phase the overall improvements made during management of watershed are evaluated for all the lands covered. In addition, an attention is also given to make improvement on agricultural land, forest land, forage production, pasture land and socio-economic status of the people.
11. Evaluation of Watershed Management:
After implementation of management measures to overcome the watershed problems or fulfill the objectives, the next step comes evaluation of results obtained through them.
The evaluation of watershed management should be accomplished under following two terms:
1. Achievement of management objectives, viz. flood control, sediment control, water-supply etc. and
2. Financial returns, realised.
Both of these evaluations are necessary for assessing the effects of management work applied to the watershed. Many times, it is observed that the protective benefits safeguard against misery and losses, which cannot be easily evaluated in terms of money. Under this circumstances, some financial values are put on them.
The financial returns are evaluated in terms of benefit-cost ratio, which is determined by accounting all the expenditures incurred under development work starting from survey work to implementation of the programmes. The benefit is concerned, it is determined by dividing the entire watershed area kept under different treatments and determining their return in terms of money. The benefit-cost ratio should be more than 1.0.
12. Watershed Management and Restoration:
Watershed management is a kind of organization and planning of activities (human) within the watershed boundary, and recognizing the relations between all concerned activates and the healthy features of watershed. Incomplete and improper management of watershed resources develop very dominating effect, leading to degradation of environment, low productivity, low income and lack of sustainability in the development.
The watershed is assumed as a “natural home” for managing the resource trinity-land, water and biomass in a sustainable manner. Watershed restoration is aimed to restore the already created effects (good) in watershed through proper monitoring. Watershed restoration program is also beneficial to redevelop/manage the resources. In United State the Clean Water Act is an example of restoring and protecting the water.