Model Watershed Management Plan for Shivapur Village

Abstract

Water is one of the limited vital natural resources, which is indispensible for existence of all living matter hence it is known as ELIXIR of life, plant, animal and man. Potable water which was once thought to be an infinite, is in fact a fast depleting scarce commodity and at the present rate of consumption by mankind it would not last longer and become as dearer as fossil fuels today. Hence it becomes necessary to harness the water resources available on Earth through the application of science and technology. As a part of our last year students, we selected different areas for watershed development, surveyed them, analyzed the data and finalized the proposals. We could develop social contacts with the local people along with carrying out socio-economic survey of the area in the best possible way. It was decided that the proposals must be easily acceptable and adoptable by the local people, so that they would not have to depend upon the Government’s financial assistance. These proposals include: 1. Simple technical constructions such as farm ponds, check dams, bunds on streams and around the farms, contour trenches on sloping lands, terracing etc. 2. Agronomical measures such as strip cropping, crop rotation, economical irrigation practices etc. 3. Clearing the wells and water bodies from silt, improving the village ponds etc. 4. Recharging ground water artificially by rain water harvesting etc. We are sure that the farmers will afford these schemes and will be encouraged as these conservation measures, if implemented, will result in their better prospects in future.