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Wakel River Basin Project (Water Supply Issues (Over-abstraction from…
Wakel River Basin Project
Location
Rajasthan is a region in north-west India
Driest area of India
Poorest part of India
Summer temperatures can reach 53'C
Rainfall is less than 250 per annum with 96% between June and September
Wakel river basin situated in south of Rajasthan
Water Supply Issues
Over-abstraction from unregulated pumps has resulted in falling water tables in aquifers and some wells have dried up
Access to wells is controlled by households or villages, meaning there has been little coordination of water management
Over-use of water for irrigation has led to waterlogging and salinisation
Scheme
The Global Water for Sustainability Program
Funded by
United States Agency for International Development
Has worked with people in Wakel river basin to improve their water security and overcome problems of water shortages
Aims
Increase water supply and storage using appropriate local solutions
Raise awareness in local communities of the need for effective water management
Methods of Increasing Water Supply
Johed - small earth dams to capture rainwater. These have helped to raise water tables by up to 6 m. Five rivers that use to dry up following the monsoon now flow throughout the year
Pats - irrigation channels that transfer water to fields
Small dam called a bund diverts water from the stream toward the fields
Bunds are made of stones, and lined with leaves to make them waterproof
Villagers take turns to irrigate their fields using water controlled in this water
Irrigation channels need regular maintenance to avoid them breaking or silting up
Done by the villager whose turn it is to receive water
Taankas - underground storage systems about 3 m in diameter and 3 m - 4 m deep. They collect surface water from roofs
Capacity of 20,000 litres
Enough to supply a family for several months
Additional Information
Education is used to increase awareness of the need for communities to work together to conserve water
By conserving water, water security is increased and problems such as soil erosion, desertification and groundwater pollution are reduced