CENTRE FOR STUDY OF MAN AND ENVIRONMENT,
WEST BENGAL
Project Title:
Development of Decision Support System for Land and Water Management
of Upper Gandheswari Sub-basin of Bankura District, West Bengal
Thematic Area:
Integrated watershed management through land, water and weather
system analysis for drought assessment and management
Location:
Objective:
To develop a database for management of land and water resources
of the upper part of Gandheswari sub-basin through study of:
-
Land use/land cover
-
Seasonal cropping pattern
-
Soil parameters and properties
-
Physiography and geology
-
Time series weather data
-
Time series stream/river flow
-
Groundwater condition
-
Pan evaporation
-
Quantification of water consumption for
various purposes.
Abstract:
Bankura is known as a drought prone district. During operation
of groundwater resources management project it was understood
that hard rock areas comprising the northwestern and southwestern
parts suffer more due to water scarcity during summer. Upper part
of the Gandheswari river basin was selected because the entire
area is rocky and thickness of weathered residuum varies widely.
Physiography, degree of weathering and nature of bedrock adversely
affect groundwater recharge. High rates of surface runoff and
soil erosion tend to reduce fertility of cultivable plots. Air,
soil, water and solar radiation constitute the environmental continuum.
To curb the drought effects interdisciplinary study was needed.
The main objectives are furnished below.
(i) Data generation and documentation of land and water available
resources
(ii) Availability of water resources in different seasons
(iii) Quantification of soil loss
(iv) Land and water resource utilization planning.
(v) Drought management
Highlights/Findings:
Undulating and rolling topography of the area is the main reason
for high surface runoff. Soil erosion is intensive mainly due
to deforestation in upland areas and poor land husbandry practices.
Hydrogeologically, the area is unsuitable for irrigation through
intensive groundwater exploitation. Interestingly, precipitation
during monsoon period is good. So, to manage drought effects and
for economic development rainwater has to be judiciously managed
by way of constructing percolation & percolation cum irrigation
tanks, field/contour bunding, construction of small check weirs
across nala and river sections at suitable locations. In the process,
soil erosion will also be reduced. During rabi season, on gently
sloping lands seepage is considerably high. Second crop cultivation
is possible at such places where shallow dugwell/field ponds can
be constructed to collect subsurface and base flow waters. Degraded
lands should be used for afforestation.
Data used:
-
Base layer (river, water bodies and other
units of land cover)
-
Time series data generation on weather parameters
(rainfall, humidity, wind speed and wind direction, temperature
and evaporation)
-
Time series data generation on surface runoff
of untreated catchment (Dhajajhor Nala) and partially treated
catchment (Gandheswari river)
-
Time series data generation on sediment
load
-
Monthly water level was monitored from 40
network stations
-
Pump tests carried out for understanding
aquifer properties
-
Infiltration test, soil and water analysis
were performed
-
Most of the data were generated in field
through a field observation centre set up at Susunia.
Output:
Rainfall and loss of water through surface runoff have been quantified.
Groundwater recharge and availability in different seasons have
been quantified. A reasonable estimate of water resource presently
available in the area has been worked out. Surface water storage
area presently available and changes to be brought about due to
intervention have been worked out. Landuse/land cover changes for
curbing the drought effects have been quantified. A series of maps
have been generated on soil and water quality as well as on monthly
changes in groundwater level and water table fluctuation of the
study area using Arc View software.
Date of Project completion:
31st Dec, 2001.
Total cost of project: Rs.
14,55,610/-+ 5,00,000/- (for extended period of one year from
01.01.2001 to 31.12.2001)=19,55,610/-
Project Investigator:
Hony. Secretary
Center for Study of Man & Environment,
Parivesh Kendra, CK-11, Sector-2, Salt Lake,
Kolkata-700 091
E-Mail: csme[at]vsnl[dot]net
Phone: (033) 23210861, 23590781
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