Integrating ground water resources in Rainfed crops

Demonstration of water thematic on integrated concerted pilot in

Bagli CP area

Synthesis:

Background of area:

Khategaon Block is situated in the eastern part of Dewas District. The core area
where ACWADAM conducted its studies and where SPS will implement its
pilots is located in close proximity to the Chandgarh reserve forest, the entire
drainage drains into Khari River. The demonstration of pilot of 100 hectare area
would be carried in Kharadi village.

Demand management for irrigation:

Water requirement to grow (130 days) duration soybean & wheat is around 650
& 700 mm respectively), considering an average rainfall of 900 mm out of
which rainfall in months of June to September is less than 800 mm. Under the
changing climatic conditions & abrupt weather phenomenon, the intensity of
dry spells has increased considerably. Although the water requirements under
these stress periods is 2 to 4 mm in kharif, but application of water uniformly
throughout the field is a challenge.

Salient observations:

Kharadi is one the interior village surrounded by adjacent forest area from all
directions. Substantial private investment has been made by some of the farmers
to lift water from bore well. Rainfed farmlands are mostly located in the south-
western corner the villages where there are no sources of water and farmers do
not have access to any to the same.

Geology and Hydrogeology

This village is characterised by mainly two types of rocks; Sandstone and

underlying Shale. Sandstone is very durable, but has secondary openings;
whereas Shale has both primary and secondary porosity, due to soft in nature
and partings within rock. Sandstone is horizontally deposited at the surface and
shale is mostly horizontal, but somewhere dipping towards NE direction at a 50
angle.

Fig 1: Conceptual diagram of geological settings of Kharadi village.

However, both types of rocks have sufficient primary and/or secondary

openings; upper sandstone has no water whereas lower shale has limited amount
of water, and is acting as major aquifer of the area. Earlier, people used to get
groundwater for domestic use and irrigation from dug wells, but now situation
has been changed and shifted towards bore wells due to groundwater depletion.
The significant water table depletion would have been possible due to induction
of bore wells as well as lacking of groundwater recharge scheme. Drilling of
deep bore wells may have caused leaking of groundwater through deep
openings into the shale aquifer, which might have resulted into drying up of
shallow aquifer.

Way forwards:

There is need for comprehensive hydrogeological approach to managing and

augmenting groundwater resources in the area, an approach that will ensure
groundwater availability and sustainability. The following suggestions may be
considered while planning the treatment of area.
 The shallow aquifer of the area has been completely dried-up. Reviving
the aquifer is possible; however this will require intensive efforts
directed at developing recharge mechanisms and management practices
to prevent over exploitation. It must be noted that revival of the aquifer
will require a longer time frame.
 Most of the groundwater development structures like farm ponds,
percolation tanks or recharge pits, should be located at the area. These
structures will provide water at least for Kharif crops, and facilitate in
groundwater recharge, leading to increase in water levels of the wells.
Excess water from above mentioned structures will also provide water
during Rabi season.
 The well located at lower reaches need to deepen, which will be
sufficient for protective irrigation in Kharif crops, if monsoon become
weak or more gaps in dry spells.

SPS is planning to operationalize protective irrigation twenty five set

land parcels covering an area of 10.5 hectare. The survey no of the
farmlands is from 50 to 75 respectively. ACWADAM team participated
in the formal orientation of the local stake holders to discuss the way
forwards for dry spell mitigation in Kharif. Two set of interventions are
proposed as a part intensive planning process.
Fig 2: Demarcation of Rainfed farmlands on cadastral map & proposed farm
ponds.

Dug-out ponds:

Dug out ponds should be given farmers who do not have any access to water
resources for irrigation. 5% model or 30m X 40m model whichever is suitable
should be constructed so as to provide one or two protective irrigations in the
dry spells. On the basis of ground observations dug out farm ponds needs to be
pitched with clay layer or a 500 micron poly sheet so as to control the seepage
loses.
The construction of farm pond should consider the average land holding of the
Rainfed farmers. Design of farm pond for water harvesting needs to service
equitable distribution of water to all stakeholders.

Fig 3: Source map (well & streams) & pipeline for lifting system.

Lift irrigation system:

Lift irrigation system is another option by the virtue of which Rainfed farmers
could have access to water resources. There is an existing well & a pipeline
system previously which was used for supplying drinking water to the village.
This system is now defunct which could be repaired with desilting & deepening
of well & a supplementary system could function as a buffer to provide
protective irrigation in dry spells.
Challenges:

Fig 4: Elevation map of area surrounding Kharadi village.

Fig 5: Section of elevation profile from source to field.

Lift irrigation system in the case of Kharadi is quiet challenging as the village
is located at the higher elevation & water resources are at the lower elevation.
The elevation head from the existing well (i.e. source) to Rainfed farm lands
(.i.e. fields) is 48 m & the length of existing pipeline is 1500 m, hence energy
constraints are more in this lift irrigation scheme as compared to creation of in-
situ water harvesting system.