Paper-XIII: Natural Resource management-water

Introduction:
Water Resources Management is the integrating concept for a number of water sub-sectors such as
hydropower, water supply and sanitation, irrigation and drainage, and environment. An integrated
water resources perspective ensures that social, economic, environmental and technical dimensions
are taken into account in the management and development of water resources.

The water resources management includes:  The quantitative and qualitative exploration of water
resources  Water needs and inventory records  Measurement and matching of the water resources
and water needs (demands) in a special system  Decision support depending with light of the results.

WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA In pre-British India water management was

essentially a local matter and was in the hands of the community. This changed with the arrival of the
British period and of modernity. Control over water resources passed from the hands of the community
into those of the state. While ownership of natural resources was claimed by the state, management
passed into the hands of engineers and bureaucrats. The induction to western engineering ushered in
the era of large dams and there was a concomitant decline of traditional forms of small scale, local,
community-managed systems of water harvesting and management. These new projects became
symbols of development. Government initiatives for water resource management are outlined in
National Water Policy, 1987, National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment
and Development, 1992, and Policy Statement for Abatement Pollution, 1992. The strategy and policy
statement prescribe command and control, technological zoning, fiscal incentives and use of economic
instruments as mechanisms for of water pollution control. The present approach to control water
pollution in India is to use regularity instruments along with systems for monitoring the prescribed
standards to achieve the government's policy goals.

What is Water Resource Management?

Can be defined as the implementation of best practices for effective quantitative and qualitative planning,
development, distribution, and utilization of water.Foundation is conservation, or reducing water use through
improved operation of existing equipment and processes.

Water resource management is the activity of planning, developing, distributing and managing
the optimum use of water resources.

It is a sub-set of water cycle management. It is like hydrology, but the scale of management is
low here where hydrology involves the States or country, and water resource management
(WRM) is at a city and district scale.

The field of WRM generally deals with measures to control flow of water as is related to
hydrological characteristics such as river discharge and sediment flow. Sustainable water
management is important to conserve and protect water resources which are limited on the earth.
So, in essence, what are water resources? 

Why do we need Water Resource Management?

The world’s resources are finite, and growth that is unmanaged and not sustainable will lead to increased poverty
and decline of the environment. We owe it to future generations to find paths of development that will effectively
balance progress with awareness of its environmental impact.

Goal of Water Resource Management

Equity:
Necessary for a peaceful society.It is about just distribution of “goods and services, wealth and income, or opportunity and
disadvantage.”If the resource in distribution is in abundant supply, equity is not an issue; if, however, supply is scarce, the
question of distributive equity is an issue.

Sustainability:
Human development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.

In order to conserve water to help alleviate poverty, hunger, malnutrition, and diseases afflicting billions of people, moral
codes, appropriate institutions and technologies which are established and implemented in a coherent and integrated
fashion, are increasingly needed to ensure sufficient, adequate and equitable access to water. 

What is the importance of conservation and management of water

resources?
Climate change is redistributing where water is rare and where it is plentiful, making
management of water resources increasingly important.

Water conservation enables water to be moved from areas of excess to areas of drought
provided there is a distribution channel that can be connected amongst the areas from the
source to the need.

Water as a freshwater resource is in dire shortage and better local water use, particularly
in agriculture can result in huge water conservation.

In as much as it is often overlooked, the use of water for dust control can strain its use in
other areas of importance especially in areas within the vicinity of mining operations.

The importance of water conservation can be put into effect through use of dust control
products that reduce or replace the amount of water used with regards to efficacy of dust
control and longevity in performance of the area that requires dust suppression.

In some parts of the world, there are wind traps that extract water from air as a form of
water harvesting. Its importance is in replenishing reserves that boost the water situation
in the areas where it is implemented. With the abundance of sea water, desalination of
seawater is an alternative to boost efforts of management of water resources.

The efficiency of existing process would need to be improved, but there exists a great
potential in desalination.

The reprocessing of so-called “gray water” as a substitute to tap water could add value in
the efforts of water conservation. The rebirth of the local capture and storage of rainwater
are of great importance to conservation and WRM.

As climate change continues to disrupt existing water supplies the importance of

conservation and management of water resources is core to survival and sustainability. 
Trends in water resource management
The world’s water crisis is a dire situation. With the rising threat of global warming
and the reality of population growth, our freshwater supplies won’t be sufficient for
future supply. It’s been estimated that half of the world’s population will likely live in
river basins experiencing water stress by 2025, and that the world will face a
40% shortage of water by 2030.
Conserving freshwater and improving current water management methods have
become top priorities to ensure the long-term development of human society and
the environment.
Water resource management (WRM) is essential for any water utility. It’s “the
process of planning, developing, and managing water resources, in terms of both
water quantity and quality, across all water uses.”
Planning with resilience in mind is key. Resilience of the water companies and
their water supplies; resilience for customers and the environment.
Resilient planning is also essential for securing the stability of water supplies. We
must consider population growth and changes in demand, climate variability,
periods of dry weather and flooding, and other events that can bring losses in
resource availability.
This trend is becoming increasingly important both for the quality and quantity of
raw water resources.

Challenges for water utilities

In water resource management, challenges vary according to the source type.
They can occur naturally or be historical – for example, from industrial or
agricultural practices which polluted waters with pesticides, nitrates, and solvents.
Some of these components are still stored in the sediment (legacy nutrients),
although practices might have changed meanwhile.
Common challenges include nutrient loading (especially nitrates and phosphates),
algal blooms, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, invasive species, and climate
impacts (short- and long-term).
With global warming, some of these issues are aggravating. We’re already
witnessing the damage caused by the ever-growing threat of algae blooms.
Amongst other hazards, they put drinking water supplies at risk.
These issues can be tackled either reactively or proactively. However, solely
focusing on protecting the final water quality comes with the risk of not perceiving
raw water challenges with the same level of importance.
What are the problems of irrigation in agriculture?
Irrigation is basically a process of supplying water to crops. Those areas which have bulk quantity of water do
not face problems of water shortage. The areas in which rainfall is appropriate, crops grow efficiently and
product quality is better. Developing countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,Nepal and many others are facing
irrigation problems.

Irrigation Problems:

Following are the major irrigation problems.

1. Low Water Availability

2. Low Water Table

3. Salinity

4. Poor Mechanism of Irrigation

n the following we will discuss each problems.

1. Low Water Availability:

Under developing countries have very low supply of water to irrigate their crops specially in Asian countries
water storage capacity of dams are very minimal. Arid areas have very less amount of rainfall. According to a
survey of U.S. geological department 68,000 acres of land require 27 million Galons.

2. Low Water Table:

Water Table is that surface area where pressure head is almost equal to atmospheric pressure. Due to low
availability of water the water head level is very down. Due to low water table the irrigation has become very
difficult.

3. Salinity:

Salinity is basically access amount of salt in water. Salty water is usually caused by industrial effluents. The
industries are working without any check and balance and they are continuously eliminating their wastes in lakes
and rivers. This contaminated water mix with sea water and ultimately cause salinity in irrigation water.

4. Poor Mechanism:

In developing countries mechanism of irrigation is not much efficient. Rain fall rate is very low and they people
do not know about the proper ways to irrigate their crops.

National Water Policy (NWP) of India

National Water Policy is formulated by the Ministry of Water Resources of the Government of India to govern
the planning and development of water resources and their optimum utilization. The first National Water Policy
was adopted in September, 1987. [1] It was reviewed and updated in 2002 and later in 2012.
India accounts for 18% of the world population and about 4% of the world’s water resources. One of the
solutions to solve the country’s water woes is to create.
India has been successful in creating live water storage capacity of about 253 billion cubic meter(BCM) so far. In
a first, the ecological needs of river have also been taken into consideration.

Salient features:
The major provisions under the policy are:
 1. Envisages to establish a standardized national information system with a network of data banks and data
bases .
2. Resource planning and recycling for providing maximum availability.
3. To give importance to the impact of projects on human settlements and environment.
4. Guidelines for the safety of storage dams and other water-related structures.
5. Regulate exploitation of groundwater .
6. Setting water allocation priorities in the following order: Drinking
water, Irrigation, Hydropower, Navigation, Industrial and other uses.
7. The water rates for surface water and ground water should be rationalized with due regard to the
interests of small and marginal farmers.
The policy also deals with participation of farmers and voluntary agencies, water quality, water zoning,
conservation of water, flood and drought management, erosion etc.

NWP-2012
The main emphasis of National Water Policy 2012 is to treat water as economic good which the ministry claims
to promote its conservation and efficient use. [4] This provision intended for the privatization of water-delivery
services is being criticized from various quarters. [5] The policy also does away with the priorities for water
allocation mentioned in 1987 and 2002 versions of the policy. The policy was adopted with a disapproval from
many states.

Sources of Irrigation
Factors influencing suitability of irrigation system The suitability of various irrigation methods, i.e.,
surface, sprinkler or drip depends mainly on the following factors.

 Natural conditions -Topography, Soil, Rainfall

 Crops
 Technology
 Labour inputs
 Cost

Main types of irrigation include wells and tube wells, canals, tanks, traditional water harvesting
techniques and micro irrigation.
The traditional irrigation types include various irrigation practices of rural India which are being
done from ages. Some of them are famous with names such as Johars, Baolis, Kuhls  and Doug.
Any irrigation system requires three components viz. Storage Component, Conveyance
component and Field application

Irrigation Types
Irrigation methods refer to the techniques adopted for carrying water from its source to crops. The
characteristics of efficient irrigation method is:

 Uniform distribution of water.

 Minimum transport and minimum loss of soil.
 Storage of maximum water.
  Crop growth is not adversely affected.
 Economically sound and adaptable.

a)Canal Irrigation

 Canal irrigation is one of the most important sources of irrigation.

 It accounts for about 24% of the total irrigation in the nation.
 It is an effective source of irrigation in low-level relief, deep fertile soil and perennial
river areasTherefore the main concentration of canal irrigation is in the northern
plains.
 Total areas under the canal irrigation in India is around 16.5 million hectares
 60% of Canal irrigation is found in the northern plains such as UP, Punjab, Haryana,
Bihar and Rajasthan.

b) Well Irrigation

 About 63% of the net irrigated area in India is irrigated by Wells.

 Well, irrigation is cheap and dependable.
 Well, irrigation is popular in areas where tank and canal irrigation is not available.
 A well is hole dug in the ground to obtain subsoil water.
 An ordinary well is about 3 to 5 meters deep but deeper wells are about 15 meters
deep.
 Several methods like Persian wheel, Reht, Charas or mot, dhingly are used to lift
groundwater from wells.
 Geographical distribution.
o Well irrigation accounts for about 63% of the net irrigated area in the country.
o Popular areas with sufficient sweet groundwater are:
 Northern Plains
 Deltaic plains of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery,
 Parts of Narmada and Tapi Valleys.
 Weathered areas of Deccan trap
 Crystalline and sedimentary zone of peninsular India.

c)Tube Wells

 A tube well is a deeper well (>15 meters) from which water is lifted with the help of a
pumping set operated by an electric motor or diesel engine.
 Geographical conditions favourable for tube well installation is as follows:
o Sufficient quantity of groundwater
o Sufficiently high groundwater table so that pumping is economical
o Regular supply of cheap electricity and diesel so that water can be taken out
when needed.
 o Soil in the immediate neighborhood of tube well should be fertile so that the
construction and operational cost of tube well is recovered by increased farm
production.
 Wells proliferated after Green Revolution in Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar
Pradesh.
 Water application efficiency is 60% in well and tube well irrigation.

d) Tank Irrigation

 Tanks are both natural and man-made.

 A hollow is built on the surface by constructing bund across the stream, canals.A
tank consists of water storage which has been developed by constructing small
bund of earth or stones built across the stream.
 These are mostly of small size and are built by individual farmers and group of
farmers.
 Tank Irrigation is an old system of irrigation in India.
 The Tanks used to collect water during rainy season and store for irrigation and other
purposes.
 It includes Ponds and Lakes.
 Tank irrigation is popular in peninsular India.

It is popular in peninsular India due to following reasons:

 Hard to dig canals and wells in undulating relief and hard rocks.
 Natural tank formations due to natural depression in the surfaces.
 Perennial river absence in Peninsular regions.
 No percolation in Impermeable rock structure.

Problems and challenges associated with Irrigation

 Expensive micro irrigation: Most of the adopters are wealthier farmers and poor
farmers cannot afford it. This problem is resolved by inventing low cost systems by
different agencies. International Development Enterprises (IDE), an NGO is actively
working in Maharashtra and Gujarat innovate low cost micro irrigation systems and
create awareness among poor farmers.
 Delays in completion of projects: The biggest problem in our major and medium
irrigation sectors right from the First Five year plan has been the tendency to start
more and more new projects resulting in want on prolification of projects. There is
also delay in utilisation of potentials already present. In most of the projects, there
have been delay in construction of field channels and water courses, land levelling
and land shaping.
 Inter-state Water disputes: Irrigation is a state subject in India. Development of
water resource is, therefore, being planned by states individually taking into account
 their own needs and requirement. However, all major rivers are inter-state in
character. As a result, difference with regard to storage, priorities and use of water
arise between different states. Narrow regional out look brings inter-state rivalries
over distribution of water supply.
 Regional disparities in irrigation development: The Ninth Five Year Plan
Document estimated that the water resource development in North Eastern region
through major, medium and minor schemes is only at the level of 28.6 per cent
whereas in the Northern region it has reached about 95.3 per cent. This indicates a
wide regional variation in the development of irrigation facilities.
 Water-logging and salinity: Introduction of irrigation has led to the problem of water
logging and salinity in some of the states. The working group constituted by the
Ministry of Water Resources in 1991 estimated that about 2.46 million hectares in
irrigated commands suffered from water logging. The working group also estimated
that 3.30 million hectares had been affected by salinity/alkalinity in the irrigated
commands.
 Increasing cost of irrigation: The cost of providing irrigation have been increasing
over the years from the first five year plant to tenth five year plan.
 Decline in water table: There has been a steady decline in water table in the recent
period in several parts of the country, especially in the western dry region, on
account over exploitation of ground water and insufficient recharge from rain-water.
 Energy crisis due to power outages and unscheduled interruptions across rural
and urban India: This problem may be solved by integrated drip irrigation with solar
panel system which is considered as the best option for off-grid farmers. In one of the
banana fields in Gujarat, it was estimated that the pressure requirement was only 1-
1.5 kgIcm2 for in line dripper. A solar pump system in this field consists of 12 solar
panels each of capacity 250 Watt, can operate a pump of 3 Horse Power (HP)
capacity.

Social Forestry
Social forestry refers to the management of forests for the benefits of
local communities. It includes aspects such as forest
management, forest protection, and afforestation of deforested lands
with the objective of improving the rural, environmental, and social
development. Unlike other forestry projects, in the setting of social
forestry, the needs of local communities come first.

For this reason, the main goal of social forestry is to grow trees and
plantations to meet the growing needs of people in reference to
increased demand for timber, wood, food, fuel, and food to reduce the
pressure and dependency on traditional forest areas.

The practice also aims to protect agriculture from adverse

climatic conditions by improving the environment, increase the natural
beauty, and increasing the supply of forest produce for local use.

Although the concept and practice of social forestry have existed for
centuries, it is constantly gaining a new dimension because of its
benefits including its potential for tackling the challenges of global
warming.
Common Property Resources are natural resources that belong to a community
and are accessible to all members with certain restrictions, but no one has
ownership rights. In addition to other minor forest products like fruits, nuts, fibre,
medicinal plants, etc., CPRs offer animal feed and domestic fuel. Such land is essential
for the livelihood of marginal farmers, landless people, and other weaker groups in rural
areas.

An example of common property resources (CPRs) includes community woods, pasture grounds,
village water bodies, and other open areas  where a group larger than a household exercises
rights of use and is responsible for management.