WATERSHEDA watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place. Watershed is “that area of land, a bounded hydrologic system, within which all living things are inextricably linked by their common water course and where, as humans settled, simple logic demanded that they become part of a community."

The word watershed refers to a “contiguous area draining into a single

water body or a water course” or “it is a topographical area having a

common drainage”. This means that the rainwater falling on an area coming

within a ridgeline can be harvested and will flow out of this area thorough

single point. Some refer it as a catchment area or river basin.

A watershed is like a bathtub. The watershed outlet - the mouth of a pond,

lake or river- is the tub's drain. The watershed boundary is the tub's rim. The

watershed's drainage system consists of a network of rivers, streams,

constructed channels, stormdrains, wetlands, and the underlying

groundwater.

What is Watershed Development?

Simply, we can say it is the development of watershed area based on type of

soil, depth of soil, vegetative cover, harvestable rain water in that area and

watering that area and water budgeting and treatment given to soils from the

ridge to the valley. It is not a simple word. The term watershed development

encompasses additional dimensions like equity, sustainability, gender and

peoples participation. It has become a trusted tool for the overall

development of the village and people living within a watershed area.

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Watershed development refers to the conservation regeneration and the

judicious use of all the resources – natural (like land, water plants, animals)

and human – within the watershed area. Watershed Management tries to

bring about the best possible balance in the environment between natural

resources on the one side and man and animals on the other. Since it is the

man which is primarily responsible for degradation of environment,

regeneration and conservation can only be possible by promoting awakening

and participation among the people who inhabit the watersheds

Opinions of Watershed Experts

In the words of eminent economist, C.H.Hanumantha Rao “Watershed

development has been conceived basically as a strategy for protecting the

livelihoods of the people inhabiting the fragile ecosystems experiencing soil

erosion and moisture stress”.

Watershed Development Programme aims at creating a scenario where the

Government acts as a facilitator and the people at the grass root level

become the real executioner of the programme

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History of watershed in Karnataka

Watershed in Karnataka before Independence

Contour bunding to check run off.

Deep ploughing once in 3 years for percolation of water

Use of farm yard manure.

Interculturing of crop for limited moisture use.

During 1923 the Royal Commission on Agriculture suggested the setting-up

of research stations in Bijapur, Hagari and Raichur. Based on this, dry

farming stations were established in Raichur, Hagri and Bijapur in

Karnataka under the dry land farming following system were introduced:

Watershed in Karnataka after Independence

I. Stage:

After Independence, Karnataka continued with the traditional techniques of

soil conservation and water retention treatments with a host of programmes

being implemented by the Agriculture Department. In 1983 a World Bank

assisted comprehensive watershed project was taken in Kabbalnala.

II. Stage:

In order to capitalize on the gains of the Kabbalanala Project in 1984,

Government of Karnataka created four Dry Land Development Boards under

four revenue Divisional Commissioners with a jurisdiction over 19 districts.

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Each district had a multidisciplinary team comprising of line departments.

The main objectives were:

1) Conserve basic resourses such as soil, rain water, and vegetation.

2) Achieve higher biomass production both in arable and non-arable areas

3) Impart stability to crop yields through proper rainwater management,

crop patterns and land use.

4) Enhance the income of individuals through adoption of alternative

enterprises.

5) To restore and sustain ecological balance.

III. Stage:

The success of these watersheds encouraged GOI to follow the strategy of

watersheds in principle and launched a massive NWDP in 7th five year plan

extended to 693 watersheds located in 99 districts of the country with a total

outlay of Rs. 239 crores in 15 states, including Karnataka.

This project was re named has NWDPRA during 8th five year plan and was

operated in 85 watersheds in Karnataka ranging from 5000 to 10000

hectares.

7. Two Decades of Watershed in Karnataka

The various partners for these projects included Ministry of Agriculture,

Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, World Bank, Danida

(Royal Danish Govt. assistance), DFID (British Govt. assistance), German

Development Bank (KFW) and SDC (Swiss Govt. assistance). State Plan

funds were also used for the over all development of watersheds.

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Why the concept of watershed?

Soil, water and vegetation are so interdependent that one can not be managed efficiently with out the other two.

But water can be conveniently and efficiently managed only if the hydrological unit vis-à-vis watershed is taken as a whole.

Since these three are interdependent resources, watershed is considered to be the ideal unit.

Deforestation, soil degradation, sedimentation and the resultant floods, droughts, and poverty often require different kinds of solutions but are connected by the fact that they can best be understood and managed as physical units defined by the flow of water, that is watershed.

Man and his environment are interdependent. The changes in the environment directly affect the lives of the people depending on it

A degraded environment means a degraded quality of life of the people.

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Environmental degradation can be tackled effectively through the holistic development of the watershed.

A watershed provides a natural geo-hydrological unit for planning any developmental initiative.

WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Objectives

To mitigate the adverse effects of drought on crops and livestock.

To control desertification.

To encourage restoration of ecological balance and

To promote economic development of village community.

BENEFITS DERIVED FROM WATERSHED METHODOLOGY

The crop yield has increased by in dry land farming

The soil loss due to erosion was brought down

Large extents of barren hill slopes were covered by vegetation.

Large tracts of marginal lands brought under dry land Horticulture

Development of Agro-Horti and Agro-Forestry systems.

Water resources were harvested through nala bunds, farm ponds, gully embankments

Regeneration of grass lands for more fodder and grass.

The income of farmers increased considerably.

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Administrative structure

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WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES

Centrally Sponsored Scheme

1. National Watershed development programme in Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA)

2. River Valley Project (RVP)

State Sector Scheme

1. Sujala2. NABARD RIDE

3. Suvarna Krishi Honda

Externally Aided Projects

1. World Bank Assisted Watershed Development Project

2. British Government Assisted (DFID) KAWAD Programme (Project

Completed)

3. Swiss Government Assisted (ISPWDK) Project (Project Completed)

District Sector Watershed Development Scheme:-

1. Drought Prone Area Programme

2. Desert Development Programme

3. Western Ghats Development Programme

4. Integrated Wasteland Development Programme

5. Watershed Development Training Centres

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National Watershed development programme in

Rainfed Areas (N.W.D.P.R.A.)

Introduction

National Watershed Development Project for Rainfed Areas is in operation since

1991-92. So far, 9,09,996 Ha. have been treated at an expenditure of Rs.

198.899 Crores. During 2001-2002 it is programmed to develop an area of 45280

Ha. in 141 taluks/watersheds in 26 districts with an outlay of Rupees 2100 lakhs.

Objectives

The broad objectives of the Watershed Programmes are:

Conservation, development and sustainable management of natural resources including their

use.

Enhancement of agricultural productivity and production in a sustainable manner.

Restoration o ecological balance in the degraded and fragile rainfed eco-systems by greening

these areas through appropriate mix of trees, shrubs and grasses.

Reduction in regional disparity between irrigated and rinfed areas.

Creation of sustained employment opportunities for the rural community including the landess.

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Criteria for Selection of Watershed

Blocks having less than 30 percent assured means of irrigation in the arable land

Severity of land degradation

Lack of earlier investments in watershed development projects

Significant proportion of arable land under private cultivation

Pre-ponderance of resource poor, SC/ST persons

Willingness of community to participate and contribute in the programme and take up

responsibility of post project maintenance of the assetsD. Monitoring Mechanism

 

State level Watershed Development Implementation Committe

Headed by Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commisisoner.

Members are Principal Secretary, Agriculture & Horticulture, Secretary

(Horticulture), Director, Watershed Development Department, Commissioner for

Agriculture, Chief Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry), Director, Animal

Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Director, Horticulture Deartment, Chief

Scientist, Dry Land Development, UAS, GKVK and Directors of Extension, UAS,

Bangalore and Dharwad.

District level Co-ordination Committee

Headed by Chief Executive Officer of respective Zilla Panchayat. Members are

District Watershed Development Officer, Horticulture Officer, Forest Officer,

Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry, Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Society

and District Joint Director of Agriculture.

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Taluka Level Co-ordination Committee - Headed by Chairman of the Taluka

Panchayat. Members are Z.P. Member of Watershed area, Chairman of the

Grama Panchayat of the Watershed area, Executive Officer of the Taluka

Panchayat and taluka level Officers of various concerned Departments.

Watershed level - Watershed Committee (Mitra Krishika Mandal/ Watersheds

Sanghas, Watershed Societies) - Headed by a President, selected by the local

people from among themselves. Members are local NGOs, voluntary agencies,

local officers of the development department, group of local people and members

of self-help groups / user groups.E.

Treatment Approach- Landless, Marginal and Small Farmers Provision has

been made to support the above category population living in the watershed area

by providing them with incentives under household production activities or loan

from the revolving fund.

Livestock Management - Provision has been made for reducing the scrub bull

population, upgrading the livestock with improve breeds, and development of

pasture. Activities like animal health care are also included.

Production Activities - Provision of crop demonstration in arable land, agro-

forestry and horticulture development in arable as well as non arable land has

been made. Other activities like kitchen / homestead gardening are also

supported.

Soil & Water Conservation activities - Treatment of watersheds is done on a

ridge to valley approach. Different soil and water conservation measures

integrated with afforestation and horticulture are proposed based on the land

capability, slope etc. Vegetative measures of conservation have been given due

importance while treating the land. The normal pattern of watershed treatment is

as follows -

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Arable land - Measures like contour vegetative hedges / contour bunding / gully

control measures / land smoothening and other inter bund management and

contour cultivation / cultivation across the slope.

Non-arable land - Measures like contour trenches / diversion drains / gully

control measures supported by vegetative measures.

Drainage Line

Upper Reaches - Treatment like live checks, brushwood checks, loose boulder

checks and small dugout ponds are taken up supported by afforestation.

Middle Reaches - Earthen structures with vegetative support, loose boulder

structures with vegetative support and run-off management dugout ponds are

proposed. Further, agri-horticulture systems are advocated.

Lower Reaches - Dugout sunken ponds, nal bunds, check dams for run-off

management are proposed. Using the stored water, horticulture, afforestation

and fodder development activities are taken up.

River Valley Project (RVP)

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Objectives

Development and Conservation of Land Resources are very vital for Agricultural

Economy. The surface of the earth is being eroded continuously by mankind by

one way or the other resulting in ecological imbalance on one hand and Natural

calamities such as flood and fury of rivers wash away the wealth of surface soil

on the other hand. The result of these devastation’s in the catchment area cause

degradation of lands and premature siltation of reservoirs. In order to preserve

the wealth of surface land, natural resources like soil and water the River Valley

Project Scheme was initiated in Karnataka during the IIIrd five year plan in the

catchments of Tungabhadra, Nijamsagar and Nagarjunasagar.This scheme is in

operation in Tunghabhadra, Nizamsagar and Nagarjunasagar Catchments. The

scheme was started during 1963-64 with the main objective of preventing and

checking premature siltation of reservoirs and to increase production and

productivity of the catchment area. Since inception of the project an area of 5.85

lakh Ha. has been developed with an expenditure of 102.269 Crores. During

2001-2002 it is programmed to develop an area of 37856 Ha. with a total outlay

of Rs. 1500.00 lakhs. At present Centrally Sponsored Scheme is implemented as

State Sector Scheme in the state under Macro Management mode. Earlier

sharing pattern was 50:50 i.e. Govt.of India grant and long term loan to the state

respectively.

Prevention of land degradation by adoption of multidisciplinary integrated approach of soil

conservation and watershed management in the catchment areas.

Improvement of land capability and moisture regime in the Watersheds.

Promotion of land use to match land capability.

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Prevention of soil loss from the catchment and to reduce siltation of reservoirs

People`s involvement in the Management of catchment.

Upgradation of skills in planning and execution of land development programmes.

Objectives

In Tungabhadra Catchment 3.232 lakh ha. of priority area has been treated since

inception of the RVP Scheme which accounts for 64.38 % of the total priority

area of 5.02 lakh ha. Identified as high and very high priority as on 31.3.2001,

further 138 watersheds have been saturated out of 154 watersheds. The details

are in Annexure-1.The districts of Bellary, Haveri, Chitradurga, Koppal and

Davanagere are included in Thungabhadra Catchment of River Valley Project. In

view of saturating the catchment area, the remaining 16 watersheds will be taken

up during the current year (2001-2002) to treat an area of 25467 Ha. and to

construct 3736 structures at an outlay of Rs.844.86 lakhs. The total project cost

including establishment training, corpus fund, Hydrological sediment monitoring

contingency etc., works out Rs. 1100 lakhs.

State Sector Scheme

State Government has earmarked Rs. 8.42 crores towards establishment cost of the Staff of Watershed Development Department. Under this scheme salaries and other allowances of the employees of Watershed Development Department is met.

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Completed watershed development programmes in Karnataka (1984-85 to 1999-2000)Sl.No.

Name of the programme Implementing agency and year

No. of districts

No. of water-sheds

Total geographical

area (ha)

Area treated since

inception (ha)

Amount spent since inception

(Rs.crores)

1. World Bank assisted Watershed Projects

DLDB/Department of Watershed

Development(1984-

6 7 136337 136337 37.564

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93)2 District watershed

development programmesDLDB/Department

of Watershed Development (1984-

1993)

18 18 578420 515200 121.978

3 Participative and integrated development of watersheds

DLDB/MYRADA(1985-86 to 1993-94

1 1 20300 9680 4.140

4 Swiss assisted ISPWD-K Project

DLDB/WDD(1995 to 2000)

5 5 74968 30000 12.595

5 KFW assisted Integrated Watershed Management

DLDB/WDD(1995 to2000)

3 5 53627 24600 16.221

6 River valley projects (Tungabhadra,Nizamsagar

and Nagarjuna Sagar)

A&H Department through Dept. of Agri. (Centrally

sponsored, 1963-64 onwards)

15 723(225 W/s

saturated)

106.88 (Area to be treated 26.15

lakhs)

541800 91.119

7 National Watershed Development Programme for Rainfed Areas (NWDPRA)

A&H Dept. through Dept. of Agri. In the

State Sector coordinated by ZP

1986-87. As NWDP 1990-91 onwards as

NWDPRA.

26 141 872872 872872 182.995

8 i) Drought Prone Areas Programme

ii) Desert Development Programme

iii) Western Ghat Development

RD & PR Zilla Panchayat and

Watershed Development Associations

i) 15ii) 6

iii) 11

423 in 81 blocks 130

in 22 blocks 40

taluks

- - 75.600 (1995-99) 20.220 (1995-99)

53.540 (1995-99)

9 Karnataka Watershed Development

Project (DANIDA Assistance)

A&H Department through Directorate

of Agriculture I Phase

1990-91 to 96-97II phase 1997 to 04

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1412

53000-

23000-

16.036-

Total 2153489 632.008

Projects in operation and administrative arrangement

Sl.No.

Name of the programme

Administrative control

Fund releasing

department

Implementing department

Mode of implementation

No. of Micro

watershed

Area treated

(ha)

Amount spent (Rs.in lakhs)

I. State Sector Schemes a. National WDD WDD WDD WDC 568 102514 6353.17

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Watershed Development Project for

Rainfed Areas

(NWDPRA)b. River Valley

Project (RVP)

WDD WDD WDD WDD 117 134305 4489.71

c. Reclamation of saline,

alkaline and waterlogged

soils

WDD WDD WDD WDD 6 dist. 1701 249.00

II. District Sector Schemes a. Drought

Prone Areas Programme

(DPAP)

RDPR & ZP RDPR & ZP WDD WDC 959 143391 9880.48

b. Desert Development Programme

(DDP)

RDPR & ZP RDPR & ZP WDD WDC 644 59125.5 5013.88

c. Integrated Watershed

Development Project (IWDP)

RDPR & ZP RDPR & ZP WDD WDC 258 81885 4421.89

d. Western Ghats

Development Project

(WGDP)

RDPR & ZP RDPR & ZP WDD WDC 215 25394 3814.85

e. Special Component Plan (SCP)

ZP ZP WDD WDD - 2755.3 142.36

III. Aided Projectsa. Sujala

Watershed Project

WDD WDD WDD Sujala Sangha(WDC)

753 26115 3442.01

b. KAWAD Project (DFID)

KAWAD Society

WDD KAWAD Society

NGO, WDC, Dept.

108 34749 1818.13

c. DANIDA project

(Denmark Govt.)

WDD WDD WDD WDC/WDD 12 20143 1387.51

d. NABARD assisted

watershed

NABARD & WDD

NABARD & WDD

NGO & WDD People’s participation,

WDC

47 1405 75.90

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Projects

WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES

Utilizing the land according to its capability

Establishing adequate vegetative cover

Conserving as much rain water as possible in situ Draining-out

surplus water and divert it to storage ponds

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Avoiding gully formation through suitable checks to minimize soil

erosion and enhance ground water recharge

Maximize productivity per unit area, per unit time and per unit

water

Increasing cropping intensity – Intercropping and Sequence

cropping

Better utilization of marginal lands through ALUS

Ensuring sustainability of the ecosystem

Maximizing the combined income:

Generating off-season employment

Minimising the risks from aberrant weather

Processing and value addition of the farm produce

Developing and improving infra –structure: Storage, transport

and marketing

Promotion of balanced nutrition – Dryland fruits and vegetables

besides cereals, pulses and oilseeds

SPECIAL FOCUS AHEAD ON WATERSHED

DEVELOPMENT

Integrated Nutrient Management (INM)

Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM)

Farming Systems Approach (FSA)

Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA)

Alternate land use systems viz., agro-forestry, agri-horticulture,

silvi-pasture, horti-silvi-pasture, etc.

Animal Husbandry, Backyard Poultry and Apiculture

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Restore or develop gomala/gokatte/gundu topu/devara kadu

Indigenous Technical Knowledge (ITK)

Post-harvest Processing and Value Addition-APCs

Agri-clinic and agri-business management

HRD-capacity building/leadership development/SHG

formation/MWMG formation/custom hiring services

BENEFITS OF AGRO-PROCESSING CENTRE IN

WATERSHED VILLAGES

Enhance the quality of inputs

Reduce losses at various post harvest stages

Reduces cost of processing

Restriction of middlemen involvement

Opportunities for the farmer himself to become a grower-cum-

processor

Improves the quality of rural life and affords dignity

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Motivates educated rural youth to keep engage in processing

industry and thus preventing their migration to urban areas

Ensures fair prices to growers for their produce

Makes available diversified products to rural consumer at

reasonable and affordable prices

SUJALA WATERSHED PROJECT Sujala is a Watershed Development Project designed by the

Government of Karnataka and implemented by the Watershed

Development Department of Government of Karnataka

The World Bank through International Development Association

provided major portion of plan outlay as a loan to Government of

India and in turn loan to Government of Karnataka.

The Government of Karnataka finances some portion of the

budget and the Watershed Communities contribute some portion.

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Sujala a community driven watershed development project with a

total budget of Rs.557 crores,

As planned, the project period started from 10.09.2001 and likely

to end by 31.03.2009.

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It is being implemented in seven districts, namely Kolar,

Chikkabalapur, Tumkur, Madhugiri, Chitradurga, Haveri and

Dharwad of Karnataka covering 4.29 lakhs hectare of land spread over

in 77 sub-watersheds and 1270 villages benefiting nearly 4.0 lakhs

households including landless.

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OBJECTIVES

To improve the productive potential of selected watersheds and

their associated natural resource base.

Strengthen community and institutional arrangements for natural

resource management.

An associated objective is to strengthen the capacity of

communities in the project districts for participatory involvement

in planning, implementation, social and environmental

management and maintenance.

The implementing department operates in a more socially

inclusive manner, with in the frame work of a convergent

watershed development plan.

This will be achieved through having the community groups

implement the project, the project’s collaborative approach and

capacity building initiatives

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Project Primary objectives Increasing House Hold Income

Improving Agriculture Productivity.

Improving Vegetative Cover.

Increasing Milk and Horticulture Production.

Increasing Fodder and Fuel availability.

Reducing Soil Erosion & Runoff to Improve Water Availability.

Enhancing Quality and Life of Village Communities.

Ensuring Institutional support by Watershed Development

Department as facilitator and by NGOs for community

organization and strengthening.

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Distinct Features of the Project

Peoples participation as a focus of the entire project

NGOs involvement at all levels

Adopting Area Group approach

Cost sharing by the community to enhance ownership & respect

towards peoples choices

Use of agriculture & water resource action plans developed

through remote sensing to complement peoples plan

Involvement of various resource agencies for provision of

specialized inputs

Monitoring & Evaluation is inbuilt within the project

implementation structure & process

Effective accountability & transparency by adopting appropriate

financial management systems at all levels

Adopting ESA (Environmental & Social impact assessment)

Involvement of PRIs (Panchayat Raj Institution)

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Community development programmes

A Forestation

Dry land horticulture

Construction of bunds

Soil conservation

Fodder production for animal husbandry

Construction of Farm pond

Development of animal husbandry

Bore well recharge

Construction of loose border checks

Open well recharge

Construction of NALA bunds

Inter cropping

Income generating activities for rural poor

CONCLUSION

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Use of land, water and vegetation according to its

capability we can change in knowledge, skills,

attitudes for enhancing resource use efficiency

and improvement in socio-economic and

ecological conditions

REFERENCES:

Department of Agriculture

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Karnataka Watershed Development Department

Principles of Agronomy- Shankar Reddy and Alamand

Reddy

watershed.kar.nic.in

www.watersheddevelopment.com

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