Photo: Authors
Well lining improved the water yields from the wells
Community drive to revive wells in Sawna macrowatershed Mohan Dangi and Amita Bhaduri Introduction of water harvesting and moisture conservation measures was necessary to rehabilitate the degraded lands in the Sawna macrowatershed area near Udaipur. A community drive to revive wells resulted in water security for longer periods and sustained increase in rural incomes.
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awna macrowatershed, about 62 km southeast of Udaipur, reels under the impact of drought very often. “Teesre sukho, aathwe akaal’ (a drought in three years and famine every eight years) is a popular saying in the area. For generations, shallow wells have been an important source of water for irrigation and human needs in this drought-prone region. Two decades ago, even amidst drought, people
depended on naturally occurring groundwater in the shallow wells. The communities had developed informal institutions called ‘kua pariwar’ to build, maintain and share water from these wells. However, both the wells as well as the institutions suffered with declining sense of community. The Sawna macrowatershed area is in the hot semi-arid region in the Northern Plain and Central Highlands that includes the Aravalli Mountains. It has an annual average rainfall of around 653 mm and the normal rainy days are about 25 to 31 in a year, most of which takes place in the southwest monsoon season. The rainfall is low and erratic and droughts occur almost every three years. The annual potential evapotranspiration (PET) is 1380 mm. The length of growing period ranges from 90 to 135 days in a year. This area is also expected to witness climate fluctuations and the people here LEISA INDIA SEPTEMBER 2015
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