SUBMITED BY: - submitted

to:-
1.Kundan aryal – 36 roshan subedi
2.Mahesh subedi – 37 asst.
professor
3.Manisha deo – 38 department of
4.Manjaree maharjan – 39 agronomy
5.Manoj barakoti – 40 iaas, lamjung
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TOPICS PAGE
INTRODUCTION 1
OBJECTIVES 2
METHODOLOGY 2
IN SITU WATER HARVESTING 2-4
Technical description
Effectiveness of technology
Advantages
Disadvantages
INDIGENEOUS PRACTISES 4-5
Contour ridges
Small basins
Semi circular bunds
EX SITU WATER HARVESTING 5
Methods to reduce seepage
BIOLOGICALLY BASED PRACTISES 6
PRESENT WORLD SENARIO 6
CONCLUSION 7
REFERENCES 8
 INTRODUCTION:

The process of runoff water collection during periods of peak rainfall in storage tanks, ponds,
etc. is usually referred as water harvesting (SR REDDY). In general it is the conservation of rain
water under un-irrigated condition, by collecting runoff of precipitation in order to supplement
soil moisture in an adjacent area.

Where rainfall is not sufficient to grow crops in all the areas, water from upper elevation (donor
area) to lower elevation (recipient area) can be collected and grow crops easily. To induce the
runoff from donor to recipient area, various materials like asphalt’s spray, plastic film or water
repellents like sodium methyl silicanolate can be used. These chemicals have dispersion capacity
of rainfall water. It is a centuries old strategy, but banished to background in many places with
the availability of irrigation water. However, recent efforts to stabilize dry land crop production
have generated renewed interest in water harvesting technology.

The uses of harvested water include water for garden, water for livestock, water for irrigation,
water for domestic use with proper treatment, and indoor heating for houses etc. The harvested
water can be used as drinking water as well as for storage and other purpose like irrigation.
 OBJECTIVES:

The aim of water harvesting is to make dry land crop production remunerative in regions where
rainfall is normally inadequate for cropping. Some other objectives can be:

1. Increase water availability during dry season

2. Reduce flooding and erosion
3. Prevent overuse of aquifers
4. Save money

Water harvesting from natural sources also reduces the strain on public resources and provides
us a free way to utilize water.

METHODOLOGY:

When harvesting water you must have a way to capture, divert and store water for later use.
While designing a water harvesting system, factors like rainfall patterns, land topography, crop
water requirements, acceptability of water harvesting concept by the water user and economics
are to be considered.

Water harvesting can be done within the area of water source i.e. in situ or away from the source
ie. ex situ.

The techniques included in in situ are: inner-row water harvesting, broad raised bed and furrow,
inter plot water harvesting, etc.

IN-SITU WATER HARVESTING:

In arid and semi-arid regions, where precipitation is low or infrequent during the dry season, it is
necessary to store the maximum amount of rainwater during the wet season for use at a later
time, especially for agricultural and domestic water supply. One of the methods frequently used
in water harvesting is the storage of rainwater in situ. Topographically low areas are ideal sites
for in situ harvesting of rainfall. This technique has been used in the arid and semi-arid regions
of northeastern Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay, primarily for irrigation purposes. The in situ
technology consists of making storage available in areas where the water is going to be utilized.

Technical Description:

All rainfall harvesting systems have three components: a collection area, a conveyance system,
and a storage area. In this application, collection and storage is provided within the landscape.
Topographic depressions represent ideal collection and storage areas. In many situations, such
areas are impermeable, being underlain by clay soils that minimize infiltration. Methods of
rainwater harvesting in situ, of agricultural areas are described below.

 Use of Topographic Depressions:

Areas of low topography used for rainwater storage are known as tajamares. Tajamares
are constructed in areas with clay soils at least 3 m deep. The tajamares are served by
distribution canals that convey water from the storage area to the areas of use. The
collection and storage areas need to be fenced to avoid contamination by animals. This
technology is usually combined with storage tanks built of clay. The water is delivered
from the in situ rainfall collection area to the storage tank by means of a pump, usually
driven by a windmill.

 Use of Furrows:

Furrows may be used as an in situ means of storing harvested rainwater. They are built
prior to or after planting to store water for future use by the plants. A variation on the use
of topographic depressions to store rainfall, this method uses flattened trenches between
the rows of crops to store water. Furrows may have mud dams or barriers every 2 m to 3
m along the row in order to retain water for longer periods of time and avoid excessive
surface runoff and erosion. Raised beds may also be used to trap the water in the furrows,
or uncultivated areas may be left between rows, spaced at 1 m apart, to assist in capturing
rainwater falling on the land surface between furrows.

 Inter-plot water harvesting:

Rain water falling in the micro-catchments is harvested into the cultivated strips. Micro-
catchment is sloping towards cultivated strips. Example: 40 cm rain becomes 70 cm rain
to cropped area (addition of 30 cm). This can be done in light soil because of high
infiltration.

 Inter row water harvesting:

It provides ridges and furrows system. It is done in case of water and spring crops.
Crops are grown in furrows in winter and ridges in spring and rainy season.

Effectiveness of the Technology:

This technology increases water supply for irrigation purposes in arid and semi-arid regions. It
promotes improved management practices in the cultivation of corn, cotton, sorghum, and many
other crops. It also provides additional water supply for livestock watering and domestic
consumption.

Advantages

 This technology requires minimal additional labor.

 It offers flexibility; furrows can be constructed before or after planting.
 Rainwater harvesting allows better utilization of rainwater for irrigation purposes.
 Rainwater harvesting is compatible with agricultural best management practices,
including crop rotation.

Disadvantages

 In situ rainwater harvesting cannot be implemented where the slope of the land is greater
than 5%.

 It is difficult to implement in rocky soils.

 The additional costs incurred in implementing this technology could be a factor for some
farmers.

 It requires impermeable soils and low topographic relief in order to be effective.

INDIGENOUS PRACTICES:

Water harvesting is based on the principle of taking away (naturally or artificially) part of the
land of its share of water and adding it to another part. Many of the water structures date back to
750 -1258 A.D. Water harvesting structures are still visible today and these techniques are also
being re-created. The popular practices of those times were:

a. Contour ridges:
These are small earthen ridges, 15 to 20 cm high, with an upslope furrow which
accommodates run-off from a catchment strip between the ridges. The catchment strip is
usually uncultivated; however, the whole area may be cultivated
where contour ridging is used to control erosion rather than to
harvest water. Contour ridges are one of the most important techniques for supporting
new plantations and regeneration of forage, grasses and hardy trees on mild to steep
slopes.
b. Small basins:
Often called negari, these small run-off basins are rectangular or diamond-shaped and are
surrounded by small earth bunds with an infiltration pit in the lowest corner of each. Run-
off is collected from within the basin and stored in the infiltration pit. This technique is
appropriate for planting small-scale trees in any area which has a moisture deficit.
Besides harvesting water for the trees, it simultaneously conserves soil.
c. Semi-circular bunds:
These are earth embankments in the shape of a semi-circle with the tips of the bunds on
the contour. Semi-circular bunds, of varying dimensions, are used mainly for rangeland
rehabilitation or fodder production. This technique is also useful for growing trees and
shrubs and has been used in some cases for growing crops.

EX-SITU WATER HARVESTING:

The techniques included in ex-situ are:

a. Water harvesting in small tank: The 4m×3m×2m sized tanks are popularity for
water harvesting now a days. The collected water can be used for irrigation
purpose.
b. Rainwater harvesting from rooftop: It involves direct collection of rainwater
falling on the roof or on to the ground without passing through the stage of
surface runoff on the land.

Water can be stored in different structures:-

 farm ponds,
 minor irrigation tanks/ low earth dams,
 percolation tanks,
  check dams

In many water harvesting system, storage facilities is the most expensive single item. For
efficient storage of harvested water, either the ponds should be in soils having very low
permeability or the soil should be treated to reduce seepage.

Seepage can be reduced by:

 compaction
 treatment with cements, polythene lining
 laying plastic sheets

Harvested water in farm ponds can be effectively used for giving one irrigation which can
increase the crop yield by more than twice.

BIOLOGICALLY BASED PRACTICES:

 Use of FYM and other organic manures,

 Strip cropping,
 Cover crops,
 Organic mulches (including vertical mulching), and
 Crop rotation

PRESENT WORLD SENARIO:

 Currently in China and Brazil rooftop rainwater harvesting is being practiced for
providing drinking water, domestic water, water for livestock, water for small irrigation
and a way to replenish ground water levels. Gansu province in China and semi-arid north
east Brazil have the largest rooftop rainwater harvesting projects ongoing.
 In Bermuda, the law requires all new construction to include rainwater harvesting
adequate for the residence.
 In the Irrawaddy Delta of Myanmar, the groundwater is saline and communities rely on
mud-lined rainwater ponds to meet their drinking water needs throughout the dry season.
Some of these ponds are centuries old and are treated with great reverence and respect.
 In Beijing, some housing societies are now adding rain water in their main water sources
after proper treatment.
 In Ireland, Professor Michael McGinley established a project to design a rain water
harvesting prototype in the Bio-systems design Challenge Module at University College
Dublin

Non-traditional
 In 2012, American artist Michael Jones McKean created an artwork in Omaha, Nebraska at
the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art that created a fully sustainable rainbow in the
Omaha skyline. The project collected thousands of gallons of rainwater storing the water in
six, 12,000 gallons tanks. The massive logistical undertaking, during its 5 month span, was
one of the largest urban rainwater harvesting sites in the American Mid-West.

CONCLUSION:

Water is very essential for life so obviously water harvesting is essential as well. At present there
are problems about water availability and management. So water harvesting techniques are being
implemented all over the globe. People now are giving attention to water conservation and
proper utilization. Several countries have already begun their efforts to harvest water and being a
developing agricultural country, Nepal also should be in the top list. Most of the areas in Nepal
depends on rain fed farming thus water harvesting techniques is critical for agricultural sector
and being agricultural students we should study the different processes of water harvesting from
the basic level and improve the ways of conservation of water and the proper utilization of
rainfall.
 REFERENCES:

 Principles of crop production – SR REDDY

 National commission on integrated development of Paraguayan Chaco
 Wikipedia
 www.ehow.com
 Lecture notes