PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE : RAIN EATER HARVESTING

NIKHIL CHAUDHARI
BA15ARC015
 Rain water harvesting and conservation
It is the activity of direct collection of rain water. The conservation of rain water so collected can
be stored for direct use or can be recharged into the ground water. The main goal is to minimise flow
of rain water through drains/nallahs to the rivers.

It is a known fact that the ground water level is depleting and has gone down in the last decades. Thus
the rain water harvesting and conservation aims at optimum utilisation of the natural resource
i.e. rain water166.

Many states such as Tamil Nadu167, Kerala168, and Delhi169 etc. have made mandatory the adoption
of rainwater harvesting in new constructions. It is suggested to all the other States to mandate
rainwater harvesting in all their new construction works. Also, continuous monitoring of the
performance of the rainwater harvesting structures is also recommended.
 Basic requirement of artificial recharge
A. Availability of noncommitted runoff in space and time
B. Identification of suitable hydrogeological environment and sites for augmenting subsurface
reservoir through cost effective artificial recharge techniques.
If the above mentioned criteria are satisfied, the following criteria need to be evaluated for planning the artificial recharge scheme:
C. Identification of Area
• Areas where ground water levels are declining on regular basis.
• Areas where substantial amount of aquifer has already been desaturate.
• Areas where availability of ground water is inadequate in lean months.
• Areas where salinity ingress is taking place.
• Urban Area where decline in water level is observed
D. Hydrometerological studies
• Rainfall pattern in the area.
• Evaporation losses from the area.
• Climatological features that effect the planning of artificial recharge.
E. Hydrological studies
• In‐situ precipitation on the watershed.
• Surface (canal) supplies from large reservoirs located within basin.
• Surface supplies through trans‐basin water transfer.
• Treated municipal and industrial wastewaters.
• Hydrological investigations are to be carried out in the Watershed/Sub‐ba
sin/basin for determining the source water availability.
F. Soil infiltration studies
• Control the rate of infiltration.
• Prerequisite study through water spreading methods.
G. Hydrogeological studies
• Firstly, to synthesize all the available data on hydrogeology from different
agencies.
• Study of satellite imagery for identification of geomorphic units.
• Regional Hydrogeological maps indicating hydrogeological units, both
at shallow and deeper levels.
• Water table contours to determine the form of the water table and
the hydraulic connection of ground water with rivers, canals etc.
H. Aquifer Geometry
• Data on the sub‐surface hydrogeological units, their thickness and
depth of occurrence.
• Disposition and hydraulic properties of unconfined, semi‐confined
and confined aquifers in the area.
I. Chemical Quality of Source Water
• Quality of raw waters available for recharge is determine.
• Treatment before being used for recharge .
• Relation to the changes in the soil structure and the biological
phenomena which take place when infiltration begins
• Changes expected to the environmental conditions.
 Artificial Recharge Techniques
Variety of methods have been developed to recharge ground water.
Most of the artificial recharge techniques are briefly described below:

1. Direct surface techniques, by ‐

• Flooding
• Basins or percolation tanks
• Stream augmentation
• Ditch and furrow system
• Over irrigation

2. Direct sub surface techniques, by ‐

• Injection wells or recharge wells
• Recharge pits and shafts
• Dug well recharge
• Bore hole flooding
• Natural openings, cavity fillings.

3. Combination surface – sub‐surface techniques, by ‐

• Basin or percolation tanks with pit shaft or wells.

4. Indirect Techniques, by ‐
• Induced recharge from surface water source.
• Aquifer modification
Flowchart showing the various Artificial Recharge Practices
Thank You