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Sustainable Management of Water Resources in an Agriculturally Developed Region of the Indo-Gangetic Ecosystem, India

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Sustainable Management of Water Resources in an Agriculturally Developed Region of the Indo-Gangetic Ecosystem, India FRIEND 2002—Regional Hydrology: Bridging die Gap between Research and Practice (Proceedings ofthe Fourth International FRIEND Conference held al Cape Town. South Africa. March 2002). IAHS Publ. no. 274. 2002. 315 Sustainable management of water resources in an agriculturally developed region of the Indo-Gangetic ecosystem, India R. B. SINGH Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India e-mail: singhrb@,ndf.vsnl.net.in Abstract With a geographical area of 329 x 106 ha, India is endowed with vast water resources. It is predominantly an agriculture-based country where two-thirds of the population still depends on agriculture. Water resources development has been playing a dominant role in agricultural development and achieving self-reliance in food production. Indiscreet use of water for irrigation adversely affects growth, yield and quality of crops together with causing loss of nutrients and irrigation water. Over-irrigation leads to water logging and development of soil salinity. It also depletes the groundwater table due to pumping of water. Groundwater is being contaminated with high concentrations of nitrate, fluoride, arsenic and many metal ions. The objective of the paper is to assess the water resources situation in one of the agriculturally developed regions in order to promote integrated planning. Key words Indo-Gangetic ecosystem; sustainable water management; agriculturally developed region; land-use change; snowmelt water INTRODUCTION The basic and the most essential input for agricultural development as well as the sustainable natural resource base of human and animal life is water. India is endowed with not only a huge network of river basins but also with an abundance of natural and human resources. All developmental plans in India have given top priority to land and water resource development. Water resource projects are considered modem temples of the country and strong contributing factors of sustainable regional development. By providing assured water supplies for irrigation, production of hydroelectric power and many more purposes, the water resource projects contribute significantly towards the improvement in the standard of living and quality of life for millions of people (Pandse, 1989). The paper focuses on evolving a regional water policy for an agriculturally advanced region through an integrated approach for the planning and implementation of environmental management aspects in water resources development. The Indo-Gangetic ecosystem is characterized by one of the most densely populated regions of India that has intensive land-use practices and development activities, and highly developed agriculture. The Punjab and Haryana states are taken for an empirical analysis. The rapid increase in food production and productivity since the mid sixties have made India virtually self-sufficient (Singh, 1997, 2000). However, land and water degradation varies widely spatially and temporally within the Indo- Gangetic ecosystem. The region is well endowed with natural resources, including 316 R. B. Singh deep productive soils, adequate water supply, and climatic conditions that favour multiple cropping. WATER RESOURCES POTENTIAL AND AVAILABILITY The annual precipitation of the country, which is the main source of water, is estimated at 4000 km3, including snowfall. This generally comes during the few monsoon rainy months/days and the larger part of it flows down as flood flow. It is calculated that only 7004cm3 of water is available to be put to some beneficial use. The freshwater from the Himalayan glaciers has a special significance for India. Glaciers have been an important source of water for the northern rivers, most of which have large basin areas. During the monsoon, the rains feed these rivers, and in the winter groundwater sustains them, but, in the post-monsoon period most of their water comes from glacial snowmelt. But, in river basins where the monsoon is intense and widespread, the situation is more complex, and the region experiences flooding (Singh, 1998). Himalayan glaciers have an average capacity of about 0.1 kmJ, but even a medium glacier can provide enough water to fill a large dam like the Bhakra (located in the region) which has a capacity of about 8 kmJ; a large glacier like the Gangotri can fill it three times over. It is the variation in melting of glaciers that affects the total flow of water in the rivers. The River Jhelum provides maximum runoff water to the Indus River system (Table 1). As agriculture is the main source of livelihood in the entire Indian subcontinent, water resources generated within the Himalayas and the Trans- Himalayas are, therefore, of huge benefit to south Asia. According to an estimate, about 60% of surface water resources in India are met by the three major northern river systems of India. Among them, the Ganga and the Indus constitute 15% each (Narayana & Ram Babu, 1983). Table 1 Snowmelt contribution to the Indus river systems (Government of India, 1993). Name of basin Name of tributary Snowmelt area Total average^ Computed snow­ (km2) snow fall (kmJ) melt runoff (km1) Indus Jhelum 16 562 2762 2486 Beas 3 128 405 365 Sutlej 46 882 1083 975 Surface water potential of the Himalayan rivers About 21% of the Ganga basin flows in India come from the non-Himalayan rivers and nearly two-thirds from rivers with basins in Nepal. India has so far constructed storages with a gross capacity of 57.2 kmJ on the Ganga system (Table 2). Himalayan systems play the most dominant role in the management of water resources since nearly 60% of the nation's river flow passes through the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin which occupies only 33% of the country's geographical area (Singh & Haigh, 1995). The Ganga sub-basin, occupying 26% of the geographical area of India, carries about 28% of the river flow. This also covers 36% of the total utilizable surface waters of India (Table 3). Sustainable management of water resources in the Indo-Gangetic ecosystem, India 317 Table 2 Total surface water potential of Himalayan rivers (Government of India, 1993). Basin Average annual flow in: 109m3 106acre feet Indus 210.0 170 Ganga 390.0 317 Brahmaputra 606.7 492 Table 3 Water resources potential of Indo-Gangetic river basins (Government of India, 1993). Indus basin Ganga sub-basin All of India Water resources (km3) 73.3 525.0 1869.3 Utilizable surface water (km3) 46.0 250.0 690.3 Groundwater potential (km3) 25.5 171.7 452.2 Per capita annual availability of 1757 1473 2214 water (m3) Per hectare of cultivable area 7600 8727 9353 annual availability of water (m') The annual average flow in the Indus (up to the Indian border) is 73 305 km7 and the utilizable flow in 46 000 kmJ. The Irrigation Commission in the year 1901-1903 made the first assessment of the surface water potential. Subsequently detailed observations were earned out by the Indus River Commission. The total flow in the Indus and the River Luni was estimated at 165 664 106 m3. In 1949, when a basin wise assessment of water was made, the Khosla formula was used mainly as the basis for the assessment. The annual runoff was estimated at 76 907 1 06 m3. For Punjab rivers average estimate over 25 years is given (i.e. Ravi: 7199 106m3; Beas: 15 961 106m''; Sutlej: 16 072 1 06 m3). WATER RESOURCES UTILIZATION FOR IRRIGATION Utilization of water for irrigation has increased in the agriculturally developed regions of India. There are only two major sources of water for Haryana and Punjab states. The first is rainfall and second is groundwater. Haryana receives approximately 83% of the annual rainfall (463 mm) during the monsoon season, the remaining 17% of the rain comes during the winter and autumn months. This results from westerly depressions which normally produce one to three cyclonic depressions. State of irrigation development The state of Punjab has witnessed a steady increase in irrigation over the years. A net­ work of canal systems under covers the entire cultivated region. The need for irrigation arises from the uncertain and erratic behaviour of monsoons over the region. Thus it has been necessary to install tubewells: both electrically and diesel operated. The system of irrigation canals in Punjab is very old and one of the largest in the world. The Bhakra canal system is the largest irrigation system in Punjab and Haryana. During 1965-1966 the area under irrigation was 3136 10J ha which increased to 318 R. B. Singh 7315 10J ha in 1994-1995. The importance of the canal system in Punjab and Haryana lies in the fact that it has a perennial source of water. Tubewells are utilized fully for irrigating the fields. The number of tubewells has also increased rapidly. During 1966-1967 in Punjab, 16 932 tubewells were in use; this figure increased to 74 000 in 1994-1995. Haryana has also witnessed great progress in the development of irrigation for cultivation. Irrigation practices assume prominence in Haryana because of the uncertain water table and availability of water from aquifers in areas under different geological conditions. Canal irrigation occupied a prominent place in the agrarian economy of the state and there had been very little development of tubewells for irrigation as late as 1970. The number of tubewells in the region has increased rapidly during the last three decades (Table 4). During 1965-1966 to 1994-1995, irrigated area increased to 2263 103 ha to 3 9 44 1 03 ha in Punjab (Table 5). The area under tubewells, both electrically and diesel operated, has increased many fold. The percentage of the irrigated area under wheat increased from 88.7% during 1970-1971 to 96.7% during 1994-1995 (Table 6). The increase in tubewell irrigation can be ascribed to the availability of loans, subsidies, power supply, supply of diesel and the enterprise of the farmers.
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