HAND-OUTS IN AGROF 102

(Watershed Management)

Watershed. An area of land that drains water, sediment and dissolved materials to a common
receiving body or outlet. The term is not restricted to surface water runoff and includes interactions
with subsurface water. Watersheds vary from the largest river basins to just acres or less in size.

Watershed management 

 The process of guiding and organizing land and other resource uses in a watershed to
provide desired goods and services without adversely affecting soil and water resources.

Watershed management is a term used to describe the process of implementing land use
practices and water management practices to protect and improve the quality of the water and
other natural resources within a watershed by managing the use of those land and water resources
in a comprehensive manner.

Water quality is the measure of the chemical, biological, and physical characteristics of water in
relation to a standard of use, such as drinking water for humans or proper habitats for amphibians.

Water quality can be affected by multiple factors

 Soil erosion and sedimentation

o Erosion occurs when the topsoil is removed from the land’s surface.
o Sedimentation results in soil particles being carried by water and deposited
somewhere else which fallows the land
 Leaching: The natural process by which chemicals, minerals, animal waste or
pharmaceuticals are washed out of the soil and enter the groundwater.

Windbreaks are a linear planting of trees or other vegetation to reduce soil erosion caused by wind.

Cover crops By planting seasonal cover on annual cropland, farmers can reduce soil erosion and
reduce fertilizer use. Some common examples of cover crops are grasses or legumes such as
ryegrass, wheat, crimson clover and radishes.

Indicator Species An organism whose presence or absence reveals the environmental condition.

Pollution. physical characteristics, dissolved chemical constituents, bacteriological quality.

Sublimation. process of changing from a solid to gas form

Water Vapor. Water in gas state

Estuary. The place where fresh water and salt water meet

Groundwater. Water stored in the cracks and spaces of underground rock

Cloud. Tiny drops of condensed water in the atmosphere

Precipitation. Water in the atmosphere that falls to earth through the form of rain

Evaporation. Heat from the sun causes liquid water on earth to turn into gaseous water

Water Cycle. The movement of water through evaporation, condensation and precipitation
Fresh Water. Water that is relatively free of minerals and salts

Ground water. The water found underground within cracks and between particles of rocks and soil

Surface Water. Water that originates in a river or other body of water on the surface of the earth

Transpiration. Water released from leaves of trees and other plants

Condensation. As the moist air cools, the water condenses and forms water droplets in the air

Topography is the study of the forms and features of land surfaces. The topography of an area could
refer to the land forms and features themselves, or a description (especially their depiction in maps).

Objectives of watershed management

The different objectives of watershed management programmes are:

1. To control damaging runoff and degradation and thereby conservation of soil and water

2. To manage and utilize the runoff water for useful purpose

3. To protect, conserve and improve the land of watershed for more efficient and sustained
production.

4. To protect and enhance the water resource originating in the watershed.

5. To check soil erosion and to reduce the effect of sediment yield on the watershed

6. To rehabilitate the deteriorating lands.

7. To moderate the floods peaks at down stream areas.

8. To increase infiltration of rainwater.

9. To improve and increase the production of timbers, fodder and wild life resource.

10. To enhance the ground water recharge, wherever applicable.

What are some key steps in watershed management?

The first steps in watershed management planning are to:

1. Delineate and map the watershed’s boundaries and the smaller drainage basins within the
watershed;
2. Inventory and map the resources in the watershed;
3. Inventory and map the natural and manmade drainage systems in the watershed;
4. Inventory and map land use and land cover;
5. Inventory and map soils;
6. Identify areas of erosion, including stream banks and construction sites;
7. Identify the quality of water resources in the watershed as a baseline; and
8. Inventory and map pollution sources, both point sources (such as industrial discharge pipes)
and nonpoint sources (such as municipal stormwater systems, failing septic systems, illicit
discharges).
9. Identify Local partners
a. Residents;
 b. Landowners;
c. Federal, state, and municipal government officials;
d. Watershed associations and other environmental and civic groups;
e. Local business and industry leaders;
f. Agricultural users;
g. Developers;
h. Teachers; and
i. Recreational users.
10. Conduct Educational Programs

Watershed Management Structures

BROAD BEDS AND FURROWS

a. FUNCTION
To control erosion and to conserve soil moisture in the soil during rainy days.
b. GENERAL INFORMATION
The broad bed and furrow system is laid within the field boundaries. The land levels
taken and it is laid using either animal drawn or tractor drawn ridgers.
c. SALIENT FEATURES
Conserves soil moisture in dryland
Controls soil erosion.
Acts as a drainage channel during heavy rainy days

CONTOUR BUND
a. FUNCTION
To intercept the run off flowing down the slope by an embankment.
b. GENERAL INFORMATION
It helps to control run off velocity. The embankment may be closed or open, surplus
arrangements are provided wherever necessary.
c. SALIENT FEATURES
It can be adopted on all soils
It can be laid up to 6% slopes.
It helps to retain moisture in the field

BENCH TERRACING
a. FUNCTION
It helps to bring sloping land into different level strips to enable cultivation
b. GENERAL INFORMATION
It consists of construction of step like fields along contours by half cutting and half
filling. Original slope is converted into level fields. The vertical & horizontal intervals are
decided based on level slope
c. SALIENT FEATURES
Suitable for hilly regions.
The benches may be inward sloping to drain off excess water.
The outward sloping benches will help to reduce the existing steep slope to mild
one.
It is adopted in soils with slopes greater than 6%
MICROCATCHMENTS FOR SLOPING LANDS
a. FUNCTION
It is useful for insitu moisture conservation and erosion control for tree crops.
b. SALIENT FEATURES
Slope ranges from 2 –8%
Soil type – Light to moderate texture
Insitu moisture conservation with staggered planting
Suitable for dry land Horticulture & Agroforestry
Bund height – 30 to 45 cm

CHECK DAM
a. SALIENT FEATURES
A low weir normally constructed across the gullies
Constructed on small streams and long gullies formed by erosive activity of flood
water
It cuts the velocity and reduces erosive activity
The stored water improves soil moisture of the adjoining area and allows
percolation to recharge the aquifers
Spacing between the check dams water spread of one should be beyond the water
spread of the other
Height depends on the bank height, varies from a meter to 3 meter and length varies
from less than 3m to 10m

PERCOLATION POND
a. FUNCTION
To augment the ground water recharge
b. SALIENT FEATURES
Shallow depression created at lower portions in a natural or diverted stream course
Preferable under gentle sloping stream where narrow valley exists
Located in soils of permeable nature
Adaptable where 20-30 ground water wells for irrigation exist with in the zone of
influence about 800 – 900m
Minimum capacity may be around 5000 m3 for the sack of economy
Also act as silt detention reservoir