In what way micro-watershed development projects help in water conservation in drought-prone and semi-arid regions of India?

The watershed development is a geohydrological entity that covers a certain area surface from the place where the rainfall-runoff flows to a particular point following the path. It happens due to the normal topographical feature of the terrain.

Micro watershed

With respect to the size, the hydrological unit is classified in many units. The smallest one is known as Micro watershed which covers 500-1000 ha. It covers regional planning at the village level with the objective to improve the efficiency of water use for the betterment of agricultural productivity and the value addition of rural populations.

Benefits

Micro-watershed management became inevitable for the development in drought-prone and semi-arid regions that could sort out the problem of water scarcity and drought. It could help in the following way.

• It may help in moisture conservation measures like the contour bunds to resist the runoff flowing down the slope by an embankment and the overall land development.
• The block plantations, horticultural development program will increase the green cover of the region as well as enhance the groundwater recharge rate.
• It helps to hold the sloping land into different parts of the level to enable cultivation.
• It leads to restoration and the improvement of common property.
• It enables smart management of less water-dependent cropping practices that also suits the agro-climatic conditions of the region.
• Desiltation of water tanks, resource management improves the water availability for drinking and irrigation.

Comment

Developing low cost other supporting features and resource allocation in line with the watershed management programs will also help for water conservation in drought-prone and semi-arid regions of India.