Watershed Management

What is watershed? (Click here to download)

·       A watershed is a basin-like landform defined by highpoints and ridgelines that descend into lower elevations and stream valleys.

·        A watershed carries water "shed" from the land after rain falls and snow melts.

·        Drop by drop, water is channeled into soils, groundwater, creeks, and streams, making its way to larger rivers and eventually the sea.

What is watershed management?

Watershed management is the study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed aimed at the sustainable distribution of its resources and the process of creating and implementing plans, programs, and projects to sustain and enhance watershed function thataffect the plant, animal,and human communities within a watershed boundary.

What are the objectives of watershed management?

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

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

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

·         To rehabilitate the deteriorating lands.

·         To moderate the floods peaks at downstream areas.

·         To increase infiltration of rainwater.

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

·         To enhance the ground water recharge

·         To reduce the occurrence of floods and the resultant damage by adopting strategies for flood management.

·         To provide standard quality of water by encouraging vegetation and waste disposal facilities.

Watershed management practices in terms of purpose

·         To increase infiltration

·         To increase water holding capacity

·         To prevent soil erosion

 Watershed management in Madhya Pradesh:

Integrated Watershed Development Rajiv Gandhi Watershed Management Mission, Madhya Pradesh

Background Rajiv Gandhi Watershed Management Mission (RGWMM), initiated in 1994, aims at improving the land and water resources in environmentally degraded villages.

The larger goal is to move watershed management from being a techno-centric programme to a people’s movement.

The specific objectives of the programme include:

·        Environmental regeneration and improvement of environmental resource base as a source of labour-intensive growth, while augmenting productive capacities, increasing resource-use efficiency and correcting regional and rural-urban imbalances.

·        Integration of poverty reduction and environmental regeneration through participatory watershed management

·        Provision of livelihood security to resource-poor households through just and sustainable access to basic needs such as food, fodder, fuel and water

·        Location-specific interventions, given the diverse natural resource and socioeconomic conditions across the state.

The thrust areas of RWGMM are as follows:

· Making substantial improvements in environmental conditions, irrigation facilities and land-use patterns, leading to an improvement in overall agricultural productivity.

· Providing immense relief to the landless and small and marginal farmers through direct wage employment opportunities.

· Making a significant contribution to household income, addressing immediate concerns at the household level and checking the daily movement to urban centres in search of work.

· Creating an appropriate environment for sustainable people-centric development.