water plan (Pandey et al. 2017). Many reasons
have been put forth to explain the depleting water
resource of the Garhwal Himalaya, some of these
are such as increasing population, engineering
activity, deforestation, vanishing pasture lands,
recurring forest fires, pollutions, change in lifestyle, change in cropping pattern, industrializations, neglect to traditional sources, disruption of
the social mechanism of resource conservation,
and change in the hydrology of the watersheds by
tapping of water at higher elevations. Rapid
population growth and increasing water consumption for agriculture, industry, and municipalities have too heavily stressed on freshwater
resources (Sati 2014).
Water resource management is the activity of
planning, development, distribution, and management of optimum use of water resource. It is a
subset of water cycle management. Ideally, water
resource management planning has regard to all
the competing demands for water and seeks to
allocate water on an equitable basis to satisfy all
uses and demands (Global Water Partnership
2000). Without better water management in any
country the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) for poverty, hunger, and a sustainable
environment cannot be met. In some places water
is abundant, but getting it to people is difficult
because of lack of infrastructure and because of
restricted access as a result of political and sociocultural issues. Integrated river basin management (IRBM) is a relatively new concept for the
developing countries. The most important feature
of this concept is that it explicitly recognizes the
inter-linkages between land use and sustainable
water resource management (Singh and Prasad
2013). Furthermore, it takes the entire ecosystem,
including its terrestrial aspects, as the basic reference for sustainable management. Integrated
water resources management (IWRM) is an
empirical concept which was built up from the
on-the-ground experience of practitioners. This is
the rationale for the integrated water resources
management (IWRM) approach that has now
been accepted internationally as the way forward
for efficient, equitable, and sustainable
development and management and for coping
with conflicting demands (Mitchell 1990).
It becomes important to understand the interrelationship between spring yield and the
recharge. Spring yield in any area is a function of
recharge that is dependent upon the time duration
for which the water stays at higher elevations.
The longer this time period, the higher would be
the recharge. Planting of barren areas, especially
on slopes, is an important component of integrated watershed management programme.
Grazing needs to be restricted in selected patches
which are possible only when people are
involved in these programmes. Water resources
management for diverse uses should incorporate
a participatory approach by involving not only
the various governmental agencies but also participation of local communities and other stakeholders, in an effective and decisive manner, in
various aspects of planning, design, development, and management of the water resources
(Planning Commission Report on Development
Report of Uttarakhand 2009).
At present, on the basis of experience, the size
of water harvesting pits has been decided to
smaller than old ones. The shape of new pits is
like a bucket, that is, more width at the top and
decreasing toward the bottom. The work to
conserve water resource is still a continuous
process. The main target is to replicate the system in different village at Pasolgad (like Dulmoth
and Khaitoli), Lachigad, Khatalgad, and Benuganga watershed in Pauri Garhwal and Naugura
watershed in Tehri Garhwal districts.
During 2013 around 300 pits have been digged in Mohllya and Onal villages of Naugar gad
watershed. In the same watershed 500 pits have
been digged in Herwal village and there is a plan
to dig around 500 pits in the deforested area of
Deengaon village in 2015. During the rainy
season in the same year (2015) digging of water
harvesting pits along with grass, tree, and fruit
tree plantation has also been started in Ghodiyana village of Khatagad watershed. In near
future the work will be started in different village
of Lachi, Pasol and Benganga watershed.
12 Water Resource Management Through Ecological …
165
have been put forth to explain the depleting water
resource of the Garhwal Himalaya, some of these
are such as increasing population, engineering
activity, deforestation, vanishing pasture lands,
recurring forest fires, pollutions, change in lifestyle, change in cropping pattern, industrializations, neglect to traditional sources, disruption of
the social mechanism of resource conservation,
and change in the hydrology of the watersheds by
tapping of water at higher elevations. Rapid
population growth and increasing water consumption for agriculture, industry, and municipalities have too heavily stressed on freshwater
resources (Sati 2014).
Water resource management is the activity of
planning, development, distribution, and management of optimum use of water resource. It is a
subset of water cycle management. Ideally, water
resource management planning has regard to all
the competing demands for water and seeks to
allocate water on an equitable basis to satisfy all
uses and demands (Global Water Partnership
2000). Without better water management in any
country the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) for poverty, hunger, and a sustainable
environment cannot be met. In some places water
is abundant, but getting it to people is difficult
because of lack of infrastructure and because of
restricted access as a result of political and sociocultural issues. Integrated river basin management (IRBM) is a relatively new concept for the
developing countries. The most important feature
of this concept is that it explicitly recognizes the
inter-linkages between land use and sustainable
water resource management (Singh and Prasad
2013). Furthermore, it takes the entire ecosystem,
including its terrestrial aspects, as the basic reference for sustainable management. Integrated
water resources management (IWRM) is an
empirical concept which was built up from the
on-the-ground experience of practitioners. This is
the rationale for the integrated water resources
management (IWRM) approach that has now
been accepted internationally as the way forward
for efficient, equitable, and sustainable
development and management and for coping
with conflicting demands (Mitchell 1990).
It becomes important to understand the interrelationship between spring yield and the
recharge. Spring yield in any area is a function of
recharge that is dependent upon the time duration
for which the water stays at higher elevations.
The longer this time period, the higher would be
the recharge. Planting of barren areas, especially
on slopes, is an important component of integrated watershed management programme.
Grazing needs to be restricted in selected patches
which are possible only when people are
involved in these programmes. Water resources
management for diverse uses should incorporate
a participatory approach by involving not only
the various governmental agencies but also participation of local communities and other stakeholders, in an effective and decisive manner, in
various aspects of planning, design, development, and management of the water resources
(Planning Commission Report on Development
Report of Uttarakhand 2009).
At present, on the basis of experience, the size
of water harvesting pits has been decided to
smaller than old ones. The shape of new pits is
like a bucket, that is, more width at the top and
decreasing toward the bottom. The work to
conserve water resource is still a continuous
process. The main target is to replicate the system in different village at Pasolgad (like Dulmoth
and Khaitoli), Lachigad, Khatalgad, and Benuganga watershed in Pauri Garhwal and Naugura
watershed in Tehri Garhwal districts.
During 2013 around 300 pits have been digged in Mohllya and Onal villages of Naugar gad
watershed. In the same watershed 500 pits have
been digged in Herwal village and there is a plan
to dig around 500 pits in the deforested area of
Deengaon village in 2015. During the rainy
season in the same year (2015) digging of water
harvesting pits along with grass, tree, and fruit
tree plantation has also been started in Ghodiyana village of Khatagad watershed. In near
future the work will be started in different village
of Lachi, Pasol and Benganga watershed.
12 Water Resource Management Through Ecological …
165