Rainwater harvesting can reduce waterlogging: Experts

By The Times of India, July 18, 2012

There are many who love rainfall but few who think about conservation of rainwater. The scientists of Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology had advised the people, particularly farmers to conserve rainwater through harvesting techniques to increase agriculture production. It can also reduce waterlogging and chances of reboring in residential areas and fields.

It is a technique to conserve rainwater in agricultural fields and also at residential houses. Farmers can conserve moisture level in soil. Rainwater harvesting at homes can help reducing waterlogging on terraces and roads. People can conserve rainwater in the kitchen gardens or store it for household uses. Rainwater harvesting can be done by making puddles and ponds in agricultural fields. At homes, this can be done by making soak pits, storage tanks and terrace water harvesting methods.

"This year winters were very cold, summers very hot and so do the rainy season likely to be good. Though this cannot be explained scientifically now as predictions can be made only for coming seven days," CSA meteorologist C B Singh said.

Munish Gangwar, professor of soil and water conservation, CSA, said that rainwater harvesting is the accumulation and storing of water for reuse, before it reaches the aquifer. Rainwater collection can be very beneficial in various ways. Proper rainwater harvesting channels and systems require quite good amount of money. But water harvesting channels can also be constructed from inexpensive cheap raw material. These methods could be successful in most of the residential localities.

"Digging ponds and puddles in field is the old and prominent rainwater harvesting method used by farmers in UP. Apart from this, 'three-tier system of rainwater harvesting' created for slowing the momentum of water to reach the fields, is also a beneficial harvesting system," Gangwar added.

He said that excess water can be stored in the ponds in farms which can be used to recharge the moisture later. If farmers wisely use the rainwater in the fields there will be no need to rebore the tubewells every year as it will self recharge the underground water table.

Rainwater harvesting can also be beneficial in the urban areas. The urban people can make soak pits and water collection tanks on the terrace and collect rainwater in it. The pipeline of the terrace can be ended to the borewell as it will recharge the groundwater. "If we put small stones, pebbles, coal particles and sand in the soak pit, it will clear the water and reduce its impurities. It and can even be used for drinking after boiling," he said.

Source