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China’s oldest irrigation system (above) at Dujiangyan in Sichuan (photo G Agoramoorthy); India’s oldest Grand Anicut in river Cauvery (below) at Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu (photo courtesy en.wikipedia.org) and both structures still function well
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While deliberations relating to negative consequences of large dams on the environment continue to dominate world attention, positive benefits provided by small dams, also known as check dams, go unobserved. Besides, little is known about the potential of check dams in mitigating global warming impacts due to less data availability. Small dams are...
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IPCC had reported in the 5th assessment report (AR5) that global warming has been occurring from the past to the end of this century. This fact shows us that the temperature gradually increases in the average temperature of the atmosphere and oceans. Investigations of this issue have been conducted by experts to assess the effect of global warming...
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... Check dams have proven to improve groundwater recharge in semi-arid/arid countries, such as India. Additionally, they irrigate the land simultaneously (Agoramoorthy et al., 2016) Water that remains in the catchment area of the check dams can be harvested for further irrigation. For both bioswales and check dams, maintenance is needed after high velocity flows, as they can get damaged (Hassanli & Beecham, 2013). ...
This volume, like previous ones, documents the efforts made by student researchers from the University of Aruba and Utrecht University to grapple with these challenges in Aruba. It opens with a list of guiding principles and goals that these students compiled collectively in a UA classroom in February 2024, at the beginning of their 11 weeks together. The ideas in this list express our students’ ambitions to do research in ways that would be meaningful to others as well as to themselves. These reflect the principles of community-based researchthathavebeenattheheartofourstudentresearch collaboration program since it was founded.
... A series of check dams can assist in augmenting the filling of existing wells nearby on both sides of a gully regardless of their primary purpose of controlling the development of gullies . In order to prevent gully formation, contain soil erosion and replenish groundwater, check dams should be constructed at intervals that are appropriate (Agoramoorthy et al. 2016). As a temporary measure, it can be built with stones, bamboo and wooden planks or as a permanent concrete structure (Dashora et al. 2018 ...
Drylands are home to an estimated two billion people across the world, about 90% of who live in developing countries. Drylands represented 43.2% of total global area in 2020 and are predicted to be 44.2% in 2050. Human population in drylands is fret with poverty, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, frequent droughts, environmental degradation and water scarcity at critical times during agricultural seasons which are aggravated by climate change. In drylands, agriculture depends upon the erratic weather conditions and is referred to as dryland farming. Dryland farming is the cultivation of crops without irrigation in regions of limited moisture, receiving typically less than 500 mm precipitation annually. Sustainable technologies and risk management strategies are required to be adopted by dryland farmers to cope with the natural vagaries of the region. Dryland technologies like land conservation measures improve land productivity by managing soil, water and vegetation resources to produce perceptible changes with regard to water resources development in the watershed. Technologies for enhanced water use efficiency of crops grown hold importance in case of dryland agriculture so as to realize ‘more crop per drop’. Physiological and agronomic practices among others could be utilized for better crop management through adoption of suitable technologies for minimizing evaporation and transpiration losses. For dryland areas, agronomic measures such as summer ploughing, ridges and furrows, contour farming, ploughing across slopes, vegetative barriers, crop rotation, strip cropping, mulching, amendments to soil, alternate land use pattern (ALUP) and chisel ploughing are important for soil and water management. The most important soil and water management techniques in dryland areas include BBF, contour bunding, contour trenches, contour stone walls, compartmental bunding, random tied ridging, basin listing, bench terracing, microcatchments, farm ponds, percolation ponds, check dams, etc. Scheduling of irrigation, efficient use of nitrogen fertilizers, better irrigation system, etc. can lead to improved soil health and crop productivity thus providing good returns to farm household. Development of improved crop varieties with characteristics, i.e. efficient utilization of abiotic factors to maximize stable economic yield and total production, high early seedling vigour, wide crop adaptability, deep-rooted branched root system, photo-thermo insensitivity and disease resistance, is the main prospect for improving crop production under dryland conditions. Socioeconomic and personal attributes affect the adoption of sustainable technologies in dryland agriculture farmers. Adoption of evaporation and transpiration minimization technologies involves multiple trade-off and risks on the part of the farmers. Nevertheless, there exist many success stories from different developing nations of the world where adoption of sustainable dryland farming technologies resulted in enhanced productivity of crops and generated additional income for the farmers. Operational Research Project on dryland agriculture at Alanatha, Karnataka, India, from 2010 to 2014 involved opening of moisture conservation furrow between paired rows of pigeon pea in finger millet + pigeon pea (8:2) and groundnut + pigeon pea (8:2) intercropping systems which recorded higher finger millet grain equivalent yield (3156 kg/ha) and groundnut equivalent (1007 kg/ha) yield with higher net returns (37,390 and 18,842/ha, respectively) and higher values of sustainable yield index (0.56 and 0.30, respectively). Livelihood and environmental benefits were created by an experimental afforestation plantation in the semiarid Dhanawas village in Haryana, India. The plantation was carried out on 8 ha of communally owned wasteland. The plantation was a source of employment for the poorer households of the village generating 4220 days of work. Development of appropriate policies and regional strategies to ensure adoption and promotion of sustainable technologies in drylands can ensure food, nutritional and livelihood security of farm families of the region.
... With the increase in demand for the construction of dams for the aforementioned purposes and the consequent deterioration of their structures, it is essential to develop methodologies and tools that assist the safety assessment of small dams. In addition to problems related to the construction of these structures, the lack of proper management, monitoring and maintenance make the discussions on this topic even more important (Agoramoorthy et al., 2016;Alahiane et al., 2016;Botero-Jaramillo et al., 2015;Jing et al., 2018;Riha, 2019;Snorteland, 2013). ...
There is a great number of small dams around the world, usually built in private rural properties, for irrigation, animal watering or aquaculture; as they are getting old, the probability of a failure increases. In Brazil, the Brazilian National Policy of Dam Safety was approved, but it is intended only for large dams, unless it is classified with medium or high Associated Potential Damage. Usually, risk analysis methods are used to assess the safety of a dam, but this may be unfeasible for small dams, as it is costly and time-consuming, which is not affordable for small dams’ managers. This article proposed the Small Dams Safety Index (SDSI), which is a matrix with classification criteria to evaluate the safety of small dams. Besides providing a general level of the safety of a dam, it also helps to prioritize actions of maintenance, allowing the small dam’s manager to optimize time and financial resources.
... We examined the relative role of SAIs and larger in-stream dams in causing hydrological stress throughout a catchment, and the challenges associated with the management, and supporting policy, of SAIs into the future. Impoundments of all types can affect upstream and downstream biodiversity through multiple pathways, for instance by altering habitat conditions (Agoramoorthy et al. 2016;Biggs et al. 2017), water quality (Ibrahim and Amir-Faryar 2018), and waterway connectivity (Barbarossa et al. 2020). Here, we focused on the threat to downstream biodiversity using a hydrological measure of the degree of impoundment. ...
... The large number of individual SAIs requires consultation and engagement with an equally large number of individual owners. In addition, because SAIs serve a variety of purposes (Nathan and Lowe 2012), they become entwined in a range of policy areas, including agricultural water supply (Wisser et al. 2010), essential domestic water supply, sediment control (Ibrahim and Amir-Faryar 2018), fire management, and provision of critical habitat and refuges (Agoramoorthy et al. 2016;Biggs et al. 2017). ...
Headwater streams are critical for freshwater ecosystems. Global and continental studies consistently show major dams as dominant sources of hydrological stress threatening biodiversity in the world’s major rivers, but cumulative impacts from small artificial impoundments (SAIs) concentrated in headwater streams have rarely been acknowledged. Using the Murray Darling River basin (Australia) and the Arkansas River basin (US) as case studies, we examined the hydrological impacts of SAIs. The extent of their influence is considerable, altering hydrology in 280–380% more waterways as compared to major dams. Hydrological impacts are concentrated in smaller streams (catchment area <100 km²), raising concerns that the often diverse and highly endemic biota found in these systems may be under threat. Adjusting existing biodiversity planning and management approaches to address the cumulative effects of many small and widely distributed artificial impoundments presents a rapidly emerging challenge for ecologically sustainable water management.
... We examined the relative role of SAIs and larger in-stream dams in causing hydrological stress throughout a catchment, and the challenges associated with the management, and supporting policy, of SAIs into the future. Impoundments of all types can affect upstream and downstream biodiversity through multiple pathways, for instance by altering habitat conditions (Agoramoorthy et al. 2016;Biggs et al. 2017), water quality (Ibrahim and Amir-Faryar 2018), and waterway connectivity (Barbarossa et al. 2020). Here, we focused on the threat to downstream biodiversity using a hydrological measure of the degree of impoundment. ...
... The large number of individual SAIs requires consultation and engagement with an equally large number of individual owners. In addition, because SAIs serve a variety of purposes (Nathan and Lowe 2012), they become entwined in a range of policy areas, including agricultural water supply (Wisser et al. 2010), essential domestic water supply, sediment control (Ibrahim and Amir-Faryar 2018), fire management, and provision of critical habitat and refuges (Agoramoorthy et al. 2016;Biggs et al. 2017). ...
Headwater streams are critical for freshwater ecosystems. Global and continental studies consistently show major dams as dominant sources of hydrological stress threatening biodiversity in the world’s major rivers, but cumulative impacts from small artificial impoundments concentrated in headwater streams have rarely been acknowledged. Using the Murray Darling River basin (Australia)and the Arkansas River basin (USA) as case studies, we examine the hydrological impact of small artificial impoundments. The extent of their influence is significant, altering hydrology in 280 - 380% more waterways when compared to major dams alone. Hydrological impacts are concentrated in smaller streams (catchment area < 100 km2), raising concerns that the often diverse and highly endemic biota found in these systems may be under threat. Adjusting existing biodiversity planning and management approaches to address the cumulative effects of many small and widely distributed artificial impoundments presents a rapidly emerging challenge for ecologically sustainable water management.
... Indeed, the building of check dams can support the managed aquifer recharge process in arid areas (Agoramoorthy et al. 2008;Renganayaki and Elango 2013). The harvesting of rainwater using smaller check dams is also an operative solution to combat water deficiency (Agoramoorthy et al. 2008(Agoramoorthy et al. , 2016Balooni et al. 2008;Ramakrishnan et al 2009;Joodi and Satyanarayana 2015;Mahmoud and Tang 2015;Tiwari et al 2018;Al-Ruzouq et al. 2019;Singhai et al. 2019). ...
Check dams are used as effective structures for harvesting surface water and controlling soil erosion, runoff and flooding at a watershed scale. However, a great challenge remains in identifying the best suitable sites for the location of check dams. This study aimed to develop a GIS-based map helpful to guide the selection of suitable sites for check dams within Khenifra province area, Morocco. The approach adopted uses a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) integrated into geographic information system (GIS). DEM-derived datasets are used to develop the suitability model, including slope (S), drainage density (DD), stream order (SO), stream power index (SPI), topographic wetness index (TWI), sediment transport index (STI), terrain roughness index (TRI) and topographic position index (TPI). The accuracy of the approach is assessed by using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC = 0.833) and the area under the curve (AUC = 0.875). The resulting map reveals sites in high and very high suitability classes along 51.5% of the total stream length in drainage area and shows a fine concordance with depression areas prone to inundation in the study area. Also, a high accuracy is reached with depressions exceeding 5 m depth. Selected examples of suitable sites have storage capacities between about 200,000 m3 and more than 500,000 m3. Thus, the land suitability mapping is an inexpensive and easy-to-apply method that supports the decision makers for sustainable development.
... Many studies have debated the need for sustainable development in India (e.g. Agoramoorthy et al. 2016;Chinnasamy and Agoramoorthy 2016;Chinnasamy and Shrestha 2019;Chinnasamy and Sunde 2016;Chinnasamy and Ganapathy 2018). Vaz et al. (2017), in a study on urbanization on coastal regions, argued that while urbanization in India has been an important medium for increasing economic growth, it has also impacted sustainable development. ...
Coastal pollution and encroachment in India are ever-growing issues, for which the Indian government drafted coastal regulation notifications for better management. However, many violations have occurred but not documented due to paucity in data. In recent decades, remote sensing tools are widely used to estimate encroachment and violations, where such official data are not available. This study uses satellite imagery to estimate violations that have occurred in the years 2002, 2008, 2014 and 2019, along the coastal regions of Maharashtra, India. Spatiotemporal variations in violations were assessed and classified into four violation classes: < 25%, 25–50%, 50–75% and > 75%. Over the study period, violations in the class > 75% increased by 110% while violations in the < 25% class decreased by 10%, indicating not a reduction in low violations, but a significant conversion of low to maximum violation scenarios. Particularly, metropolitan areas like Mumbai had higher violations when compared to other areas. Reasons for these violations include increased urbanization and regional occupations like fishing. This study has provided information on hotspots of violation areas that could help reformulate, execute and inspect the coastal regulations.
... This majorly included structural developments of tanks under VTCS, such as provisioning dead storage in tanks to create water storage during non-monsoon seasons, provisioning sedimentation tanks to keep a check over the intrusion of silt transported from upstream catchments, and bringing adequate, unrestricted, and safe water to the tank by synchronizing existing VTCS and Periyar main canal system. In fact, past studies have substantially demonstrated that the micro (or meso)-scale water harvesting techniques using small surface storage structures can positively increase hydro-environmental impact (Geekiyanage and Pushpakumara, 2013;Agoramoorthy et al., 2016;Reddy et al., 2018). Hence, this study found desiltation of the tanks along with judicious surface water -groundwater utilization, especially located in the peri-urban and urban catchments, as a "need of the time" recommendation for improving the groundwater percolation scenarios. ...
Traditional tanks in arid regions of India have been working to address water demands of the public for more than 2000 years. However, recent decade is witnessing growing domestic and agricultural water demand coupled with rising encroachment and ignorance toward tanks; consequently, intensifying water shortage issues. While climate change is impacting at alarming rates, local agencies have forgotten these tanks that have aided in sustainable water supply solutions for decades apart from municipal water supply. This research, for the first time, estimates water supply-demand for an arid region in South India (Madurai) and lists out the benefits if tanks were managed and desilted. Exploratory investigations for documenting seasonal domestic and agricultural unmet water demand were conducted followed by their validation through ground-truthing across the study period 2002-2019. Results indicated high unmet domestic water demand, estimating ∼73% [maximum 365 thousand cubic meters (TCM)] for summer (March to May) and ∼33% (maximum 149 TCM) for winter (January and February), and high unmet agricultural water demand estimating ∼90% (maximum 5,424 TCM) during NorthEast monsoon (October to December), and ∼95% (maximum 5,161 TCM) during SouthWest monsoon (June to September). Erratic rainfall pattern was identified as a major cause for higher fluctuations in water availability inside tanks ranging 0-50%, while lack of ownership resulted in increased siltation load ranging 30-70% of the tank's volume. The study found that the major portion of the unmet water demand can be accounted for through rehabilitation of the tanks, as under the rehabilitated tank irrigation scenario the tank storage could attain 200-400% more water than the estimated agricultural water demand. It was concluded that if the cascade tanks were managed appropriately, they could have positive impacts by reducing floods and providing water for drought seasons.
... Check dams can be designed to store excess runoff and to improve groundwater recharge (Parimalarenganayaki et al., 2015). A check dam can serve as an artificial recharge structure -particularly in monsoon-dependent rivers -with an aim to store surface runoff (Agoramoorthy et al., 2016) and increase river base flow (Guyassa et al., 2017). A portion of the infiltrated water is retained in the upper soil layers, which are rich in fine sediments with significant water retention capacity (Bombino et al., 2008) (Fig. 7). ...
... (e.g., Balooni et al., 2008) (Fig. 7). Check dams that store seasonal runoff solve local scarcity in supply while improving the socioeconomic conditions of people (Agoramoorthy et al., 2016). In their recent review, Agoramoorthy et al. (2016) have highlighted the positive environmental impacts of harvesting river water through small dams including irrigation of fragile farmlands, supporting livestock and wildlife, reviving forests, retaining carbon, recharging groundwater and reducing wastewater toxicity. ...
... Check dams that store seasonal runoff solve local scarcity in supply while improving the socioeconomic conditions of people (Agoramoorthy et al., 2016). In their recent review, Agoramoorthy et al. (2016) have highlighted the positive environmental impacts of harvesting river water through small dams including irrigation of fragile farmlands, supporting livestock and wildlife, reviving forests, retaining carbon, recharging groundwater and reducing wastewater toxicity. ...
Check dams have been used throughout the world for a variety of purposes including
torrent control, water supply enhancement, agricultural land development, and
watershed restoration. National, regional and local governments have invested, and
continue to invest, in basin scale erosion-control projects that may include both
maintenance of existing and construction of new check dams. The functions of these
structures are diverse and vary depending on the geomorphic context where the
structures are built. However, although the number of check dams constructed to
control floods, regulate sediment transport, reduce upstream reach slopes and stabilize
torrent beds continues to increase, some projects have experienced disappointing
results, and thus project objectives are not achieved. Causes of failure include poor
construction quality, inadequate check dam location and lack of adequate design
criteria. These failures lead to reduced confidence in using check dams as restoration
tools. Moreover, both construction of dense networks of check dams and construction
of a few large open structures require major economic investments, however a
comprehensive evaluation of their long-term effectiveness is still lacking. This review
aims to achieve a detailed synthesis of the effects of check dams based on a review of
the literature that includes conceptual thinking, field observations and numerical
approaches. Using the knowledge gaps identified in this work as a starting point, the
review is an effort to join and share scientific and technical information from a variety of
sites throughout the world based on the legacy effects of check dams. The role of
complex interactions between ecological impacts, geomorphic processes and
engineering activities is also highlighted. Overall, this review identifies the self-similar
character of check dams and the process feedback loops they initiate across a range
of spatial scales and geographic settings.
... The information on LULC in the form of statistical data and maps is an essential requirement for better utilization of land, spatial planning, and management [2,10,12,64]. With the increasing demand for the availability of information on LULC, it becomes equally important to have a uniform procedure of mapping and data collection, a detailed definition of LULC, and its categories on different scales [3]. ...
The present study, for the first time, examined land-use land cover (LULC), changes using GIS, between 2000 and 2018 for the IIT Bombay campus, India. Objective was to evaluate hydro-ecological balance inside campus by determining spatio-temporal disparity between hydrological parameters (rainfall-runoff processes), ecological components (forest, vegetation, lake, barren land), and anthropogenic stressors (urbanization and encroachments). High-resolution satellite imageries were generated for the campus using Google Earth Pro, by manual supervised classification method. Rainfall patterns were studied using secondary data sources, and surface runoff was estimated using SCS-CN method. Additionally, reconnaissance surveys, ground-truthing, and qualitative investigations were conducted to validate LULC changes and hydro-ecological stability. LULC of 2018 showed forest, having an area cover of 52%, as the most dominating land use followed by built-up (43%). Results indicated that the area under built-up increased by 40% and playground by 7%. Despite rapid construction activities, forest cover and Powai lake remained unaffected. This anomaly was attributed to the drastically declining barren land area (up to ~ 98%) encompassing additional construction activities. Sustainability of the campus was demonstrated with appropriate measures undertaken to mitigate negative consequences of unwarranted floods owing to the rise of 6% in the forest cover and a decline of 21% in water hyacinth cover over Powai lake. Due to this, surface runoff (~ 61% of the rainfall) was observed approximately consistent and being managed appropriately despite major alterations in the LULC. Study concluded that systematic campus design with effective implementation of green initiatives can maintain a hydro-ecological balance without distressing the environmental services.
