Water – Makes or Breaks Societies

The power of water is such that no nation or entity can fight it forever, and this is the main reason why water has always influenced the peace & stability on our planet. In the near future, the richest people and countries will be classified on the basis of the amount of water they own or control and not on the basis of the size of the land they
occupy, the industries they run or other assets that they possess.

Just as the energy from the Sun or nature’s forces like cyclones, hurricanes or earthquakes cannot be divided and are for all people to share and bear likewise the air, snowfall, rivers, rain and the groundwater are indivisible and its abundance or lack thereof are destined to be shared by all, be it for good or bad.

Human Right to Water
The Human Right to Water

The UN has declared access to clean drinking water as a basic human right. Any attempt to control water as a social, economic or political tool goes against the principles of humanity and encroaches upon fundamental human rights.

One individual or entity thus cannot be permitted to appropriate a resource that belongs to all, especially the most important resource for life – water.

Surface and groundwater are public resources which should be managed by public entities. Since, water is as shared resource for all people in a region it needs to be handled and allocated by public institutions and agencies of a government of the people. A government chosen by the people is finally responsible to look after the needs of the people.

When the control of water is designed to benefit individuals or companies, as the recent events in California have showcased, few become rich and in the clatter of their
riches, the voice of so many water-starved people goes unheard.

In order to maintain peace & stability in any country, the administrative authorities from the local communities in the villages right through to the state and national levels must ensure the safety of its water resources and stock. It is essential for the state to make clean water available to all its citizens, without jeopardizing the availability of this resource to future generations.

Just like the Police acts as a government’s primary agency for maintaining law & order and is tasked with apprehending criminals, the water management agencies bear the vital mandate of safeguarding and controlling access to our most important shared resource. And just like the Police does not to merely publish the annual statistics on crimes committed, the water management authorities cannot merely collect data or keep on only classifying locations with depleting water resources as critical.

The water management agencies have to maintain a strict vigil on the water table in a region. With the help of advanced telemetry, these agencies should monitor the monthly depletion of the water table and undertake aggressive and proactive actions to stop it.

Such proactive actions to reduce groundwater depletion include installing new artificial water recharge structures to restore more water than that being extracted. These actions additionally include constant silt removal efforts to prevent sedimentation from reducing water holding capacity of ponds, lakes and reservoirs.

Through such measures, the water management agencies can report to the public about their the availability of water and also help establish a proper balance between water extraction and renewal so that the water table is not allowed to decline.

One thing is for sure – the demand for water will never decline, rather it will continue to rise due to many reasons – the biggest of them being, rise in human population and increased livestock. This factor by itself requires expansion of agricultural activity,  additional infrastructure and other human activity – all of which call for consuming more and more water every year.

Understanding Rain Water Harvesting

Understanding the process of water withdrawal is the best way to understand rain water harvesting since both actions have exactly opposite impact on the ground water table.

A cone of depression is formed as soon as we start the submersible pump to extract ground water. When we stop extraction of water, the cone of depression is filled by ground water from surrounding soil to maintain a uniform water level. The net resultant effect of this action – decrease in ground water level since there was extraction from stored stock.

When the rain water is harvested into the ground, a water mount is formed in the ground. This water mount gradually dissipates supplying its water to the ground water. The net resultant effect of this action is increase in ground water level since it is addition of water to the existing stored stock.

When the rain water falls on the ground and enters the soil surface. This is known as infiltration. When water comes in contact with very dry soil it infiltrates very quickly to begin with. This is due to the affinity of soil particles towards water. The behavior is just like that of a thirsty man starting to drink water at a fast rate and slowing down as the thirst is quenched.

In this case as the soil becomes wet with water continues to move down due to the force of gravity acting on it and in the process wetting the soil further down. The infiltration rate also gradually decreases with time till it reaches a constant value

We at Silveron have experimented and experienced the effect on infiltration rate when the water is provided at lower rate as compared to sudden flooding. It is always our endeavor to ensure that the artificial recharge structures constructed by us for harvesting rain water do not impose over the natural infiltration processes.

We support the soil to continue with the infiltration at its own constant value and on passing forward the excess water for recharge to other Silveron recharge shafts at other locations, channelized through an underground network of pipes.

We support the free movement of water from a region where it has higher total potential to one of lower total potential. It may be the gravitational potential or/and metric potential due to the soil particles. It may be downward flow or horizontal flow or both.

  1. We are preventing wastage of rain water by spill over/runoff, since we are accepting delivery of the entire quantity of rain water available for recharge.
  2. We are not interfering with the natural dynamics of infiltration of water in the soil since we understand that none of the many factors which influence the shape of the infiltration functions can ever be controlled.
Inter-connecting Rainwater Harvesting Shafts
Inter-connecting Rain Water Harvesting Shafts
As seen from top of recharge shafts
Inter-connection as seen from top of recharge shafts

Wake Up and Act

No time for shortcuts

Acute thirst does not see quality of water & acute sleep does not wait for a cozy bed’  

Today the crisis of water scarcity is staring straight into our eyes and threatening the very existence of life on earth.

We all need to realize that water scarcity is no more a fashion topic for seminars and discussions followed by cocktails and dinners and media briefing at 5 star venues.

We must understand the gravity of the situation and act in all seriousness on the issue since water scarcity is a serious problem and calls for immediate intervention through hard & focused action at the ground level.

The web pages are filled with guidelines about roof top rain water harvesting ‘roof top harvesting’ is an incorrect terminology since roof top is only a catchment area and the collected water has still to be harvested. The web sites are filled with photos and pencil sketches of water being diverted from roof tops into collection barrels.

Rain water from roof top being collected in containers/drums.
Rain water from roof top being collected in containers and drums.

Can we or our livestock or our agriculture survive on rain water collected from roof top in PVC drums/barrels?

Falling rain drops are not selective and falls everywhere – on the roof as well as on the open roads and grounds. The total catchment area which is provided by all roofs added together is negligible as compared to the rest of the open areas.

It is in these open areas from where rain water gets an opportunity to runs off, leaving the land high and dry. The focus should be on stopping runoff and harvesting this huge quantity of available water.

As always some quantity of this rain water, percolates into the ground in the natural process and our efforts should be to facilitate the movement of additional quantity of rain water into the ground by artificially created rain water harvesting structures. The debate about legality and illegality of rain water harvesting becomes irrelevant by the very fact that no power on earth can control the natural recharge process of rain water or prevent rain water from harvesting into the ground in the natural process.

Further, ever since the existence of planet earth, the natural water cycle has resulted in rains and the rain water has been percolating into the ground since then and which stands even today as what we call ground water.

All this water has percolated down the soil in the natural process and filtered through the soil. We see no logic in first catching the rain water then filtering it /de-silting it and then harvesting it into the soil, when the soil itself is a very good filter.

We need to immediately start making wide spread rain water harvesting efforts on avery large scale, if we really want to stand up for not just facing but for solving the water scarcity problem for ever.

Waterlogging – Flooding – Water Harvesting

Any soil where the ground water table gets too high to permit any agricultural activity, can be classified as waterlogged soil.


Waterlogging is a result of excessive rainfall at a particular site:

  1. Where the soil is unable to store large quantity of water.
  2. Where the external drainage of rain water by way of runoff is poor.
  3. Where the internal drainage by way of movement of water within the soil is poor.

Waterlogging creates an ecological imbalance by adversely affecting the soil & plant relationship, since all plants require air, especially oxygen to a greater or lesser depth in the soil for growth.

The Waterlogged soil is nearly saturated with water most of the time such that the aeration is restricted and anaerobic conditions prevail. With this depletion of oxygen in root zone, the micro organisms which support plant growth are affected adversely and in turn the plant growth is restricted. Waterlogging reduces the temperature of the soil and increases dampness which disturbs the biological activity in the soil.

Waterlogging restricts all operations related to soil enrichment and soil development. In irrigated agricultural land, waterlogging is often accompanied by soil salinity as waterlogged soils prevent leaching of the salts imported by the irrigation water and the adverse effects are accelerated by the salts brought from lower parts of soil by the capillary water.

This increase in salinity not only interferes with the absorption of nutrients by the plant roots thereby damaging the plantation but also spoils the physical state of the soil by making it less permeable for water and more suited for runoff which in turn hurts the adjoining land and vegetation. Even fodder grown in such soil may cause diseases in live stock.

It will be interesting to note that in California farmers are working to restore groundwater by purposely flooding crops. This may be supported by the availability of soil which has good absorption capacity as well as proper external and internal drainage.

California farmers are pumping groundwater faster than it can be replenished. One farmer is spending millions of dollars trying to restore it by deliberately flooding his crops when there is water to spare. It’s caught the attention of other farmers, especially since new state laws could soon restrict groundwater use

Amy Quinton, NPR

We at Silveron would recommend development of small water harvesting structures as per Silveron design rather than flooding the entire field. It is our observation and experience which makes us to believe that flooding has its own negative impact on the soil. This may not be apparently visible in the initial years but in the long run flooding has a tendency to spoil the soil quality by consequently reducing the water absorption capacity of the soil.

Our best advice would always be to avoid flooding and instead create safe passage for water to get into the soil at various locations. There after give the water the freedom to move from particle to particle in direction of its choice with no fear of evaporation losses. Every drop which has been sent into the soil has to become a part of the ground water and has to benefit some one or the other.

We agree with every talk about climate change and reduction in rain/snowfall. One more aspect which is equally valid is that a decade ago the ground water table was at a much higher level and has now fallen down drastically due to over exploitation or any other reason. This clearly indicates that the soil had the capability and capacity to hold water so why not use this empty space and refill it with water. Even the soil will be happy to welcome and accommodate its long lost asset, water.

Standing water in a field
Natural performance of Rain Water Harvesting Shaft

The Silveron design of water harvesting provides absolute freedom to every available water molecule to recharges the soil from the root zone to the aquifer – where ever the soil welcomes it.

Water harvesting is the only solution to combat water scarcity be it anywhere in the world.  

RAM GARH LAKE – The Sad Story

Exhausting a renewable resource

 PART – 2  in continuation of PART – 1  

It was only when in 2011 the Honorable Rajasthan High Court took suo moto cognizance of the drying up of Ramgarh Lake, it was found that its catchment area, spread over 700 sq km, had about 405 anicuts and 800 encroachments ranging from farmhouses to education institutes. More than 800 encroachments were referred to the relevant departments but only half-hearted actions were taken against a handful of small encroachers while the big encroachers have been left undisturbed even though the Rajasthan High Court has given Jaipur Development Authority the permission to take strict action.

Action on anicuts is cheap and easy and can be taken within no time but instead, the authorities started looking at solutions like linking of Brahmani, a tributary of Chambal river, with Ramgarh Lake. We believe, a feasibility report is now being prepared for the same by the government.

The authorities with all the powers vested in them, can easily remove all deterrents and diversions and replicate the situation as it was in the year 1982 but it so appears that there is no will to revive… AND as we all know that drying of rivers and lakes is in the best interest of land grabbers and encroachers. Tremendous increase in the cost of land has led to the encroachment of most of the natural flows in the catchment area. As the land of the natural flows is flattened by the people for their agricultural activity, this is leading to the shrinkage in the volume of runoff.

There are several factors responsible for drying of the lake which can be attributed to less natural and more of man-made causes.

Factors Responsible of Drying of Dam

Natural Causes

  • Fluctuating trend of Rainfall.
  • A drastic fall in rainfall in some particular year results in drying of the surface and soil moisture to the extent that next year’s rainfall is not enough to generate the runoff in the streams. In the year 2002 there was minimal rainfall 314 mm recorded at Jamwa Ramgarh after which Dam never got filled enough to supply water
Annual Rainfall Data for Jamwa Ramgarh

Man-made Causes

  • The dam has been silted up to a depth of approximately 4.57m and resulting in reduction of its storage capacity.
  • There are many small rivers and drains in the area which supply water to the Ramgarh dam, but flow of the rivers was obstructed due to huge constructions/encroachments by educational institutions & Sprawling Entertainment Resorts with huge swimming pools
  • Rampant Mining and Stone Quarries, uncontrolled rampage and Disappearance of hills, resulting in low stream flow and runoff.
  • Increase in activities like Soil Conservation, Agriculture and Watershed Development. Soil conservation department, NGOs and individuals have covered majority of the areas by various activities of soil conservation, which has reduced the velocity of flow resulting in higher infiltration as well as high rate of evaporation.
  • There are around 415 water bodies like village ponds, anicuts, contour bundings etc. in the catchment area of Ramgarh dam. The height of these structures is in the range of 2 to 8 m, which is sufficient to retain runoff.
  • Water is also obstructed by construction of Ditches and bunding along the contours in foot hills.
  • It is also observed that several roads have been constructed by various agencies raised to 1-3 m high embankments in the catchment area and at some places the roads are constructed across the main river obstructing a significant volume of water.
  • Several authorized and unauthorized mining activities exist at number of places in the catchment area; such activities have caused obstruction in the natural flow of rain water.
  • In most of the catchment areas, farmers have constructed water harvesting structures in the forms of Dols or Mud–bundi (low height earthen dams) in their farms, which harvest water for their local purpose.

Change in Land use / Land cover

Land use and land cover changes in Jamwa Ramgarh (1996 and 2005-06)

Groundwater Trends & Augmentation

There is increase use of ground water utilization in the areas which is catchment of Ramgarh Dam. This is leading to increase in water draft than the net availability.

Rainfall Trend – Amber

Rainfall Trend – Jamwa Ramgarh

Need for the Scientific Assessment
• The variation can be observed in the two examples of the block Amber and Jamwa Ramgarh
• The rise of rainfall in amber and corresponding fall of ground water level in the block indicating the severity of depletion in the block.
• Similarly the Jamwa Ramgarh is seen with fluctuating trend since it is nearest to dam showing the effect
• Need for Water Balance study in the Catchment Area of Ramgarh Lake
• Use of GIS and Remote Sensing for Impact Analysis.
• Prioritizing the work according to Hydrological Response parameters of sub-basins within Catchment
• There is need for the immediate assessment of the all the catchment contributing to Ramgarh Dam, in terms of Geomorphological characteristic of basin, rainfall and factor affecting the drastic variability. e.g., Increase in agriculture, Industry water, Mining, Encroachments etc., Assessment Basin-wise in order to analyze the severity of Basin Priority treatments for revival of the Ramgarh dam.

Restoration – possible efforts

• As a first step, the removal of all vegetation and SEDIMENTATION within the area of the Lake to achieve the original depth of the Ramgarh lake. This effort will make the basic lake take its original form and this is likely to help filling the lake both by the direct rain fall as well as by the under the ground surface streams. (See PART I)
• Thereafter, Clearing all the encroachment and illegal construction obstructing the flow of stream. All activities in the catchment area of the lake being done by different agencies/departments/individuals must be immediately stopped or strictly monitored.
• Banning mining activity completely, and all the hills should be brought under green zone and steps should be taken for ecological restoration of mining area which is already destroyed.
• The concerned departments must be asked to modify their structures and to remove obstructions from local nallah, drain etc. which are responsible for impending flow into main river course.
• Water bodies having high structures can be gated and water bodies of low height can be modified by constructing spillway/overflow structures in such a way that the water column retained in any water-body may be restricted to 0.75 m only which will serve the purpose of local needs and surplus water will be allowed into main reservoir.
• Modern agriculture management techniques have to be adopted and optimum utilization of the water resource and banning all higher water requirement crops