Traditional water harvesting in Central Highlands of India.The presentation shows various methods employed for water conservation and recharging in Central India (Rajasthan, MadhyaPradesh,Chhattisgadh)

1. TRADITIONAL WATER
HARVESTING
IN
INDIA Part I I I
WATER MANAGEMENT FORUM
The Institution of Engineers (India)
http://www.wmf-iei.org/index.php/
1

2. CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

3. Pat System
• Bhitada village , Jhabua district of Madhya pradesh developed pat system.
• Devised according to peculiarities of terrain to divert water from swift-flowing hill
streams into irrigation channels called pats.
• Diversion bunds across stream made by piling up stones, lining them with teak
leaves & mud
• Pat channel negotiates small nullahs that join the stream off & on,& also sheer cliffs
• These invariably get washed away during monsoons, require constant maintenance
• Stone aqueducts have to be built to span intervening nullahs.
•Villagers irrigate their fields by turns.

4. Saza Kuva
• This is an open dug well, has several owners.
• In Mewari language, saza means 'partner'.
• Method for irrigation in the Aravalli hills in
Mewar, eastern Rajasthan.
• Considered common property resources.
• Soil dug out to make the well pit is used to
construct huge circular foundation or
elevated platform sloping away from well.
• Saza kuva construction taken up by group of
farmers with adjacent landholdings;
• Harva, a man with special skills in ground
water detection, helps fix the site.
• Water shared on the pro-rata basis of size of
the holding.
• Protection of well and annual repairs and
desiltation taken up collectively by all
partner farmers.

5. REHAT (PERSIAN
WHEEL)
• Found in Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh, western UP, Maharashtra.
• Water lifted manually using pulley, rope
& bucket or using animal power.
• A traditional lifting device is rehat
(Persian Wheel); the sloping platform is
for the chada, in which buffaloes are
used to lift water.
• Water lifted in series of small buckets
fixed on an endless belt or chain
moving on a vertical wheel or drum
• Bullocks or camels walking in a circle
turn the drum through a set of bevel
gears and shafts, which moves Rehat
• Revolving movement of the belt rises
the bucket full of water on one side,
and empties it when it reaches the top.

6. Naada / Bandha
• Found in Mewar region of Thar
desert.
• A stone check dam, constructed
across a stream or gully, to capture
monsoon runoff on a stretch of
land.
• Submerged in water, the land
becomes fertile due to silt
deposition.
• Constructed in phases over several
years.
• Height slowly increased up to the
same height of the checkdam,
which determines the size of the
naada.

7. Rapat
• A percolation tank,
– with a bund to impound rainwater flowing through a
watershed and
– a waste weir to dispose off the surplus flow.
• In case of small height, bund may be of masonary,
otherwise made of earth.
• Rajasthan rapats, being small, are all in masonry
• Rapats and percolation tanks do not directly irrigate
land
• Recharges well within a distance of 3-5 km
downstream.
• Silting is a serious problem with small rapats
• Estimated life of a rapat varies from 5 to 20 years.

8. Chandela Tank
• Built by Chandelas (Rajput families) who ruled much of the
Bundelkhand region in MP
• Established a network of several hundred tanks that ensured a
satisfactory level of groundwater
• Constructed by stopping flow of water in rivulets flowing
between hills by erecting massive earthen embankments, having
width of 60 m or more
• Hills with long stretches of quartz reefs running underneath
them, acted as natural ground water barrier helping to trap
water between ridges
• Tanks are made up of lime and mortar
• Chandela tanks usually had a convex curvature somewhere in
the middle of the embankment

9. Bundela Tank
• The Bundela Kings who came later used lime and mortar
masonry and were bordered by steps, pavilions and royal
gardens.
• The tanks built close to palaces and temples and were not
originally meant for irrigation at all, but for the use of all.
• Breaching of embankments and cultivation on the tank bed has
destroyed many.
• But the wells in the command area of these tanks continue to
yield well and also serve to recharge the groundwater.
• Bigger in size as compared to Chandela tanks.
• Had solidly constructed steps leading to water in the tank;
• Structures had chabootaras, pavillions and royal orchards
designed to show off the glory of the king who built them.
• Not as cost effective and simple as Chandela tanks.

10. Talab / Bandhis
• Talabs are reservoirs
--may be natural e.g. ponds (pokhariyan) at Tikamgarh in Bundelkhand or
– human-made (lakes in Udaipur).
• A reservoir area of less than 5 bighas is called a talai;
• A medium sized lake is called a bandhi or talab ;
• Bigger lakes are called sagar or samand .
• The pokhariyan serve irrigation and drinking purposes.
• When the water in these reservoirs dries up just a few days after monsoon,
pond beds are cultivated with rice.
• The Mewar region is well-known for its built reservoirs {talabs).

11. Johad
• Small earthen check dams that capture and
conserve rainwater, improving percolation and
groundwater recharge.
• Collects and stores water throughout the year, to
be used for drinking purpose by humans & cattle.
• In many parts of Rajasthan annual rainfall is very
low (between 450 and 600 mm) and water can
be unpleasant to drink.
• Rain falling during July and August is stored in
johads and used throughout the year.
• Johads are called as "khadins" in Jaisalmer.
• They are popularly known as tankis in most parts
of the country.
• These are simple mud and rubble barriers built
across the contour of a slope to arrest rainwater.
• These earthen check dams are meant to catch
and conserve rainwater, leading to improved
percolation and groundwater recharge.
• They are built across a slope with a high
embankment on 3 sides while fourth side is left
open for rainwater to enter.
• They are very common in the Thar desert of
Rajasthan.