Over the last decade, demand for spring management has increased as traditional spring sources have started drying up or becoming contaminated. In response, communities, NGOs and state agencies began dedicated spring protection programmes. In the Himalayas, the State of Sikkim and organizations such as Central Himalayan Action and Research Group (CHIRAG) and People Science Institute (PSI) started identifying and protecting spring recharge areas around 2007. The difference between these programmes and many other previous efforts is that they went beyond supply-side improvements to focus on the use of hydrogeology to map springsheds for targeted interventions. The Advanced Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM), a research and capacity-building organization comprised of hydrogeologists and other experts began lending their expertise and building capacity of stakeholders. ACWADAM provides technical support, training and materials in hydrogeology to all network partners as well as others in India and the region. Similar programmes began independently in most of the mountain regions of India. Arghyam, a funding organization that was supporting many of these programmes, noticed that these disparate initiatives shared commonalities despite geographic diversity. They thus organized and funded a meeting of these various organizations in June 2014, and the Springs Initiative was born. The springs initiative aims to tackle the current water crisis and to ensure safe and sustainable access to water for all, by promoting responsible and appropriate management of aquifers, springsheds, and watersheds and conserving ecosystems in partnership with communities, governments and other stakeholders. This presentation has been developed as a part of the springs initiative to promote an understanding of springs and their role in mountainous areas.

1. Springshed Treatment Measures
International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)
PRASARI
Contributors
Content support

3. Springshed Development - Concept
Structural
Vegetative
Agronomic
Management
Combination

4. STRUCTURAL MEASURES

5. Staggered Contour Trenches (SCT)

6. Dimensions of Staggered Contour
Trenches at different slopes
Slope Proposed
Intervention
Dimensions
(L x W x D) m
Volume
(cum)/ha
Horizontal
Interval (m)
Approx
Number/ha
<20% Trenches 2.5x 0.75x 0.75 140 15 140
20-30% Trenches 2.5x 0.6x 0.6 95 12 160
30-40% Trenches 2x 0.6x 0.45 80 10 200
40-50% Trenches 2x 0.45x 0.45 65 8 240

7. Marking Of Contour On Field Trench
Boundary With The Help Of ‘A’ Frame
Digging Of Trench As Per Slope Condition
Allignment of Staggered Contour Trenches

8. Staggered Contour Trenches in Sikkim

9. View of SCTs after few showers

10. Shallow ponds
Recharge Zone:
uncultivated
land
Generally good
for uncultivated
flat land
Depth < 1 m

11. Structural measures- Pits on uncultivated land
Triangular
Eye brow shaped
Square

12. Structural measures:
Bunds on uncultivated land
Soil bunds and pits
Stone bunds

13. Trenches Along Retaining Walls

14. Structural measures:
Terraces on cultivated landed
Recharge zone: cultivated land
Sloping land

15. Small Pond in comparatively flat area

16. Ponds/ Percolation tanks

17. Structural measures
Check dams
Gullies in recharge zone

18. Loose Boulder Check Dam
Gabion Check Dam
Gully Plugs

19. Rooftop rainwater harvesting
In case of recharge area under habitation cover

20. VEGETATIVE MEASURES

21. Vegetative measures
Hedgerows
Recharge zone: cultivated and uncultivated land

22. Vegetative measures
Palisade
Gullies in recharge zone

23. AGRONOMIC MEASURES

24. Agronomic measures
Minimum tillage
(Mulch)
Mulch
Mulch (plantation on furrow )

25. MANAGEMENT MEASURES

26. Management measures
Recharge zone:
Grazing land
Controlled grazing
Rotational grazing/
Social fencing- protocols for
spring conservation

27. Management measures contd.

28. Combined measures
Structural +Vegetative

29. PRASARI
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