Dear experts and farmers,
I have small farm of about 7.5 acres near to Hyderabad. I have Mango plantation in about 4 acres. I want go for rain water harvesting to improve ground water and also to put to use the balance land for horticulture.
I have made 3 check dams across small Nallah which flows during heavy rain. It has improved availability of ground water.
Please suggest / share your experience. I am more keen to know more about Kedia Farm Pattern. The idea looks logical and promising.
Regards
Aravindkumar
I learn Agriculture office have some scheme under MNREGA for watershed management program where people can apply for and these job will be done by the jobcard holders benefiting both farmers and the labours
Kedia Farm Pattern is a for-profit organization. If you are okay to spend money, go for it.
From your query, I understand you are in need of water for putting the 3.5 acres into horticulture. May I know your current water requirement of water? How do you water your crops? Is it Drip or Flood Irrigation? What are the other options you have looked into?
You can dedicate a small portion of your land for Pond, if possible.
Rain Water Harvesting has a very good potential to fulfill your water requirements for Farming.
1 inch of Rain fall X 1 sq.ft area of your farm = 3 Litres of Rain Water per sq.ft.
Hyderabad’s Average Rainfall per year = 31 inches.
Therefore, on an average 31 inches of Rain fall x 1 sq.ft. area of your farm = 93 Litres of Rain Water per sq.ft., per year.
1 Acre = 43,560 sq.fts.
As such, 7.5 Acres = 43,560 sq.fts. x 7.5 acres = 3,26,700 sq.fts.
Therefore, Every year Rain Water Harvesting potential with your Farm Area of 7.5 Acres = 3,26,700 sq.fts. x 93 Litres of Rain Water per sq.ft.
= 3,03,83,100 Litres of Rain Water per year.
As such, per day your RWH system could provide your farm with - 3,03,83,100 Litres / 365 days = 83,241 Litres per day.
i.e. 11,099 Litres per acre / Day - (83,241 Litres per day / 7.5 acres)
RWH system is just like a Bank Account, where you can withdraw the money deposited in your account, as per your requirement, round the year.
To deposit the Rain Water for your round the year requirement, you need to charge & store this huge Rain Water quantity into ground water source via Borewell / Ringwell / Open well, Making huge water storage ponds etc. would not be advisable as it would occupy the space, Evaporation loss, possibility of contamination etc.
For Example -
If you have an existing Borewell, with per hour yield of 3,500/- litres per Hour (LPH) i.e. 84,000 Litres per day (3,500 LPH x 24 Hours), you are able to charge the Rain Water @ 3,500 LPH, as such, by charging the Rain water into the underground source you are able to augment the yield of the borewell by at least 1.5 times.
By charging the Rain Water into the underground water sources we are making Nature to Work for us.
Natures Job Human beings should not do & cannot do.
I hope the above given short summary of the RWH potential for your requirements for farming, would help.
I can make a suggestion. I initiated a similar initiative on our lands that we manage for others. I got a topo map done to find out the levels of our lands measuring about 100 acres. At the lowest point, we dug a deep trench of 100 feet by 50 feet with 15 feet of depth. We also ensured that from all the parts of the lands we have created a sloping so that water falling on the lands can be diverted to the pit. Yours is a very small piece and you too can easily do this.
In addition to the above, we have dug around the bore wells, the earth with a diameter of 10 feet and depth of also 10 feet. In the exposed pipe going underground, we made 1/4" holes and filled the excavated area with rubbles of 1/2" and packed it. When rain falls and water can be diverted towards the bore well, all water will go directly into the bore well and recharge. Try this out.
@raghavanji
Thanks for this post and currently I am in the process of making a RWH system in my farm in Periyamarai village.
I have made a 3 feet dia pit around the borewell and placed 3 feet cement rings to arrest soil movement and made slots in the borewell casing pipe.
Filter cloth is wound around this casing pipe covering the slots and I am yet to fill the pit with blue metal.
After that I’d make a canal from the high side of my farm running about 150 feet and end up into the pit. At the meeting point with the pit I’d like place a 4" cowl covered with filter cloth to filter out the mud sediments. I intend to make an outlet to allow the excess rain water to escape.
Hope this design works .
Thanks.
