WATER RESOURCES CONSERVATION THROUGH WATERSHED DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN NE HILLY REGIONS - A CASE STUDY

摘要

An attempt has been made on one of the small agricultural watersheds (168.76 ha) of Arunachal Pradesh State in North Eastern (NE) Region of India where it was treated with soil and water conservation measures and was evaluated for its runoff characteristics. It was observed that the peak rate of runoff produced from the treated watershed was considerably low (17.24 m~3/s) compared to the same period when the watershed was untreated (30.47 m~3/s). This reduction of runoff, estimated at 42.9%, was considered as one of the prime reasons contributed by series of such watersheds causing floods to the lower valley regions or the deltaic plains. Besides, it improved the water yield in the stream in the post monsoon periods (October to February) which was stored in an excavated water harvesting pond and utilized for water need of the crops grown in winter season.