Water distribution from a shallow well in a sugar cane field (Jilayus Sommutram)

Using shallow wells for crops and lowering the saline groundwater table (Thailand)

shallow well

Description

Pumping groundwater from shallow wells for agriculture can control the groundwater table in recharge areas. It helps to manage saline aquifers and reduce soil salinity. Such shallow wells range from 25 to 30 meters deep. This technology is very well-accepted by the land users.

The shallow well is a structure created in the ground by digging or drilling to access water resources. This example of shallow wells is their use in recharge areas to lower groundwater tables. The technology is a subproject of a larger LDD initiative. The technology has been promoted by the Land Development Department at Bua Yai district Nakhon Ratchasima province since 2014. The objectives of the main project are (1) to provide water resources in recharge areas for agriculture: (2) to reduce the amount of saline groundwater and (3) to set up positive economic impact measures.
The process of technology establishment comprises 1) a recharge area survey in salt-affected areas, 2) drilling shallow wells to 25-30 meters depth, 3) installing 5.5 hp gasoline pumps and testing water quality, 4) pumping groundwater and distributing it to the cultivated areas.
Shallow well technology has been implemented on the fields of Mr. Boonchu Supho, Ban Nong Mek, Moo 9, T.Dan Chang, A. Buayai, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. Mr. Boonchu Supho has 21 rai (approx. 3.4 hectares), undulating area with a 2-5% slope, situated at approx. 200 meters above sea level, with a tropical climate, and soil which is classified as being in the series of Kula Ronghai (Ki). This area is upland, and located in the recharge area. Mr. Boonchu Supho has 13 rai (approx. 2 hectares) of lowland rice fields and one shallow well.
In the past, water scarcity was the main issue with his land. Droughts resulted in water scarcity and low productivity. After excavating a shallow well in 2014, groundwater was used for 19 rai of cultivation. Due to soil salinity reduction, rice yields increased to 590 kg/rai (approx. 3700 kg/ha: an increase of approx. 47.4%). Sugar cane yield increased to 30 ton/rai. Moreover, land users can use land more efficiently with mixed plantations of banana, pineapples, sweet bamboo, chilies, galangal and lemongrass to generate income. Even with a drought in 2018, his land had enough water for cultivation, while rice fields in the surrounding area faced water scarcity problem.
In conclusion, the benefits of the shallow well are 1) lowering the groundwater table and reducing salinity, 2) enhancing rice and sugar cane yields, 3) ability to cultivate throughout the year and 4) better soil properties and a better environment. However, the disadvantage of the shallow well is that farmers have to pay for electricity (around 1,200 THB/ 9 months or 10,800 THB/year).

Location

Location: Ban Koksa-ard Moo 10 T.Danchang, A.Buayai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand

No. of Technology sites analysed: single site

Geo-reference of selected sites
  • 318342.40359, 15.6126

Spread of the Technology:

In a permanently protected area?:

Date of implementation: 2014; less than 10 years ago (recently)

Type of introduction
Water distribution from a shallow well in sugar cane (Jilayus Sommutram)
Water distribution from a shallow well in rice field (Jilayus Sommutram)

Classification of the Technology

Main purpose
  • improve production
  • reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
  • conserve ecosystem
  • protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies
  • preserve/ improve biodiversity
  • reduce risk of disasters
  • adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
  • mitigate climate change and its impacts
  • create beneficial economic impact
  • create beneficial social impact
  • prevents soil salinity and to lower the groundwater table on recharge area
Land use
Land use mixed within the same land unit: Nee

  • Cropland
    • Annual cropping: cereals - rice (wetland), vegetables - other
    • Perennial (non-woody) cropping: banana/plantain/abaca, pineapple, sugar cane
    • vegetable
    Number of growing seasons per year: 2
    Is intercropping practiced? Nee
    Is crop rotation practiced? Nee
  • Waterways, waterbodies, wetlands - Main products/ services: shallow well

Water supply
  • rainfed
  • mixed rainfed-irrigated
  • full irrigation
  • shallow well
Purpose related to land degradation
  • prevent land degradation
  • reduce land degradation
  • restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land
  • adapt to land degradation
  • not applicable
Degradation addressed
  • chemical soil deterioration - Cs: salinization/ alkalinization
  • physical soil deterioration - Pc: compaction, Pk: slaking and crusting
  • biological degradation - Bc: reduction of vegetation cover, Bq: quantity/ biomass decline, Bl: loss of soil life
  • water degradation - Hq: decline of groundwater quality
SLM group
  • rotational systems (crop rotation, fallows, shifting cultivation)
  • ground water management
  • desalination
SLM measures
  • agronomic measures - A1: Vegetation/ soil cover, A2: Organic matter/ soil fertility
  • structural measures - S11: Others

Technical drawing

Technical specifications
None
Author: Mr.Jilayus Sommutram

Establishment and maintenance: activities, inputs and costs

Calculation of inputs and costs
  • Costs are calculated: per Technology area (size and area unit: 21 rai own by one selected land user....(e.g. 24 acres, 4.5 hectares); conversion factor to one hectare: 1 ha = 1 hectare =…6.25 rai)
  • Currency used for cost calculation: THB
  • Exchange rate (to USD): 1 USD = n.a THB
  • Average wage cost of hired labour per day: 300 THB
Most important factors affecting the costs
Cost of shallow wells implementation at the 1st year consists of 100,000 THB of labor hiring, equipment, and installation. Besides, land users have to pay 2,500 THB for farm pond construction The expenditure at the 1st year in 2014, pumping groundwater needs to use electricity 8 hours/ 270 day. The amount of water pumping has distributed to 13 rai of rice fields, 1.5 rai of sugar cane fields, 1 rai of chilies, galangal and lemongrass fields. The expenditure at the 1st year with 19 rai is 42,050 THB combine with electricity charge 10,800 THB. Thus, the grand total of expenditure is 52,850 THB. The income from crop production at 1st year, land users sold rice yield and got 109,200 THB (the average amount of yield is 560 kg/rai, totally gain yield is 7,280 kg, price of rice yield is 15 THB/kg). Land users got 40,500 THB from sugar cane production (the average amount of yield is 30 ton/rai, totally gain yield is 45 ton, price of sugar cane yield is 900 THB/ton). Moreover, land users also got 2,000 THB/month or 24,000 THB/year from chilies, galangal, and lemongrass production. Thus, the grand total of income is 173,700 THB and net income is 120,850 THB Cost and income at 2nd year in 2015 are described as following; The expenditure at 2nd year in 2015, pumping groundwater needs to use electricity 8 hours/ 270 day. The amount of water pumping has distributed to 13 rai of rice fields, 1.5 rai of sugar cane fields, 1 rai of sweet bamboo, 1 rai of chilies, galangal and lemongrass fields and 0.5 rai of reed fields. The expenditure at the 2nd year is 40,475 THB combine with electricity charge 10,800 THB and 2,000 THB of water pump modifying fee Thus, the grand total of expenditure is 51,275 THB. The income from crop production at the 2nd year, land users sold rice yield and got 109,200 THB (the average amount of yield is 560 kg/rai, totally gain yield is 7,280 kg, price of rice yield is 15 THB/kg). Land users got 40,500 THB from sugar cane production (the average amount of yield is 30 ton/rai, totally gain yield is 45 ton, price of sugar cane yield is 900 THB/ton). Moreover, land users also got 3,500 THB/month or 42,000 THB/year from reed, sweet bamboo, chilies, galanga, and lemongrass production. Thus, the grand total of income is 191,700 THB and net income is 140,425 THB The expenditure at the 3rd year in 2016, pumping groundwater needs to use electricity 8 hours/ 270 day. The amount of water pumping has distributed to 13 rai of rice fields, 1.5 rai of sugar cane fields, 1 rai of sweet bamboo, 1 rai of chilies, galangal and lemongrass fields and 1 rai of reed fields and 0.5 rai of reed. The expenditure at the 3rd year is 40,800 THB combine with electricity charge 10,800 THB and 2,000 THB of water pump modifying fee Thus, the grand total of expenditure is 51,600 THB. The income from crop production at 3rd year, land users sold rice yield and got 109,200 THB (the average amount of yield is 560 kg/rai, totally gain yield is 7,280 kg, price of rice yield is 15 THB/kg). Land users got 40,500 THB from sugar cane production (the average amount of yield is 30 ton/rai, totally gain yield is 45 ton, price of sugar cane yield is 900 THB/ton). Moreover, land users also got 3,500 THB/month or 42,000 THB/year from reed, sweet bamboo, chilies, galangal, and lemongrass production. Thus, the grand total of income is 191,700 THB and net income is 140,100 THB The expenditure at the 4th year in 2017, pumping groundwater needs to use electricity 8 hours/ 270 day. The amount of water pumping has distributed to 13 rai of rice fields, 1.5 rai of sugar cane fields, 1 rai of sweet bamboo, 1 rai of chilies, galangal and lemongrass fields and 1 rai of reed fields and 0.5 rai of reed. The expenditure at the 4th year is 37,125 THB combine with electricity charge 10,800 THB and 2,000 THB of water pump modifying fee Thus, the grand total of expenditure is 47,925 THB. The income from crop production at 4th year, land users sold rice yield and got 109,200 THB (the average amount of yield is 560 kg/rai, totally gain yield is 7,280 kg, price of rice yield is 15 THB/kg). Land users got 40,500 THB from sugar cane production (the average amount of yield is 30 ton/rai, totally gain yield is 45 ton, price of sugar cane yield is 900 THB/ton). Moreover, land users also got 3,500 THB/month or 42,000 THB/year from reed, sweet bamboo, chilies, galangal, and lemongrass production. Thus, the grand total of income is 191,700 THB and net income is 143,775 THB The expenditure at the 5th year in 2018, pumping groundwater needs to use electricity 8 hours/ 270 day. The amount of water pumping has distributed to 13 rai of rice fields, 1.5 rai of sugar cane fields, 1 rai of sweet bamboo, 1 rai of banana, 1 rai of chilies, galangal and lemongrass fields,1 rai of reed
Establishment activities
  1. To drilling shallow well with 25-30 meters depth (Timing/ frequency: January 2014)
  2. Sugar fields (Timing/ frequency: May 2014, 2016, 2018)
  3. Pineapple fields (Timing/ frequency: May 2018)
  4. Banana fields (Timing/ frequency: May 2014)
  5. Reed fields (Timing/ frequency: May 2015)
  6. Sweet bamboo fields (Timing/ frequency: May 2015)
  7. Chillies, galangal and lemon grass fields (Timing/ frequency: May 2014-2018)
  8. Rice fields (Timing/ frequency: June 2014-2018)
Establishment inputs and costs (per 21 rai own by one selected land user....(e.g. 24 acres, 4.5 hectares))
Specify input Unit Quantity Costs per Unit (THB) Total costs per input (THB) % of costs borne by land users
Labour
Costs of labor for sugarcane cultivation puddle 1.0 2500.0 2500.0
Costs of labor for rice cultivation. rai 13.0 1150.0 14950.0
Costs of labor for sugar cane cultivation. rai 1.5 1200.0 1800.0
Costs of labor for pineapple cultivation. rai 1.0 1200.0 1200.0
Equipment
Costs of labor for Banana cultivation rai 1.0 600.0 600.0
Costs of labor for Papyrus cultivation. rai 0.5 900.0 450.0
Costs of labor for Sweet bamboo cultivation. rai 1.0 600.0 600.0
Costs of labor for Chilli, galangal, lemon grass cultivation rai 1.0 900.0 900.0
Cost of shallow water well drilling equipment puddle 1.0 100000.0 100000.0
Plant material
Bud seedling sugarcane seedling 2250.0 0.9 2025.0
Bud seedling Pineapple seedling 2500.0 2.0 5000.0
Bud seedling Banana seedling 100.0 10.0 1000.0
Bud seedling Papyrus seedling 3000.0 0.2 600.0
Fertilizers and biocides
Bud seedling sweet bamboo seedling 25.0 80.0 2000.0
Bud seedling Chilli, galangal, lemon grass seedling 2000.0 1.0 2000.0
Seedling rice KDML105 seedling 65.0 25.0 1625.0
Chemical fertilizer 15-15-15 kg 300.0 13.0 3900.0
Chicken manure kg 2000.0 2.0 4000.0
Other
Electricity charge hr 240.0 5.0 1200.0
Machinery rai 19.0 500.0 9500.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology 155'850.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD 155'850.0
Maintenance activities
  1. Maintenance (Timing/ frequency: 1 Times/year)
  2. Electricity charge (Timing/ frequency: 1 Times/month)
Maintenance inputs and costs (per 21 rai own by one selected land user....(e.g. 24 acres, 4.5 hectares))
Specify input Unit Quantity Costs per Unit (THB) Total costs per input (THB) % of costs borne by land users
Equipment
electricity charge,5 baht per unit 8 hours per day, 360 days / year time 2880.0 5.0 14400.0
Machinery time 1.0 2000.0 2000.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology 16'400.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD 16'400.0

Natural environment

Average annual rainfall
  • < 250 mm
  • 251-500 mm
  • 501-750 mm
  • 751-1,000 mm
  • 1,001-1,500 mm
  • 1,501-2,000 mm
  • 2,001-3,000 mm
  • 3,001-4,000 mm
  • > 4,000 mm
Agro-climatic zone
  • humid
  • sub-humid
  • semi-arid
  • arid
Specifications on climate
Average annual rainfall in mm: 1084.0
Average annual rainfall from 2008-2013
Name of the meteorological station: Meteorological Department
Temperatures average 13-39 degrees Celsius, average relative humidity 55-89.%
Slope
  • flat (0-2%)
  • gentle (3-5%)
  • moderate (6-10%)
  • rolling (11-15%)
  • hilly (16-30%)
  • steep (31-60%)
  • very steep (>60%)
Landforms
  • plateau/plains
  • ridges
  • mountain slopes
  • hill slopes
  • footslopes
  • valley floors
Altitude
  • 0-100 m a.s.l.
  • 101-500 m a.s.l.
  • 501-1,000 m a.s.l.
  • 1,001-1,500 m a.s.l.
  • 1,501-2,000 m a.s.l.
  • 2,001-2,500 m a.s.l.
  • 2,501-3,000 m a.s.l.
  • 3,001-4,000 m a.s.l.
  • > 4,000 m a.s.l.
Technology is applied in
  • convex situations
  • concave situations
  • not relevant
Soil depth
  • very shallow (0-20 cm)
  • shallow (21-50 cm)
  • moderately deep (51-80 cm)
  • deep (81-120 cm)
  • very deep (> 120 cm)
Soil texture (topsoil)
  • coarse/ light (sandy)
  • medium (loamy, silty)
  • fine/ heavy (clay)
Soil texture (> 20 cm below surface)
  • coarse/ light (sandy)
  • medium (loamy, silty)
  • fine/ heavy (clay)
Topsoil organic matter content
  • high (>3%)
  • medium (1-3%)
  • low (<1%)
Groundwater table
  • on surface
  • < 5 m
  • 5-50 m
  • > 50 m
Availability of surface water
  • excess
  • good
  • medium
  • poor/ none
Water quality (untreated)
  • good drinking water
  • poor drinking water (treatment required)
  • for agricultural use only (irrigation)
  • unusable
Water quality refers to: ground water
Is salinity a problem?
  • Ja
  • Nee

Occurrence of flooding
  • Ja
  • Nee
Species diversity
  • high
  • medium
  • low
Habitat diversity
  • high
  • medium
  • low

Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Market orientation
  • subsistence (self-supply)
  • mixed (subsistence/ commercial)
  • commercial/ market
Off-farm income
  • less than 10% of all income
  • 10-50% of all income
  • > 50% of all income
Relative level of wealth
  • very poor
  • poor
  • average
  • rich
  • very rich
Level of mechanization
  • manual work
  • animal traction
  • mechanized/ motorized
Sedentary or nomadic
  • Sedentary
  • Semi-nomadic
  • Nomadic
Individuals or groups
  • individual/ household
  • groups/ community
  • cooperative
  • employee (company, government)
Gender
  • women
  • men
Age
  • children
  • youth
  • middle-aged
  • elderly
Area used per household
  • < 0.5 ha
  • 0.5-1 ha
  • 1-2 ha
  • 2-5 ha
  • 5-15 ha
  • 15-50 ha
  • 50-100 ha
  • 100-500 ha
  • 500-1,000 ha
  • 1,000-10,000 ha
  • > 10,000 ha
Scale
  • small-scale
  • medium-scale
  • large-scale
Land ownership
  • state
  • company
  • communal/ village
  • group
  • individual, not titled
  • individual, titled
Land use rights
  • open access (unorganized)
  • communal (organized)
  • leased
  • individual
Water use rights
  • open access (unorganized)
  • communal (organized)
  • leased
  • individual
  • Rainfed.
Access to services and infrastructure
health

poor
good
education

poor
good
technical assistance

poor
good
employment (e.g. off-farm)

poor
good
markets

poor
good
energy

poor
good
roads and transport

poor
good
drinking water and sanitation

poor
good
financial services

poor
good

Impacts

Socio-economic impacts
Crop production
decreased
increased

crop quality
decreased
increased

risk of production failure
increased
decreased

product diversity
decreased
increased

production area (new land under cultivation/ use)
decreased
increased

drinking water availability
decreased
increased

drinking water quality
decreased
increased

water availability for livestock
decreased
increased

expenses on agricultural inputs
increased
decreased

farm income
decreased
increased

workload
increased
decreased

Socio-cultural impacts
food security/ self-sufficiency
reduced
improved

health situation
worsened
improved

land use/ water rights
worsened
improved

cultural opportunities (eg spiritual, aesthetic, others)
reduced
improved

recreational opportunities
reduced
improved

community institutions
weakened
strengthened

national institutions
weakened
strengthened

SLM/ land degradation knowledge
reduced
improved

conflict mitigation
worsened
improved

situation of socially and economically disadvantaged groups (gender, age, status, ehtnicity etc.)
worsened
improved

Ecological impacts
water quantity
decreased
increased

water quality
decreased
increased

harvesting/ collection of water (runoff, dew, snow, etc)
reduced
improved

surface runoff
increased
decreased

excess water drainage
reduced
improved

groundwater table/ aquifer
lowered
recharge

evaporation
increased
decreased

soil moisture
decreased
increased

soil cover
reduced
improved

soil loss
increased
decreased

soil accumulation
decreased
increased

soil crusting/ sealing
increased
reduced

soil compaction
increased
reduced

nutrient cycling/ recharge
decreased
increased

salinity
increased
decreased

soil organic matter/ below ground C
decreased
increased

acidity
increased
reduced

vegetation cover
decreased
increased

biomass/ above ground C
decreased
increased

plant diversity
decreased
increased

invasive alien species
increased
reduced

animal diversity
decreased
increased

beneficial species (predators, earthworms, pollinators)
decreased
increased

habitat diversity
decreased
increased

pest/ disease control
decreased
increased

flood impacts
increased
decreased

landslides/ debris flows
increased
decreased

drought impacts
increased
decreased

impacts of cyclones, rain storms
increased
decreased

emission of carbon and greenhouse gases
increased
decreased

fire risk
increased
decreased

wind velocity
increased
decreased

micro-climate
worsened
improved

Off-site impacts
water availability (groundwater, springs)
decreased
increased

reliable and stable stream flows in dry season (incl. low flows)
reduced
increased

downstream flooding (undesired)
increased
reduced

downstream siltation
increased
decreased

groundwater/ river pollution
increased
reduced

buffering/ filtering capacity (by soil, vegetation, wetlands)
reduced
improved

wind transported sediments
increased
reduced

damage on neighbours' fields
increased
reduced

damage on public/ private infrastructure
increased
reduced

impact of greenhouse gases
increased
reduced

Cost-benefit analysis

Benefits compared with establishment costs
Short-term returns
very negative
very positive

Long-term returns
very negative
very positive

Benefits compared with maintenance costs
Short-term returns
very negative
very positive

Long-term returns
very negative
very positive

Land users to pay a 2,000 baht machinery as a long-term investment to operate for several years and pay the electric fee for water pumping but land users can have 10,800 THB and the revenue daily, monthly and annually and reduce costs in the household

Climate change

-

Adoption and adaptation

Percentage of land users in the area who have adopted the Technology
  • single cases/ experimental
  • 1-10%
  • 11-50%
  • > 50%
Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many have done so without receiving material incentives?
  • 0-10%
  • 11-50%
  • 51-90%
  • 91-100%
Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?
  • Ja
  • Nee
To which changing conditions?
  • climatic change/ extremes
  • changing markets
  • labour availability (e.g. due to migration)
  • changing practice
Land users have modified water pump machine by use electric pump instead of a gasoline pump

Conclusions and lessons learnt

Strengths: land user's view
  • Reduce soil salinity
  • Save money by bringing rice and vegetables grown into household food.
  • Increase sales revenue, rice, sugarcane, pineapple, Papyrus, banana, lemongrass, galangal, chili, and sweet bamboo.
  • Save money by bringing rice and vegetables grown into household food.
Strengths: compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
  • Pumping water from shallow wells for agricultural use, can reduce groundwater table and prevent salinity that is a great measure on land degradation mitigation
  • The land user can have food from plant production from their farms. The land user can reduce household expenses. Left to sell, resulting in a daily, monthly and annual income and make a better life.
  • Biodiversity enhancement, there are many plants and living things such as earthworms, birds, fish, frogs, and insects. This is resulting in a balanced ecosystem.
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: land user's viewhow to overcome
  • After one year of shallow wells implemented, land users must take care and maintain shallow wells as usual. Make an agreement on taking care of shallow wells after implemented.
  • None To inform LDD when something is wrong
Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks: compiler’s or other key resource person’s viewhow to overcome
  • Other land users who are not participating. will not get knowledge about the use of shallow well to reduce the level of underground water. LDD staff / Land users participating in the project to advise or educate other farmers on how to join the project.

References

Compiler
  • Kaewjai Oechaiyaphum
Editors
Reviewer
  • William Critchley
  • Pitayakon Limtong
  • Rima Mekdaschi Studer
  • Samran Sombatpanit
  • Joana Eichenberger
Date of documentation: Feb. 19, 2019
Last update: Des. 5, 2022
Resource persons
Full description in the WOCAT database
Linked SLM data
Documentation was faciliated by
Institution Project
Key references
  • Evaluate the project using water from shallow wells to prevent. Distribution of saline soil as farmers participate in Bua Yai District,Nakhon Ratchasima Province (Kamolthip Sasithorn: 2017: http://www.ldd.go.th
  • Study of groundwater level changes to rice production in an integrated saline soil development project area, Bua Yai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province (Bowon Buakhao: 2017): http://www.ldd.go.th
Links to relevant information which is available online
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareaAlike 4.0 International