1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Onsite and Offsite Benefits of SLM

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) - Nepal

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Einvironment & Development (G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Einvironment & Development) - India

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Ja

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

Nee

Comments:

Like any tool, one needs to use and apply it appropriately. Land users and SLM specialists have admitted that these technologies can be ineffective depending on number, design and site selection for implementation. Recharge ponds and trenches could potentially cause soil disturbance and subsequent land degradation if such measures are not carefully considered by the users.

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches (documented using WOCAT)

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

Recharge ponds (Chaals or khals) and recharge trenches (khanti) are common methods to catch the surface runoff and increase the infiltration to recharge groundwater and aid in natural spring recharge in the middle mountain regions.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

1. The recharge ponds and trenches have been applied in mountainous community forests. There have been about 60 trenches, 1 large and 4 small recharge ponds constructed in the specific sites in the community forest of Naikina. These are ideal areas to implement these technologies, as they encompass the microwatershed/springsheds of 3 springs.

a. Recharge ponds are circular or rectangular dugout structures which were constructed a natural depression area on sloping land. The standard size is usually as follows: Length =3 m, Width =3 m and Depth = 0.7 m, with site specific modifications. Water feeder channels which flow to the ponds helps to harvest additional surface flow. The walls are not vertical but have a 45 degree slope to prevent cave in.

b.Recharge trenches are small rectangular structures of typical dimensions: Length=1.5 m, Width= 1m , Depth= 0.7 m, constructed on sloping land in a staggered manner. The slope of the walls should be not more than 45 degrees, and the size of the trenches and their spacing depends on the slope of the land. In higher slope areas, one should construct smaller staggered trenches with closer spacing. These are generally made in high rainfall areas, as there is an increased danger of overflow. In staggered trenching, the trenches are located directly below one another in alternate rows and in a staggered fashion. These may be 2 m to 3 m long and the spacing between the rows may vary from 3 m to 5 m.

2. Aims/Objectives: The central focus of the technology is water conservation and harvesting of surplus monsoon runoff to recharge groundwater reservoirs, which is otherwise going un-utilized. Additionally, land degradation by water erosion is decreased due to slowing of runoff and increased soil infiltration. Water erosion after intense rainfall affects both onsite and offsite sites, causing soil displacement, increased frequency of landslides, damage to vegetation, agriculture land, and village settlements.

3. Methods: Due to decreased spring discharge in the dry season and high dependency on the springs for drinking water (humans and livestock), the community has implemented these technologies within in catchment areas of 3 essential springs (Bhind, Vaishnavi, and Bagawoti) in the last 3 years.

4. Stages of Implementation: Awareness building, community mobilization, and central planning was done by the head of the Forest Council (Gram Panchayat), Mr. Jagdamba Joshi. Recharge pond and trench construction was done over the course of a month by different villagers that were available to participate. They were incentivized to work with a small compensation of 5.30 USD (400 INR)/day. Activities and inputs included time and manual labor (about 3 days for the large recharge pond, 0.5-1 day for each of the small recharge ponds, and 4 days for 60 recharge trenches) and appropriate land-use planning and management. Primarily, the strategic construction of these technologies and selection in appropriate springshed recharge/catchment areas has led their success. The structures have been placed below the pine forest, (which generates high runoff) and reside in a restored broadleaf forest, which acts like a sponge to retain the runoff water flowing down from the pine forest above. The ponds lies in a natural, leveled depression with gentle slopes around. Broadleaf/oak dominated forest areas have been increasingly supported as technology construction sites, as the placement further improves of groundwater recharge.

To assure long-term effectiveness, maintenance and re-digging of the recharge ponds and trenches is carried out by villagers annually, pre-monsoon.

5. Gram Panchayat, Mr. Joshi has played a key role in informing the villagers of technology design, function and importance for supporting the community forest and subsequent spring recharge. He has previous knowledge of the application of these technologies through first-hand experiences working in the army. The villagers were solely responsible for construction with Mr. Joshi's guidance. The men were mainly responsible for making recharge ponds and the women dug trenches and removed weeds.

6) Technology benefits/impacts acknowledged by the community: moisture conservation, long-term groundwater recharge, spring recharge, reduction of soil-water erosion, improved infiltration and support for vegetation cover and broadleaf/oak forest.

Like: Relatively simple and inexpensive, little external inputs required, effective in short and long-term (provided site appropriate selection and regular seasonal rainfall)

Dislike: Drudgery, time consuming, maintenance required, distance (site of implementation may also be far from village).

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

Indicate year of implementation:

2016

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through land users' innovation
• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

Mr. Jagdamba Joshi's self-started initiative in his community can be attributed to his personal work experience. While serving in the army, he was trained to build ponds and trenches. Through his own observations and perception of these technologies, he was certain they would help support the depleting groundwater.

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• conserve ecosystem
• protect a watershed/ downstream areas – in combination with other Technologies
• reduce risk of disasters
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• create beneficial social impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Land use mixed within the same land unit:

Ja

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• No (Continue with question 3.4)

3.4 Water supply

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• rainfed

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• water harvesting

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• reduce land degradation
• restore/ rehabilitate severely degraded land

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology unit

other/ national currency (specify):

INR

If relevant, indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (e.g. 1 USD = 79.9 Brazilian Real): 1 USD =:

70.0

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Plan designed by administrative committee of Van Panchayat	Winter 2016
2.	For technology construction, groups of men and women (8 total per group) were established with their planned working days	Pre-monsoon 2016
3.	Trenches and recharge ponds were dug on a rotation system by the groups on different days	Pre-monsoon 2016
4.	Compensation was given to participants upon completion of the project after 20 days work.	Pre-monsoon 2016

4.4 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Community manual labor	person-days	120.0	400.0	48000.0	100.0
Equipment	pick	pieces	5.0	300.0	1500.0	100.0
Equipment	shovel	pieces	5.0	500.0	2500.0	100.0
Equipment	pharuwa (hoe)	pieces	4.0	300.0	1200.0	100.0
Equipment	khanti (digging bar)	pieces	3.0	1500.0	4500.0	100.0
Equipment	hammer	pieces	3.0	2000.0	6000.0	100.0
Equipment	small hammer	pieces	3.0	300.0	900.0	100.0
Equipment	chino (chisel)	pieces	4.0	500.0	2000.0	100.0
Construction material	Rocks excavated on site
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					66600.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology in USD					951.43

Comments:

On average 4 people worked on establishing the technology/day = 400 x 4 = 1600 (labor cost/day)
1600 x 30 days = 48,000 Total Cost

4.5 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Timing/ frequency
1.	Monitoring of the area for any damages or maintenance required	Weekly
2.	Clearing of debris or filled sediment in pond/trenches/channel	Pre monsoon

4.6 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Maintenance Labor	person-days	4.0	1600.0	6400.0	100.0
Equipment	Communal equipment (see above for costs)
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					6400.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology in USD					91.43

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

-Amount of siltation accumulated in the recharge structures (more debris/soil accumulation requires more maintenance and labor days)
-Labor availability

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• concave situations

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Average Altitude of evaluated sites: 1850m
Average Slope: 25%

5.3 Soils

If available, attach full soil description or specify the available information, e.g. soil type, soil PH/ acidity, Cation Exchange Capacity, nitrogen, salinity etc.

Mountain/hill soils are a collective name given to various types of soils found under the following conditions :
-under sub-tropical, temperate and sub-alpine conditions
-under various forest types

Characteristics: very thin, fertile, and may be less than a centimeter deep on steep slopes; they are mixed with pebbles, shingles (a mass of small rounded pebbles), and gravels; they have a low-medium water holding capacity. Angular and subangular fragments of parent rock may be found mixed with the lower layers of the mountain and hill soils.

Texture: varies from loamy to sandy loam.
Soil Reaction: ranges from acidic to neutral (pH 4.6 to 6.5)
Organic Matter content: 1-5%

Ferrugenous red roils are found in this district and are well developed over Himalayan rocks (quartzite, biotite schist, amphibolite schist). They are free of carbonates and deficient in nitrogen, humus and phosphorus, light textured, porous, and friable (brittle/crumbly). The soil depth ranges from about 10cm-75 cm. These soils may be grouped into two on basis of morphology

1. Red earths- loose, friable topsoil rich in secondary concretions (hard, compact mass of matter formed by the precipitation of mineral cement within the spaces between particles, and is found in sedimentary rock or soil)
2. Red loam- argillaceous soils having a blocky structure (argillaceous minerals may appear silvery upon optical reflection and are minerals containing substantial amounts of clay-like components, e.g. argillaceous limestones are limestones consisting predominantly of calcium carbonate, but including 10-40% of clay minerals)

Brown soil: is found particularly under dense broadleaved temperate and sub-alpine forests. There occurs a thick layer of humus on the forest floor (made of decomposed leaves, branches, twigs) and the topsoil is extremely rich in humus

Podsolic Soil: soil that has developed in humid/temperate conditions usually under coniferous forests (e.g. deodar, blue pine, fir, spruce) over quartzite, granites, schists and gneiss.

(Citation: Kumaun: The Land and the People, Sharad Singh Negi (1993)

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

Nee

Is flooding of the area occurring?

Nee

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Quantity: Water crisis has been a perennial problem in both the rural and urban areas of the Pithoragarh district
There is scarcity of safe drinking water of the villages in the study area. Hand pumps are often not functioning, pipe-water schemes are unreliable and the spring discharges have reduced during the dry season. Hand-pumped water often has a high iron content and bitter taste. Poor quality of groundwater in some of the naulas is mainly due to misuse and/or disuse of the structures.

A block-district groundwater resource estimation could not be carried out as the area is hilly (with slope >20%) and in major part aquifers are small, isolated bodies, and groundwater abstraction is done mainly through hand pumps and springs with small discharges.

However, we collected some physicochemical parameters that indicate the water (sourced from springs) is of good quality:

Water Quality Parameters of Springs:
pH: 6.29-8.18
Temp: 19.0-23.5 ºC
Electrical Conductivity: 109-504 µmsiemens
Total Dissolved Solids: 75-385 ppm

Other Parameters (from springs of nearby district, Champawat)
Electrical Conductivity: 127-222 µmsiemens
pH: 7.69-8.24
Calcium: 16-36 mg/l
Magnesium: 4.9-7.3 mg/l
Bicarbonate: 61-134 mg/l
Chloride: 5.3- 8.9 mg/l
Total Hardness as CaCO3: 70-110 mg/l

Source: Government of India Ministry of Water Resources, Central Ground Water Board, 2009 Groundwater Brochure of Champawat District (2009

5.5 Biodiversity

Comments and further specifications on biodiversity:

Uttarakhand has more than 7000 species of medicinal plants and 500 species of fauna. Floral diversity contributes 31% of total floral density of India. Fauna contributes just 1.58% of the total faunal density of the country. There are 119 endemic species of flowering plants in the state that exhibited 2.35% endemism and 35 faunal endemic species. Because it lies at the juncture of India, Nepal and the Tibeten Autononmous region, there often cases of poaching and smuggling of wildlife contrabands, including bear bile, musk pods and leopard skins through the borders. Yarsa Gumba Ophiocordyceps sinensis, commonly known as Caterpillar Fungus, is also illegally traded transboundary in the region, together with various plant species. Due to anthropogenic impacts, changes is soil quality, and climatic elements, the biodiversity of our study site is not as high as in other areas of the Pithoragarh district.

Citation: Sundriyal, M. & Sharma, B. (2016). Status of Biodiversity in Central Himalaya, Applied Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 4( 2), 37-43.

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

5.7 Average area of land used by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• communal/ village

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)

Water use rights:

• open access (unorganized)
• communal (organized)

Are land use rights based on a traditional legal system?

Ja

Specify:

Under the Kumaun Panchayat forest rules of 1931 (amended in 1976): the Van Panchayat (community forest council) is formed out of non-private land within the settlement boundaries of a village. Accordingly, all villagers are members of the VP upon their approval by a Sub-Divisional Magistrate under the state Revenue Department. The members are collectively referred to as the general body, which selects the management committee members through a democratic process.

Comments:

5-9 elected members assume control of the forest and the extent of villager use. They additionally raise funds and mobilize the village to protect and support sustainable land use. Presently 12,089 Van Panchayats are entrusted with the management of over 5,449.64 km2 of forests.

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

Comments:

The situation of infrastructure is difficult and inconsistent in the hill regions because of the terrain. The major infrastructural issues are drinking water and irrigation facilities, electricity, transportation and communication facilities and social infrastructure (housing and education). As for financial services, only the State Bank of India (SBI) is active in the hill regions where it is trying to achieve the objective of 100% financial inclusion. Some villages mentioned buying into into agricultural insurance in the past, however this was a temporary enterprise and they were never compensated after extreme climatic events that occurred and damaged over 70% of their crop.

Though infrastructure and education has generally improved over the years, institutional and marketing networks in the region aimed at supporting hill-farmers are lacking.

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	well
annual rainfall		decrease	moderately
other gradual climate change	Intensity of rainfall in wet season	increase	well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local rainstorm	very well
local thunderstorm	well
local hailstorm	well
local snowstorm	not known
local windstorm	well

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
heatwave	well
drought	well
forest fire	well

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
flash flood	moderately
landslide	moderately

Comments:

The functionality of the technology depends on its maintenance. For example, after an extreme hydrological event such as a rainstorm, the trenches and ponds can fill up with sediment and debris. If the structures are not maintained and reconstructed after such damaging events, they lose their purpose.

Similarly, if there is no rain and extreme drought, the structure may be intact with no maintenance. However with no water to collect, the technology has little use.

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

Comments:

Due to these interventions, spring discharge has improved in the dry season. As villagers are highly reliant on these springs, this has had a huge impact on the community. Establishment and maintenance costs are extremely low compared to the benefits.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 11-50%

If available, quantify (no. of households and/ or area covered):

In combination with the efforts of the Uttarakhand Forrest Department, under the Tata Water Mission (an initiative of Tata Trusts) 312 villages (out of 1,724) in Pithoragarh district have successfully implemented springshed management projects. They adopted a catchment area approach by identifying sources of springs, understanding their history and reason for decreased discharge before identifying areas that need to be rejuvenated.

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 0-10%

Comments:

Land users received an incentive of 5.30 USD (400INR), which is provided by funds that lie in the joint account between the Van Panchayat and the Uttarakhand State Forest Department. The community has limited access to these funds, and consent is needed to withdraw money for community forest related activities. Due to the time and drudgery to establish the technologies in the appropriate zone (usually far from the village, in the upper catchment area), many villagers will not willingly go out digging trenches and recharge ponds in the forest without incentives or exemplary evidence that these structures will give tangible or immediate benefits.

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

Ja

If yes, indicate to which changing conditions it was adapted:

• climatic change/ extremes

Specify adaptation of the Technology (design, material/ species, etc.):

Water channels were made to direct runoff into the large recharge pond.

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Reduces erosion, improves catchment of runoff, increases groundwater availability and aids in spring recharge.
Supports soil quality and broadleaf forest growth through increased infiltration, improved soil moisture and water availability.
Reduces impact of landslides and further downstream damage to settlements (water erosion, siltation)

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Views aligned with land user

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Structural damage of technologies due to extreme hydrological events	Maintenance after such events and application of vegetative measures to complement. Combine with conservation practices like mulching to aid infiltration and deceleration of runoff speed.
Function of technologies are lost when there is no rainfall	In general, biological interventions are necessary to aid groundwater recharge in the area. However, due to increased vegetation cover, soil moisture and available organic matter can be conserved in times of drought.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Function of the technologies can be compromised with inappropriate design, site selection, or quantification of the area necessary for significant groundwater recharge (e.g. amount of recharge pond and trenches).	Training and awareness about the limitations of this technology should be known and made aware by supporting agencies. Selection of catchment areas for springsheds and catchment calculations need to be assessed. Additionally, onsite experts should be provided during implementation.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

Dhara Vikas Handbook: A User Manual for Springshed Development to Revive Himalayan Springs

URL:

https://www.indiawaterportal.org/news/dhara-vikas-handbook-user-manual-springshed-development-revive-himalayan-springs

Title/ description:

Protocol for Reviving Springs in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: A Practitioner’s Manual

URL:

http://lib.icimod.org/record/34040/files/SpringManual04-2018.pdf

Title/ description:

Reviving Dying Springs: Climate Change Adaptation Experiments From the Sikkim Himalaya

URL:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273670290_Reviving_Dying_Springs_Climate_Change_Adaptation_Experiments_From_the_Sikkim_Himalaya

Title/ description:

Assessing Landscape Restoration Opportunities for Uttarakhand, June 2018

URL:

https://www.iucn.org/sites/dev/files/content/documents/uttarakhand_restoration_opportunities_assessment_report_june_20181.pdf

Title/ description:

Stories of Success- narratives from a sacred land

URL:

http://lib.icimod.org/record/32844/files/SuccessStory.pdf