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

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

Onsite and Offsite Benefits of SLM

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

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

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Approach (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

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

18/06/2019

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

Yes

1.4 Reference(s) to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Technologies

2.1 Short description of the Approach

Naulas are shallow, four-sided stepped wells designed to collect water from subterranean seepages or springs and are used to meet domestic water needs by the local communities. Naula management and conservation encompasses a range of activities that preserve their structure and function.

2.2 Detailed description of the Approach

Detailed description of the Approach:

Naulas are imperative sources of natural seepage of drinking water and are considered the most important hydraulic structures to the villages in hill regions of Uttarakhand. They appear as a dry stone masonry structure, normally with a four-sided (rectangle or square) shape with stairs on all the sides and are commonly covered by stone slates and an erected wall on three sides. Since ancient times, water rituals are practiced within the communities and the water from these naulas have idols of various deities like the sun, moon, Earth, Vishnu, Ganesh etc. The main motive of keeping idols of gods and goddesses tied to the naulas is to preserve these structures from pollution and other harmful anthropogenic activities.

The efforts to preserve naulas include; building structural or vegetative barriers on the slope above to prevent physical damage, pollution from runoff and other erosive processes, establishing barriers of entry to deter wildlife and insects, initiating cleaning routines in the villages (scrubbing/disinfecting and clearing debris or weeds around the naulas).

The villages of Nakina, Digtoli, and Bhurmuni have carried out their own traditional measures to conserve these sacred structures and the water that flows into them. Sacred tree species like the peepal and banyan trees have been planted near naulas to signify its sanctity and to protect and shade it. To ensure the potability of a naula's water, biweekly cleaning regimes are undertaken. Structural measures such as check walls, check dams, and water channels have been made above the naulas. Additionally, wildlife entry is inhibited with cloth drapes that cover the naula's entrance, and some villages have established a protective enclosure around the naula.

Routine Naula conservation activities are taken up by those that collect the water, which include mainly the women and children. There is a water queue system in Nakina Village, in which people receive a specific time slot to take the water from the naula. This helps with keeping track of water use and promotes equitable use of water in the village. Other arduous tasks such as constructing the structural technologies include male participation. Monthly or bimonthly community meetings and daily checks on the Naulas help enforce the approach objectives. The villagers are are the sole stakeholders and take up full ownership and water user rights.

Generally, the older community members in these villages stress the need of Naula conservation and management to a greater degree. Members of the younger generation are less concerned and do not exhibit the same level of sensitivity, although they are aware of their importance to the community. The future effectiveness of the approach will depend on village participation and the level of dependency on the Naula for water during the dry season. With the drying of springs and increased use of pipe-schemes (though unreliable), external sources of water may replace this indigenous water harvesting technique.

2.3 Photos of the Approach

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Approach has been applied

2.6 Dates of initiation and termination of the Approach

2.7 Type of Approach

• traditional/ indigenous

2.8 Main aims/ objectives of the Approach

Maintenance and preservation of the indigenous water harvesting technology, the naula. By protecting this structure and the catchment area around it, the villages can protect their precious water resources and sustain a long-lasting tradition.

2.9 Conditions enabling or hindering implementation of the Technology/ Technologies applied under the Approach

3.1 Stakeholders involved in the Approach and their roles

3.2 Involvement of local land users/ local communities in the different phases of the Approach

	Involvement of local land users/ local communities	Specify who was involved and describe activities
initiation/ motivation	self-mobilization	Village heads, community members, Nakina Van Panchayat (community forest council)
planning	self-mobilization	Village heads organize a Gram Sabha (a meeting of all villagers in each village council area) and fulfill their obligations in local resource decision-making with active community participation.
implementation	self-mobilization
monitoring/ evaluation	self-mobilization
	none

3.4 Decision-making on the selection of SLM Technology/ Technologies

Specify who decided on the selection of the Technology/ Technologies to be implemented:

• land users alone (self-initiative)

Explain:

This is a traditional model of community-driven, decentralized water governance. It is both replicable and sustainable depending on the village's particular leadership, culture, tradition and politics.

Specify on what basis decisions were made:

• personal experience and opinions (undocumented)

4.1 Capacity building/ training

Was training provided to land users/ other stakeholders?

No

4.2 Advisory service

Do land users have access to an advisory service?

Yes

Specify whether advisory service is provided:

• on land users' fields
• at permanent centres

Describe/ comments:

There are several active organizations/ advisory services that are frequently engage with and are available to the communities. Some of these organisations include G.B. Pant, the Forest Department, and NGOs: Himalayan Sewa Samiti, CHEA, Swati Gramodyog Sansthan.

4.3 Institution strengthening (organizational development)

Have institutions been established or strengthened through the Approach?

• yes, moderately

Specify the level(s) at which institutions have been strengthened or established:

• local

Describe institution, roles and responsibilities, members, etc.

Nakina village and Nakina Van Panchayat (community forest council) in particular have strengthened their relationships with external institutions and have been receptive to new projects for sustainable water management and natural resource use. This has increased involvement of the community and strengthened approach participation. Additionally, it has increased awareness and the need for spring restoration interventions and sustainable land use within the catchment areas of the springs/naulas.

Specify type of support:

• financial
• capacity building/ training

4.4 Monitoring and evaluation

Is monitoring and evaluation part of the Approach?

Yes

Comments:

Regular monitoring by the village community

If yes, is this documentation intended to be used for monitoring and evaluation?

No

4.5 Research

Was research part of the Approach?

No

5.1 Annual budget for the SLM component of the Approach

If precise annual budget is not known, indicate range:

• < 2,000

5.2 Financial/ material support provided to land users

Did land users receive financial/ material support for implementing the Technology/ Technologies?

No

5.3 Subsidies for specific inputs (including labour)

If labour by land users was a substantial input, was it:

• voluntary

5.4 Credit

Was credit provided under the Approach for SLM activities?

No

5.5 Other incentives or instruments

Were other incentives or instruments used to promote implementation of SLM Technologies?

Yes

If yes, specify:

The World Bank aided Uttarakhand Decentralized Watershed Development Project (GRAMYA) implemented by Watershed Development Directorate of Uttarakhand
Government. It is operating since 2005 with the aim to mitigate water problems and addressing issues of other natural resources, with emphasis on women participation.
NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India), Government of India has recently launched a National Programme on Regeneration of Springs in the Himalayan Region 2017).

6.1 Impacts of the Approach

6.2 Main motivation of land users to implement SLM

6.3 Sustainability of Approach activities

Can the land users sustain what has been implemented through the Approach (without external support)?

• yes

If yes, describe how:

The community is and has historically been dependent on these water harvesting structures. What has been implemented through the approach needs to be perpetuated for generation to come, along with management of the forests aand other natural resources within the catchments of the springs.

6.4 Strengths/ advantages of the Approach

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Improved awareness and action in the community to preserve Naulas; daily users incorporate habitual care and the naulas are well-preserved, clean and respected. Water quality is improved.
Increased cohesion of village members and inclusion of women participation with water use and other natural resource management. This is especially recognized in Nakina village.
Aesthetic of area is improved, and this is important for spiritual purposes within the communities. Rituals associated with water and naula more appreciated and celebrated. Enhancement of these cultural aspects improves harmony and connectedness within social groups and to nature.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Improved understanding of the Naula's respective catchment area (origin of water source/storage) and the need for SLM practices upstream in springsheds
Maintains and strengthens social order and awareness of water resource use/requirements

6.5 Weaknesses/ disadvantages of the Approach and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
If naulas get severely damaged there is hardly anyone in the village today with knowledge of how these structures were constructed and the engineering techniques behind them.	Consultations with older members of the community and with nearby villages could be organized. This would effectively be combined with interventions from institutions like G.B. Pant, who can also combine research efforts on the geohydrology of springs an engineering methods to improve naula/spring discharge.
2 years ago, Nakina village members used bleaching powder to clean the naula. A small amount of bleaching powder (2 teaspoons) was suggested for each Naula (approx Volume: 1mx 1m x 0.8m), however there is no strict monitoring of the water quality.	Now Nakina has recently switched to chlorine tablets, which make measurements easier. They use them about once a month or when there is some incidence of pollution. Traditional methods of naula disinfection could be reintegrated in the cleaning regime (e.g. using the leaves of Amla: Emblica officinalis Gaertn and Neem, Azadirachta indica A Juss)
There are times when the water overflows from the confines of the naula structure.	Overflow can be harvested in earthen/ polyethylene ponds or recharge trenches below.

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
In the absence of documentation about the engineering and the science behind the traditional water management systems, it is very difficult to revive these structures once they have been neglected.	Studies that integrate land use changes, traditional knowledge on water management systems, hydrogeological aspects of springs, and potential structural/biological interventions for spring revival need to be implemented with the help of coordinated actors and stakeholders across all agency levels.
There are sometimes pipes connected to the naulas leading to reservoirs (storage tanks). The pipes or taps of these reservoirs often have leaks. The community trouble-shoots this issue by plugging the open taps with a fitted wooden stick or ball of plastic trash. There is still significant leakage.	Pipes need to be monitored and repaired; open taps need to be properly plugged (perhaps with a rubber stopper). Twist-taps need to be repaired, and if this is not possible then the leaking droplets can be harvested with a bucket.
There is still discrimination of water use within the caste system. Dalits remain excluded from authorities that make decisions about water at the village level. Similarly, women in many villages are still excluded from any decision-making. Both groups are perceived to be highly susceptible in "spoiling" the water collected from nauala structures.	Deep-rooted caste and gender inequities are not simply erased at the local level, despite the policy efforts to improve economic and political mobility within these groups. To equitably improve access to water for the Dalits and women, the root causes of the determinants of social inequity need to be identified, exposed and addressed locally. Nakina village is taking strides to incorporate women and Dalits into decision making processes, as they are the ones remaining in the village. Nakina recognizes this need to involve these formerly excluded groups, as the phenomenon of unidirectional outmigration will simultaneously amplify the necessity of group-cohesion and dedication for sustainable land/resource management .

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Traditional Knowledge of Water Management, Rawat A.S., Sah R. 2009, Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge, Vol. 8(2) pp. 249-254

Available from where? Costs?

http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/3942/1/IJTK%208(2)%20249-254.pdf

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

Report of Working Group I Inventory and Revival of Springs in the Himalayas for Water Security

URL:

https://niti.gov.in/writereaddata/files/document_publication/doc1.pdf

Title/ description:

Policy Brief: Spring Revival through Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in the Himalayan Foothills: Uttarakhand, North India. Author: Liniger HP, Bandy J, Year: 2020

URL:

https://www.wocat.net/en/projects-and-countries/projects/onsite-and-offsite-benefits-sustainable-land-management/india

Title/ description:

Video: SLM for Himalayan Spring Revival. Author: Liniger HP, Bandy J, Year: 2020

URL:

https://vimeo.com/429988881