My First Visit to a Check Dam

During my first visit to a rural village in Rajasthan, I met a young, 8-year-old girl, Sunita. The innocence of her childhood had been sapped by the heat of the desert. My interaction with that girl has left an imprint on my memory. Her sore legs were forced to walk 8 km just to get water for domestic use every day. Her father was a farmer who worked tirelessly under the merciless sun. He was unable to provide his family with dinner on the table at night because his crops had failed. My family is originally from Rajasthan and so it is heart-breaking that there are people living in such regions without access to the basic human necessity- water.    

Water sources in such regions are varied and often seasonal, ranging from ponds, lakes, and streams to open wells, bore wells, and irrigation canals. Majority of the year, the citizens of Rajasthan experience a severe shortage of water for agricultural and domestic use. Due to erratic water availability crops often fail halfway through the year. 

A practical and affordable solution to such a grave issue is the building of check dams and subsequently installing drip irrigation systems. Essentially, check dams are small barriers built across the direction of water flow of shallow streams and rivers to trap and store water in the monsoon season. Check dams are built using basic materials such as stone, clay, and cement and hence require minimal engineering effort and have great economic and social impacts.

 

The major environmental benefit of check das is the replenishment of natural resources by controlling soil erosion, recharging groundwater levels, and in turn human reserves and surrounding wells. The surface and subsurface water held by the dam is primarily used in irrigation during the dry season. Additionally, it can also be used for livestock and domestic needs. The major benefits of the building of check dams are- 

 

i)       Agricultural intensification and extensification- Creating employment opportunities by increasing the yield per year by enabling double cropping and better quality crops. Water availability allows barren lands will be put to use. 

ii)      Reduction of poverty is achieved when farmers receive increased revenue from better crop yield, increased food security, and increased animal productivity. Additionally, it will support extra sources of revenue such as beekeeping, poultry farming, and fishing.  

 

 

2021, 2 years ago. A picture of Sunita and I, 1 year after the construction of a check dam in Alwar, Rajasthan. She is in better health and the twinkle in her eyes is back!

CITATIONS: 

Research paper-https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0341816221007359#preview-section-cited-by

News article-https://www.newindianexpress.com/good-news/2021/jul/25/tale-of-unity-and-a-check-dam-in-parched-pocket-of-rajasthan-2334906.html