Water Shed Management
The watershed management programme is aimed to promote rural economy adopting participatory approach and group action through nurturing community based organization. The programme designed to promote groundwater recharge, soil and moisture conservation, afforetation and water harvesting for ecological balance, to giving impetus to agriculture and allied sectors. The specialized divisions of WAPCOS conducting consultancy assignment for preparation of DPRs, Baseline Survey Studies, mid and post Project Evaluation including economic analysis for watershed management programme. The activities such as documentation of learning, success story, videography, and training programme for stakeholders are organized on requirement basis.
The Integrated Watershed Management Programme is the flagship programme sponsored by the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India. The WAPCOS is associated with the IWMP in a big way for its accomplishment and conducting assignment as per the criteria and guidelines issued by Planning Commission and DoLR under the Ministry of Rural Development from time to time.
WAPCOS undertakes watershed management to focus on following issues:
- Growing competition for water, resulting in a higher value being placed on available supplies and, ultimately, goods and services being redefined in terms of their water content — this could be exacerbated by declining water availability and quality in many areas
- Economic pressures resulting in more user fees, cost sharing, and local financing of water programs, with a concurrent shift in emphasis from water development activities to environmental programs and demand management
- Increased focus on water conservation and re-use in all phases of project development— in some areas, reclaimed water now costs less than freshwater supply
- Environmental legislation designed to hold polluters and users accountable for their impacts on available supplies
- Legal trends towards forcing users and water managers to justify their uses, needs, and management practices more rigorously, and the likely increase in the priority accorded to environmental water uses (e.g., fish and wildlife habitat) versus the traditional economic uses (e.g., agriculture and industry) in legal proceedings
- Basin and regional water planning to resolve trans-boundary issues and disputes
Watershed Management addresses following issues:
- Integrated water-resources development and management
- Water-resources assessment and impacts of climate change and other natural and manmade changes in the watershed
- Protection of water resources, water quality, and aquatic ecosystems
- Water and sustainable urban development and drinking water supply and sanitation in the urban context
- Water for sustainable food production and rural development and drinking water supply and sanitation in the rural context
- Mechanisms for implementation and coordination at the national, regional, and local levels