Rainwater Harvesting to Replenish Underground Water in India

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Table of Contents

Thesis
Introduction
Vicious Cycle of Commercial Logging and Drilling Wells
The Consequences of the Vicious Cycle
The Role of Community in the Restoration
Conclusion
Works Cited

Thesis

A rainwater harvesting system was intentionally introduced to help people, but over time it ceased to function due to outrageous exploitation without properly considering natural factors and the ecosystem sources. The issue must be resolved instantly with the support of the entire village community.

Introduction

The rainwater harvesting project was implemented as a solution to water shortage in the Indian village of Golpalpura. Naturally, the Rajasthan region in India is scarce in terms of water resources. Local farmers managed to provide irrigation for the crops across the year by building small earthen dams called johads. Those dams captured rainwater, which soaked into the aquifer and was saved from evaporating. Later, the underground water kept people’s wells and rivers full, which gave them access to water regardless of the season (Ghimire et al. 75). However, the system, which served the village for millennia, stopped working due to the vicious cycle launched by industrialization.

Vicious Cycle of Commercial Logging and Drilling Wells

A great idea began to deteriorate due to the increased use of soil without an emphasis on counteracting the aspects of nature. Due to the increased rates of deforestation in Rajasthan monsoon, rains started to wash down the surface levels of the soil, making the ground less fertile and eroded. The soil that was washed down polluted johads and decreased its depth. Consequently, less and less water was stored in the ponds, which decreased the amount of groundwater, creating droughts (Singh and Bhakar 1845). The situation was worsened further when the tube well technologies were introduced, exhausting the groundwater even more. Although drilled wells solved the water shortage problem for a few years, the lowering of the groundwater levels caused trees to dry out and animals to starve or leave the region. The lack of trees in the area caused people to travel long distances to get wood for cooking in other villages. Water from deep wells was not sufficient for farming, which caused men to move to the cities to work (Amanambu et al. 125163).

The Consequences of the Vicious Cycle

Hence, the project launched in 1985 by a group of volunteers and the Young India organization (TBS) had to end the vicious cycle. The situation changed with reintroducing the practice of rainwater harvesting in johads. After seven months, the first monsoon season came and refilled the new pond. It inspired the community to continue the restoration of their abandoned rainwater harvesting system. Johads ended a vicious cycle of lowering levels of groundwater. Hence, the community was motivated to continue the virtuous cycle of expanding the system. The community council called the Gram Sabha was created to manage the water resources and maintain the ponds. The council consisted of each village family’s representative and managed the maintenance of johads and further usage of water. Hence, the village agreed to build one johad each year, and eventually, there were nine ponds in Golpalpura (Singh and Bhakar 1844). Decisions were made by consensus, which allowed each family to be engaged and feel their contribution to the prosperity of the village.

The Role of Community in the Restoration

The Eco Tipping Point leverage that helped break the vicious circle depended heavily on the ecosystem’s ability to regenerate and required community involvement. People were considered the essential element of the ecosystem as they maintained the pond, which kept the groundwater levels high. It allowed the prosperity of the ecosystem and formed its desired form. However, the balance was broken when the johads were abandoned, and people selfishly started using drills for the wells (Amanambu et al. 125163). Hence, the characteristics of an effective EcoTipping lever include sustainability, coexisting with nature rather than exploiting it, and empowering people to act.

Conclusion

The example of Golpalpura shows how devastating a water shortage can be to the community. However, the problem was resolved with the help of volunteer organizations and unifying efforts. The key components to the success were embracing the traditions, engaging each member of the community, getting help from the outside organizations, and adapting the social system to the ecosystem. Although each situation is unique, those elements are necessary to tackle the issue of water shortage in the world. Empowering the communities and embracing the traditions, which served the ecosystem for hundreds of years is more effective in the long term than technological shortcuts.

Works Cited

Amanambu, Amobichukwu C., et al. “Groundwater System and Climate Change: Present Status and Future Considerations.”Journal of Hydrology 589, 2020, 125163. Web.

Ghimire, Santosh R., et al. “Life Cycle Assessment of a Commercial Rainwater Harvesting System Compared with a Municipal Water Supply System.”Journal of Cleaner Production 151, 2017, 74-86. Web.

Singh, Ajit Pratap, and Prashant Bhakar. “Development of Groundwater Sustainability Index: A Case Study of Western Arid Region of Rajasthan, India.”Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development vol. 23 no. 2, 2021, 1844-1868. Web.

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