Wakel Case Study

• Wakel River Basin


  Located in North India, in the region of Rajasthan. The driest region of India, with less than 250mm of rain falling each year and temperatures up to 53°C lead to high levels of evaporation.
• Problems in the Wakel River Basin

  • Water extraction isn't regulated, so many villages have over-extracted water supplies. This can lead to salinisation of the soil or waterlogging.
  • Crops can't be irrigated fully, because clean water supplies are low and some wells are becoming increasingly salty (salinisation). This will lead to crop failures which will impact the food security for the region.
• Management project


  Needed to protect the supply of clean water in the Wakel River Basin
• USAID


  United States Agency for International Development - an NGO that promotes international cooperation to improve the quality of life in developing countries
• The Wakel River Basin management programme ran

  2004 to 2014
• Taankas


  • Concrete containers underground, for water collected from roofs. Concrete creates a cool storage, so water isn't lost through evaporation. Producing concrete releases carbon dioxide, which contributes to Global Warming.
• Johut


  • Earth and sand can be used to build small dams, to increase the water flow in rivers. Johut dams can keep water flowing through rivers all year round. Johut dams affect the water supplies in a small quantity, so might not help the entire village.
• Pats


  • Small dams (bunds) divert water from a stream into farmlands, for irrigation. Farmlands can receive a constant supply of water, reducing the risk of crop failures. Channels need constant maintenance and clearing, because they fill with silt.
• Education


  • Creating awareness of protecting clean water supplies, reducing waste and not extracting too much water. Reducing over-extraction can reduce soil erosion & salinisation, which would impact food supplies in the future. This is a long term solution, and it takes time to change people's habits.