How has the implementation of water harvesting and recharge structures influenced groundwater availability and agricultural productivity in Bundelkhand?
In Bundelkhand, community-led and engineered rainwater-harvesting and recharge structures improved livelihoods, raised shallow well levels, increased local groundwater recharge, allowed for more rabi/second cropping and higher crop intensity, and more. However, the benefits are seasonal, site-specific, and constrained by rainfall variability and hard-rock geology.
Not an answer but a question -- is there groundwater monitoring in that region, and is that data publicly available ? That could partially answer your question. If designed well, as noted by Abhishek, such interventions can add to groundwater recharge. That was the case in western Maharashtra ( Academy of development science, Kashele, Karjat) where check dams and small reservoirs helped increase local groundwater, as well as allowed a winter crop and watering of tree saplings planted on barren degraded hillsides for 3-4 years before their roots got deep enough.
Implementation of water harvesting and recharge structures influenced groundwater availability and agricultural productivity by the following:
- Raise the groundwater levels and thus reduces the depth to groundwater and energy needed to pump.
- Recharge the groundwater aquifer, leads to improve its quality and thus increase the groundwater availability and increase agricultural productivity.
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