Potential for water conservation and harvesting against drought in Rajasthan, India

Rajasthan, the largest state of India, is predominantly agrarian as the livelihood of 70 percent of its people depends on agriculture-based activities. Most of the state (60-75 %) is arid or semiarid. Recurring and prolonged droughts are a common phenomenon exacerbating water shortages. Despite water resources depletion, the state of Rajasthan still has significant potential for water harvesting and water conservation if an integrated water resources management approach is adopted and proper policies and investment actions are implemented using recent technologies. Water management in Rajasthan is highly complex and needs to be resolved through the involvement of government departments, research institutions, NGOs and other stakeholders. An assessment of the available water resources is presented : current demand and future projection, technological options for water management to improve water availability and management efficiency for various uses and mitigate droughts.

Over the existing storage, the 50 million hectares of rocky/stony terrain of Rajasthan offers a possibility of harvesting 90-145 cubic meters of runoff annually by developing suitable rainwater harvesting structures. Additional sites have been identified for traditional harvesting systems throughout the state that can satisfy the water requirements of large populations. Multiple existing tanks/reservoirs for storage and conservation runoff need urgent rehabilitation. Rehabilitation could lead to additional storage that could be utilized in dry years. Runoff from roof surfaces could meet the water requirements of nearly 9 million people. One year's drought-relief funds may be sufficient to develop rainwater harvesting structures to meet drinking water requirements in rural areas of western Rajasthan.