Water harvesting is an age-old concept in India, especially in southern states. Traditional water harvesting methods have met both the needs of domestic and irrigation requirements, but we have to adopt appropriate techniques to suit the hydrogeological conditions. Otherwise, adopting water-harvesting methods may turn out to be a futile exercise. Hence a scientific approach is very much essential.

Consequent to the highly erratic seasonal rainfall in India, about 80% of country’s total annual rainfall is received within three rainy months, more specifically within 200 hours, and in Water harvesting techniques, to prevent the high runnoff, water flowing in to the sea and or to other environmentally affected areas. Even though number of large dams were constructed spead over different parts of India covereing most of the major and minor rivers, still more than 50% to 60% of the rainwater goes as a waste and reaches the ocean. Also mining of groundwater through deep bore wells and open wells, deplete the groundwater level to an unimaginable horizon. Hence water harvesting helps to conserve the surplus water during rainy season

People need modern advanced and more reliable scientific techniques to achieve good results and to have sustainable water supply withing their locality. Remote sensing, electromagnetic and electricla resistivity surveys help in evaluating the hydrogeological conditions and more specifically jointed and fractured domains. Tradional and more scientific water harvesting systems are to be designed to cover the minimum requirement of every people in their locality. It should be cost effective and cheaper. Even today small villages having population of less than 500 depend upon the government agencies to meet their daily water requirement. But the utilisation  of good old traditional methods of water harvesting systems will definitely solve these problems to keet their requiremnets locally. These systems also play an important role in areas where the groundwater is unsuitable, polluted and contaminated weither due to human activiites or by geological setup.

The main purpose of this section of website on “Rainwater Harvesting” is only to focus the attention of professinals from Govt., departments, Scientist, Engineers, geologist, NGO’s and entrepreneurs who are working in the field of water management and Rainwater Harvesting, the need for applying scientific and technical considerations while implementing the Rainwater Harvesting is prepared coincides with the  period of great activity in Rainwater Harvesting through out India.

For more details please contact Mr K R Sivaraman, Former Geophysicist, PWD Groundwater Government of Tamilnadu, Technical and Management Consultant, Sastha Foundation, Plot No.24, Door No.9, 2nd Cross Street, Rajeswari Nagar, Puzhuthiwakkam, Chennai 600 091, Ph:044-22421467
Today more than 50% of storage lakes and tanks have been returned useless due to silting, encroachment and misuse.