Runoff Behaviour of Soil Sealants for Harvesting Rainwater in an Arid Environment

Abstract

Ten locally available water harvesting sealants were evaluated by simple linear regression analysis of rainfall-runoff data recorded daily over a period of four years (1972-75) at Jodhpur. The runoff efficiency of various treatments, initially in the first year, was in the order: janta emulsion = sodium carbonate > mud plaster, Road Research Laboratory (RRL) > lime concretion > bentonite > stabilization > mud plaster > grass = control > cement plaster. Finally the runoff efficiency was in the order: sodium carbonate> lime concretion = janta emulsion> mud plaster (RRL) > bentonite> mud plaster> cement plaster = stabilization> control> grass in the fourth year. Only sodium carbonate,janta emulsion and lime concretion maintained > 40% runoff efficiency by the end of fourth year.