Potential use of small water bodies of villages in Karnataka for aquaculture

Abstract

Small water bodies of villages (SWBOV) are available aplenty in the state of Karnataka and have great potential for aquaculture, but absence of data on their magnitude could be a reason for their under-utilisation. An assessment of SWBOV in Karnataka was done during 2003-2005 by coining and defi ning a collective term for them, compiling documented information from government organisations and surveying in logically selected agro-climatic zones. SWBOV per se and water resources forming SWBOV include: open wells, rain water harvesting structures (RWHS), irrigation bore wells, gokatte, kunte, quarry ponds and irrigation canal-fed ponds. As documented information could be obtained only on the numbers of the fi rst three, survey was conducted to derive their water spread area (WSA) and to estimate the numbers and WSA of the latter four. As the total potential and effective WSA of SWBOV are estimated to be 0.063 million ha (mha) and 0.048 mha respectively compared to 0.008 mha of brackishwater area, SWBOV could be classifi ed as a category of inland water resource for aquaculture.