Water-shed Control of River Valley Projects

Abstract

Reservoirs are constructed at places where water-sheds bring in a large amount of run-off, provide suitable foundation at the places and are near about the sources of use. After independcrce a large number of reservoirs have been constructed and are being constructcd in this country. The problem is to see how best the deposition of silt in the lake is controlled or minimised. By and large it is desirable that when once a multipurpose project has been planned and is likely to be undertaken in the near future, necessary protective measures are undertaken immediately in the watershed. These preventive measures would comprise control of grazing lands, closure of areas, prevention of fire and prevention of areas which are too sleep, to be brought under crop production. the curative measures like silt detention dams, construction of terraces on agricultural lands and afforestation measures, can be taken side by side with the Reservoir construction  that the soil conservation and dam construction programmes can not go side by side so that the dam has come to stay and alongwith is the process of siltation. It is in such cases that a more lively action is needed to prevent the rapid siltation of the reservoir thereby lengthening 'ts life.