Check dams help raise water table in Jamnagar, Amreli

Check dams constructed as part of Gujarat government's Sardar Patel Participatory Water Conservation (SPPWC) scheme have resulted in the increase in water table in Jamnagar and Amreli districts of Suarashtra.

A recent survey conducted by the state irrigation department revealed that the water table in these districts has gone up by a rise of 7.30 to 8.30 meters.

Normally the rivers in Jamnagar and Amreli go dry after monsoon. But check dams have helped the rivers stay alive this time, said state agriculture minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama.

Under the SPPWC scheme 24,457 check dams have been constructed in the state. Saurashtra alone has 18,709 dams. Jamnagar has the most number of dams (5,297) followed by Bhavnagar (5,294).

According to the detailed report of Jamnagar district, during last monsoon in as many as 5,690 check dams, including the water harvesting structures constructed under the watershed development programme, received 515 mm of rain fall.

Talulkas like Kalyanpur, Jamnagar, Bhanwad, Jam jodhpur, Dhrol, Lalpur, Khambhalia, Kalawad and Jodia saw increase in the water level, with Kalyanpur leading the table with 10.15 metre rise.

In all these talukas, places situated 5 to 7 km around the water harvesting structures also saw increase in the water level.

Geologists have observed that the proportional increase in water level during last 10 years was 4.42 meters. After the implementation of water harvesting structures, this stood improved at 7.30 meters in 2003.

Though Amreli district has lesser number of check dams as compared to Jamnagar and lesser amount of rainfall, there was significant rise in water level due to the alluvial geo strata.

This year the Saurashtra region has registered bumper production of groundnuts, cotton, wheat and other commodities.