Why checkdams?

For such simple structures, the advantages of checkdams are many. Of all the available technologies and methods used for water harvesting, checkdams provide the most benefits in terms of overall livelihood generation and sustainability, while reducing many of the negative impacts larger projects such as dams and reservoirs can have on the social and natural environment. Due to this, checkdams are what we at DA call an Appropriate Technology.

Appropriate technologies are ones where a balance has been struck between social, economical, ecological and technical factors. We therefore like to view an appropriate technology as one that meets the five E’s of sustainability environmental, economic, equitable,  empowering and endogenous.

Gevra Checkdam, Jhansi District: The Gevera Checkdam has been providing local farmers with water for their crops since it was built in 1993-94. The benefits of the checkdam have been recognized by the farmers, who have already asked:   “Can’t you make this checkdam taller ?”. Extending the checkdam would increase its capacity and therefore, provide more water for the farmers and their families.

Economic

Since checkdams are built using local labour and materials, the capital, building and maintenance costs are kept to a minimum. Earthen embankments require little or no money to build and can be constructed using mud from the field. Masonry structures, however, need greater financial and technical inputs due to the more intensive labour and material requirements used in their construction. Nevertheless, the total cost of irrigating one hectare of land using a checkdam has been calculated at much less than the cost of doing the same with a large dam or canal networks. While a checkdam can irrigate a farmer’s field for five to eight (5-8) thousand Rupees per hectare, a large dam requires over two hundred thousand (200,000) Rupees to accomplish the same task.The much lower cost of using checkdams makes this technology more accessible to rural farmers who would otherwise be unable to afford more expensive options. This is especially beneficial in the Bundelkhand region, which has one of the highest poverty levels in India.

Environmental

The on-going debate regarding the sustainability of large-scale water development projects such as canals and dams points to the need to explore alternative options which are less disruptive to the natural and social environment. Because checkdams work on a micro level the effects they have on their environment are also more localized. Unlike large dams, checkdams flood only a small area and this sometimes for just a few months following the monsoon. Consequently, checkdams avoid the socially disruptive human displacement that occurs with the construction of larger dams.

Effects on well levels can often be seen as far as a 300m inland from the stream with consequent improvements in soil moisture levels and an increase in the irrigation potential of the area.A checkdam not only helps local farmers to increase the amount of water in their wells, but it also captures soil particles as they are washed downstream from the farmers’ fields. The nutrient-rich sediment that accumulates behind the checkdam can be used as fertilizer during the dry season when the water level drops.

The ability of checkdams to raise the depleted  groundwater table has wider ranging effects for local vegetation and animal populations.The riparian zone along the checkdam is regenerated and the lush vegetation creates habitat for birds, fish, insects and other animals. Checkdams can therefore be an integral part of any watershed development scheme that incorporates both soil and water conservation and the restoration of local biodiversity.

Equitable

Since checkdams can be adapted to suit a variety of local conditions, their benefits can reach a greater portion of the population. Remote areas that are usually by-passed by large government infrastructure development programs can now enjoy access to water for only minimal financial and labour input. The low cost of building and maintaining checkdams enables even the poorest farmer, regardless of caste or social status, to benefit from access to irrigation water.

The water harvested by a checkdam is also available to other groups. Women and children benefit from access to a nearby water source for domestic needs such as cooking and washing. The time saved in fetching water can be used to pursue other income-generating activities or education opportunities, which has a long-term impact on livelihood promotion and sustainability.

Empowering and endogenous

Community input into the site selection, design and construction process fosters a greater sense of commitment in maintaining the structure and ensuring that the benefits are distributed equitably among the stakeholders. Local control of the checkdam also enables either individual farmers or community groups to optimize water and irrigation usage based on their immediate needs. By severing the dependence of these communities on large government projects, checkdams also empower these villages and individuals to take responsibility for their own livelihoods.

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