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Natural Resource Management for sustainable development using Remote Sensing technology- a case study
Resource Management
On the basis of resource constraints in the area, action plan for sustainable development has been prepared on 1:50,000 scale (Fig. 5). To address the major problems of the study area, certain measures like sand dune stabilisation, arresting water logging and soil salinity, proper use of poor quality ground water and improvement of soil physical properties etc. are recommended.
- Levelling and Stabilisation of Sand Dunes
- Levelling of low sand dunes and bringing them under agroforestry /agrohorticulture with the provision of drip irrigation system.
- In situ stabilization of high sand dunes by planting species like Sarkanda (Saccharum munja), Ber (Zizyphus nummularia), Pahari Kikar (Prosopis juliflora), Jand (Prosopis cineraria), Subabul (Leucaena leucocephala), Kikar (Acacia nilotica) along the periphery of fields to check the movement of sand by wind action.
- Proper Use of Poor Quality Ground Water: Hazards of irrigation with poor quality waters can be minimised with good soil and water management. The ground water rated as marginal- sodic (RSC 2.5 -7.5 me L-1) can be used safely with recommended gypsum application. However, HCO3- containing water may increase the level of exchangable Na+ in the soil, even if the concentration of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions exceeds that of HCO3- and CO32- (zero RSC waters), because the precipitation of the cations as insoluble carbonates increases the SAR of the soil solution and hence the level of exchangable Na+. In the regions, where availability of canal water is less, it is some time necessary to use ground water for irrigation with an SAR which is likely to give sufficiently higher concentration of Na+ in the soils, concomitatnly reducing the permeability of the soil to a n unacceptably low level. The exchangable Na+ can still be kept low by adding gypsum (CaSO4.2H2O) either to the irrigation water or to the soil; or sulphur itself can be added to the soil if it contains free CaCO3 which results in the formation of CaSO4. The advantage of adding gypsum is that it helps to maintain the permeability of the surface soil. The ground waters of zone IV, having either EC more than 6 dS m-1 or RSC > 7.5 me L-1 or both, is unsuitable for irrigation. The continuous use of this water can cause secondary problems of soil salinization and sodification which will adversely hamper the crop growth.
Earnest efforts on the part of Agriculture Department are required to educate farmers about the ill effects of continous use of brackish water on the soil environment and productivity.
- Improving Soil Physical Properties: The coarse textured soils have low water and nutrient retention. Though there is no way to improve soil texture but its moisture and nutrient holding capacity can be increased by the addition of organic manures. Compaction of sandy soils has been found to help greater moisture retention increasing the number of micropores. Use of green manures also helps in improving soil structure.
- Agriculture: In the study area, the farmers follow traditional cropping rotation of wheat-paddy/cotton irrespective of ground water quality. This practice holds good in areas having good quality ground water only. However, in the areas having saline and sodic ground waters, alternative cropping pattern consisting of suitable crops should be adopted.
- Agriculture I: Sodium tolerant crops like wheat, barley, berseem, cotton, raya, and sugarcane are recommended in areas having light to medium texture soils and sodic ground waters. The amendments like gypsum should be used alongwith the sodic ground water to reduce the harmful effects of sodium.
- Agriculture II: In alluvial plain (double cropped) with medium to heavy texture soils and sodic ground water, high sodium tolerant crops like rice, sugarbeet and bermuda grass are recommended. The ground waters in these areas should be used alongwith gypsum.
- Forestry:
- Reclamation of salt affected cum waterlogged area and bring them under plantation with species such as Safeda (Eucalyptus spp.), Pahari Kikar (Prosopis juliflora), Kikar (Acacia nilotica) and Neem (Azadirachta indica), which act as biopumps.
- Forestry in low sand dune areas with species like Pahari Kikar (Prosopis juliflora), Kikar (Acacia nilotica), Jand and Ber.
- In alluvial plain areas with brackish ground waters, in addition to the above mentioned forestry species, Eucalyptus and Dek can also be grown, however, if there is assured availability of canal water, agriculture can be the best practice.
- Horticulture/Agrohorticulture:
- Agrohorticulture I: Promotion of horticultural crops like Grapes and Kinnow in marginal lands having good under ground waters, alongwith gram, groundnut and moong.
- Agrohorticulture II: Promotion of agrohorticulture with fruit plants like Ber, Guava and Amla and oilseeds (Mustard, Toria) in sand dune area having saline or sodic ground waters, after their levelling and/or clearing.
- Augmentation of Irrigation Facilities:
- Assured irrigation with good quality water during the first two years of horticultural plantation.
- Increase in canal command area with the provision of effective surface and sub surface drainage.
- Release of additional canal water during the months of April and May and the supply of water should be reduced during the months of June to September. This arrangement in turn will help in reducing the insect and pest attack on cotton crop.
- Installation of deep tubewells, wherever feasible, by Government agencies to tap good quality deeper aquifer.
- Application of recommended doses of gypsum should be applied alongwith irrigation waters having moderate to high residual sodium carbonate.
- Advising farmers to adopt drip irrigation in horticultural crops and sprinkler irrigation in other agricultural lands where good quality underground water is available or have adequate supply of canal water. This will help in efficiency.
- Alternate furrow irrigation should be advocated in cotton to save water.
- Power connections on priority for shallow tubewells installed in sweet water zones.
Acknowledgements
Authors are indebted to Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India for providing financial support to accomplish this study.
References
- Sood, A., Verma, V.K., Thomas, A., Sharma, P.K. and Brar, J.S. 1998. Assessment and management of underground water quality in Talwandi Sabo tehsil of Bathinda district (Punjab). J. Ind. Soc. Soil Sci. 46 :421-426
- Soil Survey Staff 1996. Keys to Soil Taxonomy. Soil Conservation Service, USDA, Washington, D.C.
Table 1: Resource Constraints in Bhikhi Block
| Mapping Units | Cropping Pattern | Geomorphology | Soil Texture | Ground Water Quality | Constraints |
| 1 | Barren | Sand Dunes | Sandy | Variable | Coarse Textured Soils, Active Sand Dunes |
| 2 | Dominantly Single Cropped | Sand Dunes | Sandy | Good - Low EC, Low RSC | Coarse Textured Soils |
| 3 | Dominantly Single Cropped | Sand Dunes | Sandy | Marginal - High EC, Low RSC | Coarse Textured Soils & Saline Ground Water |
| 4 | Dominantly Single Cropped | Sand Dunes | Sandy | Marginal - Low EC, High RSC | Coarse Textured Soils & Sodic Ground Water |
| 5 | Dominantly Single Cropped | Sand Dunes | Sandy | Poor - High EC, High RSC | Coarse Textured Soils & Brackish Ground Water |
| 6 | Dominantly Barren | Old Filled Up Channel | Coarse Loamy | Variable | Soil Salinity Associated With Water Logging |
| 7 | Double Cropped | Alluvial Plain | Coarse Loamy To Fine Loamy | Marginal - High EC, Low RSC | Saline Ground Water, Irrigation & Management |
| 8 | Double Cropped | Alluvial Plain | Coarse Loamy To Fine Loamy | Marginal - Low EC, High RSC | Sodic Ground Water, Irrigation & Management |
| 9 | Double Cropped | Alluvial Plain | Coarse Loamy To Fine Loamy | Poor - High EC, High RSC | Brackish Ground Water, Irrigation & Management |
| 10 | Double Cropped | Alluvial Plain | Coarse Loamy To Fine Loamy | Good - Low EC, Low RSC | No Constraint |
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