Construction of Minor Check Dams on Seasonal Streams : Applicable Regulations ? Karnataka
Submitted by Sanjay on February 9, 2010 - 23:46
What, if any are the regulations pertaining to the building of small check dams on seasonal streams that pass through private property, the current scenario is in Karnataka. Are legislation / rules applicable to permitted height, type of construction and if so where should be permission sought from. Any relevant information on this topic would be appreciated.
Comments
1. Dear Sanjay,Such legislation
Dear Sanjay,
Such legislation is a state subject, and each state has its own set of rules. I am not aware of the specific legislation for Karnatka, but in general, permission would be required from the irrigation/ water resources department for any such intervention.
However, I do not think there is any instance where the said legislation has been invoked and persons penalized. The nearest case study is that of “Lava ka Baas” and other check dams constructed by Tarun Bharat Sangh in Rajasthan, for which plenty of material is available on the internet. Cases were registered by the Rajasthan Government against TBS and Rajendra Singh, but far less be penalized, those who constructed these check dams in violation of the law became known as “water experts”.
Views are expressed in personal capacity.
With regards,
Chetan Pandit
Chief Engineer, National Water Academy
Central Water Commission, Pune, India
2. construction of checkdams
Dear Sanjay,
There are no regulations pertaining to the building of small check dams on seasonal streams that pass through private property. The basic norm followed in the case of small/medium streams is to ensure distributive justice by allowing adequate flood flows to downstream users. Any structure that is constructed should not try to capture the full peak flows else the downstream users will object. There are numner of instances when the local communities have objected to the construction of structures in upstream (espescially institutions) for capturing bulk of the flows and the courts have intervened to demolish them. The design of structures should be a mix of soil conservation, gully, check dams and water harvesting ponds all of wh ich together can reduce the soil erosion, moderate peak flows and harvest water so that the soil moisture availability is enhanced. This will considerably reduce the number of irrigations.
K.A.S.Mani
Consultant Water Resources
3. CONSTRUCTION OF CHECK DAMS
Dear Sanay
Check Dams are very small water harvesting structures & at least one or two of them are found in every village. In Karnataka under the world bank financed "Community based tank rehabilitation" project (jsysindia.org) large number of check dams are being built / rehabilated in each village. To the best of my knowledge I donot think any specific regulations have been formulated for these structures. It is necessary to ascertain the porposed structures does not harm the interests of the down stream users and there no inundation of the lands unstream of the structures. It is also necessary to desilt the structure periodically to maintain its storage capacity.
SHIRAHATTI
Water Resources Specialist
4. Looking for information on the check dams
According to Mills, beawers build these check dams, but only in the North American Continent. I have heard in India, twigs and logs are placed in streams to serve a similar purpose, mainly to restore ground water and reduce the 'suspended solids' in the flowing water. I would like to have GPS Coordinates so I can view some of the man made check dams.
Thank you from the Thorn Creex Watershod in which Goverors State University is located in Illinios.
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