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The downstream externalities of harvesting rainwater in semi-arid watersheds: An Indian case study

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  • Bouma, Jetske A.
  • Biggs, Trent W.
  • Bouwer, Laurens M.

Abstract

Water-related investment projects affect downstream water availability, and therefore should account for these externalities. Few projects do, however, owing to lack of awareness, lack of data and difficulty in linking upstream investments to downstream effects. This article assesses the downstream impacts of rainwater harvesting in a semi-arid basin in Southern India, focusing on the trade-offs that arise when crop water use is re-allocated from a downstream surface water irrigation system to groundwater irrigated agriculture upstream. The results indicate that the downstream impacts are considerable and that net benefits are insufficient to pay back investment costs. Further research is required to reduce the uncertainties in the water balance of irrigation systems at basin level, to account for the inter-annual variability of crop water availability and to elaborate the wider welfare effects.

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  • Bouma, Jetske A. & Biggs, Trent W. & Bouwer, Laurens M., 2011. "The downstream externalities of harvesting rainwater in semi-arid watersheds: An Indian case study," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 98(7), pages 1162-1170, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:98:y:2011:i:7:p:1162-1170
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    4. Alam, Mohammad Faiz & McClain, M. & Sikka, Alok & Pande, S., 2022. "Understanding human-water feedbacks of interventions in agricultural systems with agent based models: a review," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-17(10):10.
    5. S. Nedumaran & Beleke Shiferaw & M. Bantilan & K. Palanisami & Suhas Wani, 2014. "Bioeconomic modeling of farm household decisions for ex-ante impact assessment of integrated watershed development programs in semi-arid India," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 257-286, April.
    6. Ralph Lasage & Jeroen Aerts & Peter Verburg & Alemu Sileshi, 2015. "The role of small scale sand dams in securing water supply under climate change in Ethiopia," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 317-339, February.
    7. Alam, Mohammad Faiz & Pavelic, Paul, 2020. "Underground Transfer of Floods for Irrigation (UTFI): exploring potential at the global scale," IWMI Research Reports H050008, International Water Management Institute.
    8. Kumar, Shalander & Ramilan, Thiagarajah & Ramarao, C.A. & Rao, Ch. Srinivasa & Whitbread, Anthony, 2016. "Farm level rainwater harvesting across different agro climatic regions of India: Assessing performance and its determinants," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 55-66.
    9. Mwangi Joseph Kanyua, 2020. "Effect of Imposed Self-Governance on Irrigation Rules Design among Horticultural Producers in Peri-Urban Kenya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-16, August.
    10. Prathapar, S. & Dhar, S. & Rao, G. Tamma & Maheshwari, B., 2015. "Performance and impacts of managed aquifer recharge interventions for agricultural water security: A framework for evaluation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 165-175.
    11. Harshita Bhat & Pleasa Serin Abraham, 2021. "Factors affecting Water Conservation Potential of Domestic Rain Water Harvesting- A Study on Bengaluru Urban," BASE University Working Papers 12/2021, BASE University, Bengaluru, India.
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