As one approaches toward the farthest end of Gujarat, bordering Maharashtra the topography changes and beauty of the surrounding make one spell bound. View of valley from the hill top, the scattered fields and small white structures made us ask what are they?

Valsad is the southernmost district of Gujarat which includes five taluka namely Kaprada, Dharampur, Paradi, Umargaon & Valsad. Kaprada taluka is referred as 'Cherapunji 'of Gujarat but in summer season there is scarcity of water even for drinking purpose. The yearly rainfall of Valsad district is more than 2000 mm, the terrain is mostly hilly & undulating. The famer mainly cultivate Paddy (locally known as Dangar), Ragi. The major problem of the area is excess soil erosion during monsoon season.

Various activities have been undertaken under Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), in Valsad District from year 2009-10 like waste weir, contour trenches , check walls gully plugs, spring wells etc. One of major activity undertaken was waste weir locally known as Paka-Nakka. The structure generally controls soil erosion & as well maintains water level in paddy crop during transplantation and critical stages. The major objectives of the structures are:

• To decrease the soil erosion and excess runoff. 
• Retain the soil fertility. 
• To increases agriculture production.

Technical Specification of Waste Weir

Waste weir is a structure which is constructed to decrease the scouring of soil and excess runoff from fields suitable for agriculture purpose. It is constructed in fields towards a natural depression or where there is a temporary water outlet. It helps in safe passage of the excess runoff from the field and also stores a required amount of water level in the field as per requirement of the crop. Its height is normally 0.5 to .7 m. which facilitates in water storages. It is very economical structure.

Around 800 waste-weirs were constructed under IWMP during past three year. DWDU, Valsad and Forest Department, Valsad Division with Village watershed committee after a detailed survey in terms of both technical and socio- economic had finalized these structures. Around 848 waste-weirs were constructed for various beneficiaries

Table No. 1 - No. of Beneficiaries

S.No.	Name of Taluka	Name of Project	No. of Beneficiaries
1.	Dharampur	IWMP-1 Pindaval	215
2.	Dharampur	IWMP-2 Murdad	258
3.	Kaprada	IWMP-3 Vavar	196
4.	Kaprada	IWMP-4 Virkshetra	183
Total			848

Benefits of Structure

A study was been conducted to verify the benefit of the waste-weir for farmers. A sample analysis was conducted on farmers’ field where this structure was constructed. All the farmers cultivated paddy crop.

Table No. 2 - List of sample farmers

S.No.	Name of Taluka	Name of Project	Name of Village	Name of Beneficiaries	Survey No.
1	Dharampur	IWMP-1 Pindval	Pindval	Jamshubhai Kalubhai Dabkiya	157
2	Dharampur	IWMP-1 Pindval	Jagiri	Manirambhai Kakadbhai Khadkar	128
3	Dharampur	IWMP-2 Murdad	Pandavakhad	Tulsibhai Shankarbhai	19
4	Dharampur	IWMP-2 Murdad	Tutarkhed	Balubhai Pandubhai Bhoya	120
5	Kaprada	IWMP-3 Vavar	Vavar	Namubhai Govindbhai	231
6	Kaprada	IWMP-3 Vavar	Barpuda	Sityabhai Laxmabhai	165
7	Kaprada	IWMP-4 Virkshetra	Malghar	Tukaram Mavajibhai	440
8	Kaprada	IWMP-4 Virkshetra	Virkshetra	Namdevbhai Manubhai	392

Paddy is the staple crop of Valsad especially Dhrampur & Kaprada Taluka where 100 Percent of population depends upon paddy for food. About, 80 percent farmer cultivate paddy in their field. The undulating land form limits the production and productivity of paddy crop because of high requirement of water. Paddy crop requires standing water during its cultivation. The daily water consumption of paddy is about 6-10mm.

Depending upon the variety, crop duration varies from 100 to 150 days. The total water requirement of paddy is 1200-1400mm depending upon the type of soils. The daily consumptive use of rice crop is 6-10mm. In Valsad district soil type is Sandy Loam which is having water requirement is 2261 mm.

Table No. 3 - Water requirement for Rice Crop at different stages

S.No.	Satge of Growth	Avg. water requirement (mm)	% of total water requirement
1	Nursery	50-60	5
2	Main field preparation	200-250	20
3	Planting of main panicle preparation	400-450	40
4	Planting to flowering	400-450	30
5	Flowering to maturity	100-150	5

Table No. 4 - Depth of water to be maintain in during different crop growth of stages of rice

S.No.	Satge of Crop	Depth of Crop(cm)
1	At transplanting	Shallow (2-3)
2	After transplanting (5-20 day)	4 to 5
3	During tillering (22-42 day), Mid season drainage, (24-48 hrs), 20-25 DAT (heavy soils), 20-25 DAT (very heavy), 40-45 DAT soils	Shallow (2-3)
4	Reproductive stage, panicle emergence, flowering	4 to 5
5	Ripening stage, milk stage, dough stage, maturity	Drain the field gradually to saturation, withdraw the water 12 days before harvesting

Waste weir act as the best engineering option for this problem. The structure facilities in creating water logging condition in the field as per requirement, there is also an option to drain out the excess water from the field.

Sectional View of Waste Weir

The study conducted highlights that the structure has great significant outcome on the production of paddy crop especially rainfed. It is always observed that the biological potential of the crop cannot be utilized to its prospects until suitable inputs are supplied in right time. Paddy crop is highly sensitive to its water deficit especially during its critical stages. Restricting water supply during these stages affects productivity more severely. Paddy crop require water during Tillering, Panicle Initiation, Heading and Flowering. The excess runoff and erosion of top soil generally had prevented the output of crop.

Table No. 5 - Output of sample analysis

Name of Taluka	Name of Project	Name of Village	Name of Beneficiaries	Survey No.	Name of Crop	Area (in ha)	Production before waste weir (kg)	Production after waste weir (kg)
Dharampur	IWMP-1 Pindval	Pindval	Jamshubhai Kalubhai Dabkiya	157	Paddy	1 acre	700	839
Dharampur	IWMP-1 Pindval	Jagiri	Manirambhai Kakadbhai Khadkar	128	Paddy	20	347	409
Dharampur	IWMP-2 Murdad	Pandavakhad	Tulsibhai Shankarbhai	19	Paddy	20 guntha	365	429
Dharampur	IWMP-2 Murdad	Tutarkhed	Balubhai Pandubhai Bhoya	120	Paddy	21 guntha	330	406
Kaprada	IWMP-3 Vavar	Vavar	Namubhai Govindbhai	231	Paddy	1 acre	678	779
Kaprada	IWMP-3 Vavar	Barpuda	Sityabhai Laxmabhai	165	Paddy	1 acre	689	765
Kaprada	IWMP-4 Virkshetra	Malghar	Tukaram Mavajibhai	440	Paddy	20 guntha	357	398
Kaprada	IWMP-4 Virkshetra	Virkshetra	Namdevbhai Manubhai	392	Paddy	20 guntha	430	489

The study shows that the structure has helped in increasing the water holding capacity of soil and also helped in providing water during the required stages of water requirement of the crop. Another benefit of the structure was that this also provided residual moisture for a pulse crop in the same filed thus supporting the food and nutrition security of the farmers.
The increase in production and productivity of Paddy crop in the field have resulted a positive and visible impact of watershed. Further the general perceptions of farmers have changed that only large checkdam will show results. This structure has also helped in equitable distribution of the output of the programme to large number of beneficiaries.

Contributors: Dipali Khatal, Technical Expert Valsad and DWDU, Valsad