KOCHI: Rainwater harvesting has become a necessary part of all land management projects where the owners have to utilise their own resources for daily requirements.
The water bodies and associated channels should be planned in such a way that the maximum amount of rainwater falling in a particular area gets collected in the water body specified for it.
There are certain precautions to be taken regarding landscaping and plant maintenance where water management by harvesting is adopted.
Normally the surface drains which collect rain water are filled with porous materials.
No vegetation is desired (especially shrubs or trees) over the canal area. Dwarf grass is a good option over such places where the roots do not disturb the water movement underneath.
When choosing plants to be planted near canals, select those which grow slower as fast growing plants will require more water for their survival and will thus take in more flowing water. But fast growing plants can be grown at a distance which will generate more humus and help the superficial soil to hold more water which percolates after a quick rain thus retaining the flow for a long time. Too much of humus in the soil however is detrimental for free flow of water.
The water body must be kept open and its periphery free of any trees big or small as the dicot root system can damage the edges of the water body. Even if it is unlined, the roots have a tendency to flourish more on lake sides thus drinking too much of the stored water. Avoiding trees around the water body will also keep the water free of biowaste such as decayed leaves, flowers or small branches.
Growing useful herbs such as acorus or vetiver around the water body in small pitches will help absorb toxic wastes that might be present in the water. You can also grow floating plants to a certain limit to purify the water, but keep an eye on its growth.
Or else the old plants will form silt and ultimately affect the quality of water.
The use of herbicides or pesticides should be completely banned in the area around the water body. In extreme cases, follow biological methods to control the pests. If a pesticide or herbicide cannot be avoided, adopt micro spray methods so that the soil beneath is polluted to a minimum.
Do the spraying only on sunny days, in the morning so that the chemicals that splash on the soil gets ample time to get dissociated with the action of sunlight.
Source: New Indian Express (Kochi), 27th April 2010
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