Global Water for Sustainability Program (GLOWS)
 
September 07, 2010
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Wakal Basin Profile  
 
 
Wakal LandscapeThe Wakal River Basin, in Rajasthan state, is one of India’s most water-stressed regions. For example, the principal city of Udaipur receives less than 550 mm of rainfall a year, and nearly all precipitation occurs in isolated events during the monsoon season between the months of June-September. This extreme seasonal variability makes the area highly susceptible to drought and flood conditions; long-term records suggest that the region has experienced drought conditions during 41 of the past 50 years. Because most rivers and streams in the region are ephemeral, groundwater provides the main source of water supply for human communities.
  

 
Rice in Wakal

Rainfall Capture

Udaipur
  

Basin Issues  
 
 
Water scarcity presents an immediate threat to the lives and livelihoods of human communities in the Wakel River Basin in southern Rajasthan. Subsistence farmers frequently experience crop failure and livestock kills as a result of insufficient water supply for agriculture. Women in the region have to walk several kilometers daily just to obtain water for household uses, leaving them little time to dedicate to income-generating activities. A lack of sufficient control over groundwater pumping has resulted in inequitable access to water as well as rapid depletion of existing supplies. Problems with poor water quality, especially fluoride contamination, are also common in many parts of the region and translate into health problems for local communities.
  

Quick Stats  
 
 
Country: India

Catchment Area: ~1,625  km2
Rainfall: 750 mm/year
Elevation Range: m asl to ~ m asl

Length: ~88 km
Source: Aravalli Hills in southern Rajasthan
Outlet: Sabarmati River
Main Tributaries: Pamri River, Manas River, Kusumbhi River
Larger Basins: Sabarmati Basin

Land Uses
Mixed dry decidious forest; Rainfed agriculture: pearl millet, cotton, tobacco, groundnut, sorghum, maize, rice; Large-scale agriculture: pearl millet, wheat; Livestock: cattle, camel, goat; Wakal Dam

Cultures:
Bhil, Garasiya, Rajput, Lohar
  

 
 
   
   
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