Evaluation of Earthen Nala Bund in Khandala Watersed M.S.

The study was undertaken during 2002–03 in Khandala watershed in Paithan Taluka of Aurangabad District (M.S.) executed by “Lokshikshan Prasarak Mandal”, Aurangabad, to evaluate the performance of nala bund and to observe the effect of nala bund on ground water recharge. The results indicated that selection of site for nala bund was appropriate. The storage capacity of the nala bund was found insufficient with respect to the expected runoff volume from the catchment area of nala bund. The storage capacity of nala bund was 9.30xl0³m³ as against storage requirement from hydrologic analysis of 14.70xl0³m³ The upstream side slopes of the earthen embankment was found steeper (2.5:1) as against the standard requirement of 3:1. The gross height of nala bund exceeded the recommended height while by 1.3 m the bottom width was less by 2.75 m. The consolidation for the soils in the region worked out to be 14.70 per cent and amount of silt deposited in nala bund was 117.25 tonnes over a period of three years. On an average the water table in the wells in the zone of influence of nala bund was found higher by 1.54 m than others in out of zone of its influence.