Assessment of block-wise availability and demand of water resources in Hoshiarpur district of Punjab

Water is the most vital input in agriculture and has made a significant contribution in providing stability to food grain production and self-sufficiency. This resource can be optimally used and sustained only when quantity of water is assessed at micro level. The present study was aimed to estimate the gap in demand and supply of water resources at the block level during kharif and rabi season in Hoshiarpur district and it was calculated that the average annual water demand exceeded average annual evapotranspiration requirements by 77352 ha-m and out of which the deficit was 45699 ha-m (59%) in kharif and 31653 ha-m (41%) in rabi. The maximum average annual water deficit of 732 mm in Mukerain and a minimum deficit of 32 mm in Bhunga blocks were observed. An annual water defiCit of about 400 mm or more was observed in Tanda, Dasuya, Mukerian and Hazipur blocks. In Garhshankar and Talwara blocks, the average annual water deficit was in the range of 100–200 mm. However, the average annual water defiCit was less than 100 mm in Hoshairpur, Bhunga and Mahilpur blocks. The analysis revealed that the existing cropping pattern is the major factor responsible for higher water demand leading to water deficit in the Hoshiarpur district, and there is need to adopt crops which have lesser water requirement like maize, kharif pulses etc., adopt efficient methods of irrigation and water conservation techniques to minimize gap between demand and supply.