Assessment of traditional rainwater harvesting system in barren lands of a semi-arid region: A case study of Rajasthan (India)

Dudu station, Rajasthan, India Rainwater harvesting can be used as a method to recharge aquifers. This happen with variety of scales and technologies. One such example is shallow infiltration ponds (Chaukas) which groundwater increase soil moisture facilitating pastureland development. A HYDRUS-1D model was estimate potential recharge. The calibrated using field data from 2019 validated 2020. time series Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived at annual scale assess changes in the vegetation cover. modeling revealed that an additional 5% rainfall depth being recharged into groundwater. In addition, allowing natural grass cover develop, could by local community pastureland. These twin benefits communities are realizing scaled up beyond Dudu, India, worldwide, many regions have barren land slightly sloping, together permeable soils, only conditions for construction Chaukas. Chauka systems helped sustainable water resources management these water-stressed livelihood support through developed pastures animal husbandry.