Water Harvesting Structures Research Articles

Looking back to look forward: Explorations on water scenario in Bundelkhand, Central India

At present, India is suffering from the worst water crisis in its history, and millions of lives and livelihoods are under threat. As per NITI Aayog’s1 Water Index Report (2018), 40% of the population will have no access to drinking water by 2030. A 2016 report by Down To Earth (DTE) stated that 116,000 water harvesting structures were constructed between 2006 and 2015, and 15,000 crore rupees were spent on drought-proofing measures in Bundelkhand, Central India. Still, the region had 15th consecutive crop loss and 13 droughts in the past 15 years. Water historians like Elizabeth Whitcombe, Rohan D’Souza, and others have demonstrated how British imperialism led to the replacement of traditional water harvesting structures and systems, severely altering existing water-society relationships. On the contrary, Ian Stone, David Mosse, and Esha Shah argued that the ‘pre-colonial equilibrium’ versus ‘colonial hydrology’ framework is an exaggeration. Within this context, the research reveals the tangled roots of various causes and variables, and practically informing policy circles to tackle contemporary water issues and challenges and achieve SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

Bioinspired Moisture‐Driven Soft Robotic Actuator

Multifunctional materials in nature, utilizing atmospheric water content, offer solutions to challenges in soft‐actuating materials research. The leaf of Arundo donax, an invasive plant, showcases exceptional properties: structural integrity, passive actuation, tunability, load‐bearing capacity, longevity, and an integrated battery‐free fluid generation and distribution mechanism. These functions coexist within a thin (≈130 μm) and lightweight structure with simple compositions. The study investigates material composition, passive fluid transport, water harvesting structures, and mechanical properties, revealing unexpected correlations between surface and internal structures. Additionally, tunable actuation, suitable for origami‐based mechanisms, is explored. Testing an energy‐free, moisture‐triggered soft robotic gripper, its ability to lift over 50 times its weight while maintaining sufficient softness for delicate tasks is demonstrated. This unit‐wise structure‐based actuation offers promise for soft robotics, with favorable fabrication possibilities and motion manipulation.

Determining food intake, the requirement, and weighing the relative risk between food secure and insecure households in rural areas of Ethiopia: The case of West Hararghe zone

The severity of food insecurity in Ethiopia is among the worst globally, with record-breaking food assistance needs by various factors. This study tries to uncover various aspects of food security related to food availability, food access, food utilization and food stability dimensions of food security. The study was executed in the west Hararghe zone of the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Its main objective was to determine the food security status of households, with specific objectives aiming at computing individual daily kilo calorie intake, determining the average food requirement, comparing the relative risk between food secure and insecure households and identifying factors that affect household food security status. A multi-stage sampling procedure, involving the purposive selection of; the Zone and Woreda, and a simple random selection of households, to draw the required number of representative sample respondents, was adopted. Hence, from 4163 total households, 134 were selected for collecting primary data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, relative risk analysis using Cohorts and independent tests using ANOVA. Food security status was measured using the Household Food Balance Model (HFBM). Using this model, the study obtained 1973 kilo calories per individual per day intake and 2108 kilo calorie as their requirement, which indicated households were energy deficient by 135 kilo calorie with 2-sided-value < 0.1 critical level (t= -1.747, df =133 & sig2-sided. 0.083). Independent test results showed that farm income (at p-value < 0.1), gross product (at p-value < 0.05), age of household head (at p-value < 0.1), years of owning land (at p < 0.1) and family size (at p-value < 0.1) contributed significantly to food security status. Cross-tabulation showed a linear relationship between food security and higher education level (at p-value < 0.05), which urges a concern in improving farming societies’ literacy to the desired level. In the study areas, about 91.8% of the population produces crops depending on the seasonal rainfall and their daily kilo calorie consumed depends on it; this is statistically correlated with the food insecurity problem at p-value < 0.1 critical level (lambada = 1.75 & sig. = 0.08). Therefore, to tackle the food insecurity problem, alternative method of crop production should be devised such as the establishment of irrigation schemes, water harvesting structures, and water conservation practices, among others. Key words: food security, calorie requirement, food availability, relative risk

Assessment of Constraints and Suggestion Insights from Beneficiaries of Centrally Sponsored Agricultural Schemes: A study of PKVY, PMKSY and SHC in Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra, India

The present study focused on assessing the constraints faced by the beneficiaries of centrally sponsored agricultural schemes namely Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), and the Soil Health Card Scheme (SHC) and invited suggestions from them to overcome the constraints. For the proposed study, 60 beneficiary farmers were selected from Amravati districts and 60 beneficiary farmers were selected from Buldhana districts in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra for each scheme. Thus, for the three schemes, a total of 360 beneficiary farmers were selected. In the case of PKVY beneficiaries, the major constraints faced were lack of proper marketing channel for organic produce, lack of sustainability in the reduction of cost of organic cultivation and reduced productivity of organic farm produce even after conversion period. Whereas, in the case of constraint faced by PMKSY beneficiaries, the first constraint faced by the beneficiary was longer time for getting the subsidy credited, followed by lack of increase in the sources of irrigation and load shedding of electricity. In the case SHC beneficiaries, the major constraint faced were long time gap between soil sample collection and issuing SHC, difficulty to comprehend the information and follow the recommendations provided in SHC and lack of effective training and demonstrations provided to farmers about soil health. In the case of PKVY beneficiaries, majority of them (74.17%) gave the suggestion for establishment of proper marketing channel for organic produce, followed by 34.17 per cent of them suggested the strengthening of farmer groups and developing them into Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). Whereas in the case of PMKSY beneficiaries, 84.17 per cent of them suggested to ensure timely crediting of subsidies, followed by expansion of irrigation infrastructure through the construction of water harvesting structures such as check dams, farm ponds, tanks and bore wells (59.16%). In the case of SHC beneficiaries, majority of them (85.83%) gave the suggestion to speed up the process of issuing Soil Health Cards and 71.66 per cent suggested for training programs and field level demonstrations focused on soil health and the practical application of SHC recommendations to improve farmers' knowledge and skills.

Identification of groundwater potential zone and Water harvesting Structures using remote sensing and GIS technique in Chilapura Watershed, Davangere district, Karnataka state.

Identification of groundwater potential zone and Water harvesting Structures using remote sensing and GIS technique in Chilapura Watershed, Davangere district, Karnataka state.

Addressing water security challenges through groundwater recharge for revival of Kanari River using AHP and geospatial techniques

Artificial recharge of groundwater has been recognized as a promising option for sustaining groundwater supplies and ensure water security for the ever rising population. With the aid of geospatial and multi-criteria decision analysis methodologies, the current study's scope aids in evaluating groundwater potential zones and locating suitable zones and sites for groundwater recharge for the revival of the Kanari River. A pragmatic methodology was suggested in this study for implementing water harvesting structures for river revival and estimation of water demand, pumping, and recharge. The geometric mean and the normalized weight for individual features were specified using the AHP in a GIS environment. All the different features/datasets were overlaid, and possible groundwater zones were revealed using AHP. Integrated maps were used to identify the groundwater recharge zone and locations for establishing artificial recharge structures within the Kanari River system. Ultimately, the domestic water demand, agriculture water use, pumping, and livestock water demand were estimated for water budgeting, and based on this data, the water availability was calculated. Based on the study results, the water demand of the Kanari River watershed was estimated to be 732 MCM. Taking into consideration the supply and demand scenarios, the pumping overdraft of the Kanari River watershed was found to be 423 MCM, and the proposed additional recharge through the planned conservation structures was estimated to be 859 MCM. So, even if pumping overdraft is considered, this additional groundwater recharge can fulfill the local demand, help maintain the river flow, and ensure water availability and security in the region.

Impacts of Climate Change on Streamflow on Dawa Sub-watershed, Genale-Dawa River Basin, Southern Ethiopia

<i>Climate change is statistical variations over an extended period in the features of the climate system, such as variations in global temperatures and precipitation, caused by human and natural sources.</i> In this study aimed to measure and examine how streamflow in the Dawa sub-basin, Genale Dawa River basin was affected by climate change. It used the average of five regional climate models from the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) Africa, under two different scenarios of Representative Concentration Pathways: RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The baseline scenario was based on the data from 1975 to 2005, while the future scenarios were based on the data from 2020s (2025–2054) and 2050s (2055–2084). The HBV hydrological model used to assess the impact on streamflow. The HBV model showed good statistical performance in simulating the impact of climate change on streamflow, with a coefficient of determination (R<sup>2</sup>) of 0.88 and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of 0.77 for monthly calibration, and R<sup>2</sup> of 0.86 and NSE of 0.83 for monthly validation. The impacts quantified using the mean monthly changes in precipitation, maximum and minimum temperatures. The bias-corrected precipitation and temperature showed a reasonable increase in both future periods for both RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios. These changes in climate variables resulted in a decrease in mean annual streamflow by 1.6 and 3.5% for RCP 4.5 and by 4.6 and 4.9% for RCP 8.5 scenarios of the 2020s and 2050s, respectively. Based on the analysis that predicted a drop in precipitation during the months, and seasons and an increase in precipitation during the <i>Belg</i> season, with a corresponding decrease and rise in stream flow throughout the watershed. So to offset the variation in the watershed, community should adopt various; Soil and water conservation technologies, Using drought tolerant crops, Implementing various trees and appropriate design and applying a water harvesting structure like in-situ, internal or micro catchment, external or macro catchment water harvesting and Surface runoff harvesting. This result offers useful information for current and future water resource management in the basin and similar other watershed in the country.

Identifying managed aquifer recharge and rain water harvesting sites and structures for storing non-conventional water using GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis approach

In arid climates, conventional water resources are severely limited and stressed in the face of rapid population growth and future climate change. So, it is necessary to find alternative non-conventional water resources for use in drought situations. Additionally, the non-conventional water resources in these areas are not sufficient to meet future water demand. Therefore, non-conventional water resources can be adopted as a strategic reserve to bridge the gap between water supply and demand in case of emergency and drought events. These resources might include rainwater harvesting, treated wastewater, and desalinated seawater. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) can be applied to store these resources in the hydrogeological system using Geo information System—Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (GIS-MCDA) approach for determining the suitable MAR location for storage. North-west Kingdom of Saudi Arabia area was chosen for this study because it is extremely arid, has high potential for social and economic development, and it has newly constructed non-conventional water infrastructures distributed throughout the area including water desalination plants, Tertiary Sewage Effluent (TSE) waste water plants, and flash-flood storage dams. To identify the suitable MAR site location and structure, different data related to aquifer hydrogeology, surface hydrology, hydrometeorology, and water quality were applied. Then, GIS-MCDA holistic approach was applied with aid of ordered weighting average (OWA) technique. Finally, two maps were created to show the MAR location and structure type. Potential map indicates that ~ 18.85% of the area is suitable for MAR installations. About 0.17% of the total area exhibited very high potential, where infiltration ponds can be applied, 1.86% had high potential for construction of check dams with diversion channels, and 16.82% had moderate potential for installation of recharge wells. Additionally, 56 MAR structures were proposed and a map showing their locations has been created. Thus, results indicated that the study area is promising for MAR installation. These maps could aid the decision makers to propose a sustainable development plan for the future water resources of the area.

Design of Rain Water Harvesting System for Efficient Water Scarcity and Flood Management in India

Areas experiencing extensive floods during the rainy season and water scarcity in winter require efficient water resource management. Economical water-harvesting structures such as drystone masonry and upstream-wall cement masonry, with heights ranging from 1 to 2.5 meters, are constructed for catchments smaller than 10, 10 to 20, and 20 to 30 hectares, respectively, utilizing locally sourced materials. These constructions offer significant cost-effectiveness for the location, boasting a B:C ratio of 3.5:1. In certain areas of Assam, Garh structures are constructed, featuring large and lengthy embankments on both sides with an open central section for water flow. Within paddy fields, the entire area is partitioned into small square segments, creating small embankments known as "Dara." which store rainwater for cultivation. Across the entire Western Himalayan region, encompassing Jammu, Himachal Pradesh, and Northern Uttaranchal, Guhl serves as a standardized water harvesting technique. Notably, in Akola and Chittoor districts, the establishment of farm ponds has significantly boosted crop and livestock productivity, along with farm income. Additional irrigation has notably enhanced the yield of various rainfed crops such as pigeon pea, chickpea, groundnut, cotton, and vegetables, as well as mango and coconut plants, with improvements ranging from 5 to 72%. With the availability of harvested rainwater for supplemental irrigation, farmers have also planted additional fruit trees, resulting in increased productivity of existing fruit trees, such as mango (39%) in Chittoor district and coconut (51%) in Vellore district. Expanding the number of rainwater harvesting structures could potentially reduce runoff within the basin by up to 60%. The implementation of Doha Models, involving percolation tanks dug along the length of lower-order seasonal streams in Jalna district of Maharashtra, has increased cropping intensity from 129% to 132%. Remarkably, five out of seven crops have demonstrated a relatively higher percentage increase in yields. The optimal productivity of harvested water is achieved when efficient application methods such as micro-irrigation are employed, targeting high-value crops.

Designing of small water harvesting structures based on rainfall-runoff relationship for Dharashiv district of Maharashtra

Designing of small water harvesting structures based on rainfall-runoff relationship for Dharashiv district of Maharashtra

Prediction of soil erosion and sediment yield in an ungauged basin based on land use land cover changes.

Soil erosion is a significant problem in the agriculture sector and the environment globally. Susceptible soil erosion zones must be identified and erosion rates evaluated to decrease land degradation problems and increase crop productivity by protecting soil fertility. Therefore, a research study has been carried out in the Ponnaniyar River basin, an ungauged tributary of the Cauvery basin in India, primarily used for agriculture. The main purpose of this study is to assess soil erosion (SE) and sediment yield (SY) for the future in an ungauged basin by utilizing the projected land use/land cover (LULC) map of the study area. Additionally, Landsat 8 satellite dataset was only used for the classification and prediction of LULC to eliminate the variation between the resolution, bands and its wavelength of different satellites datasets. To achieve the goals of this study, three phases were followed. First, the LULC of the study area was classified using a Random Trees Classifier (RTC), a machine learning technique, followed by the projection of land cover using a Cellular Automata-based Artificial Neural Network (CA-ANN) model. The driving factors for this model include digital elevation model (DEM), slope, distance to roads, settlements, and water bodies. The accuracy level of the projected LULC map was determined by comparing it with the classified LULC map of the study area, and the results showed an overall accuracy (OA) of 85.35 percentage and a kappa coefficient (K) of 0.74, respectively. Second, the projected LULC map was used in the land management factor (C) and conversation practice factor (P) of the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model to assess soil erosion. The model was integrated with the sediment delivery ratio (SDR) to estimate sediment yield within the study area. The accuracy of the generated erosion map based on the classified and projected LULC for the year 2022 was determined using the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) curve, and it was found to be in satisfactory agreement. Finally, for effective soil and water conservation measures, the basin was divided into 13 sub-watersheds (SWs) using terrain analysis in geographical information system (GIS). The SWs were prioritized based on the mean soil loss in the 4-year interval from 2014 to 2030 and integrated using the weighted average method to determine the final prioritization. From these findings, SW 11, SW 9, SW 12, and SW 1 are extremely affected by soil erosion, and immediate implementation of water harvesting structures is required for soil conservation. Also, this research might be useful for decision-makers and policymakers in land management.

The Archaeology of the Bonito Paleochannel Cycle at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico: Implications for Communal and Household Level Investment in Water Management

This study examines the archaeological record for water management in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, in relation to the Bonito Paleochannel cycle, ca. AD 1075–1150. We present evidence for a canal system at Pueblo Bonito that was destroyed by the entrenchment of the paleochannel. This canal system is associated with the peak of great house construction. Other water control features throughout the canyon were small and date to the period of paleochannel aggradation or afterward. We suggest that while the Pueblo Bonito canals represent some degree of corporate group investment, small features were managed at the household level. The limited archaeological evidence for formal water control infrastructure can be explained at least in part by the physical geography of Chaco Canyon, which we view as essentially a regional-scale water harvesting structure.

Mapping Prospects for Artificial Groundwater Recharge Utilizing Remote Sensing and GIS Methods

The indiscriminate use of groundwater and its overexploitation has led to a significant decline in groundwater resources in India, making it essential to identify potential recharge zones for aquifer recharge. A study was conducted to determine such potential recharge zones in the Nandhour-Kailash River watershed. The study area included 1481 streams divided into 12 sub-basins (SWS). The results show that the downstream Saraunj sub-basins (SWS-11) and Odra sub-basins (SWS-12) were high priority and required immediate soil and water conservation attention. Sub catchments Lobchla West (SWS-4), Deotar (SWS-5), Balot South (SWS-8), Nandhour (SWS-9), and Nakoliy (SWS-10) had medium priority and were designated for moderate soil erosion and degradation. In contrast, sub-catchments Aligad (SWS-1), Kundal (SWS-2), Lowarnala North (SWS-3), Bhalseni (SWS-6), and Uparla Gauniyarao (SWS-7) had low priority, indicating a low risk of soil erosion and degradation. Using the existing groundwater level data, the potential map of groundwater was validated to confirm its validity. According to the guidelines provided by the Integrated Mission for Sustainable Development (IMSD), the results of the groundwater potential zones for good to very good zones have been integrated at the slope and stream order. In a 120.94 km2 area with a slope of 0–5% in first-order streams, 36 ponds were proposed, and in a 218.03 km2 area with a slope of 15% in first- to fourth-order streams, 105 retention dams were proposed and recognized as possible sites for artificial groundwater recharge. The proposed water harvesting structure may aid in continuously recharging these zones and benefit water resource managers and planners. Thus, various governmental organizations can use the results to identify possible future recharge areas.

Identification of potential zones on the estimation of direct runoff and soil erosion for an ungauged watershed based on remote sensing and GIS techniques

An investigation of soil and water resources is essential to determine the future scenario of water management and water resources to attain food and water security. The improper management of watersheds results in a huge amount of sediment loss and surface runoff. Therefore, the present study was carried out to estimate the surface runoff and soil erosion using the Soil Conservation Service Curve Number (SCS-CN) method and RUSLE approach, respectively. These have been estimated using geospatial technologies for the ungauged Mandri river watershed from the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh State in India. The runoff potential zones, which are defined by the area's impermeable surfaces for a given quantity of precipitation were identified based on curve numbers at the sub-watershed levels. The land use data were collected from LISS IV images of 2009. The results showed that the average volume of runoff generated throughout the 16 years (2000-2015) was 14.37 million cubic meters (mM3). While average annual soil loss was found to be 17.23 tons/ha/year. Most of the eroded area was found to be around the major stream in a drainage system of Mandri River and on higher slopes of the terrain in the watershed. This study revealed that surface runoff and soil erosion are primary issues, which adversely affected the soil and water resources in this watershed. Therefore, suitable water harvesting sites and structures can be constructed based on the potential runoff zone and severity of soil erosion to conserve the soil and water in the watershed.

Watershed Management a Approach of Soil Water Conservation in Dry Zones of West Bengal

Watershed management is rudimentary concept of integration of water management and livelihood. In dry and arid zones of West Bengal (Agro climatic zone VII), the districts like Purulia, Bankura, West Midnapore, Birbhum have the issues of severe water crisis, crop failure, and lack of irrigation water, soil erosion. Purulia receives an annual rainfall of 1200 cm but most but the condition of the top soil is degenerative and total top soil is eroded with water and water retention is minimal. Thus, it can be concluded that rainfall is surely not the issue for the water crisis. Now here is a ground breaking initiative of developing the watershed management programme for effective soil water conservation and also for the rejuvenation of six major rivers of South West Bengal. There are certain structures for example the 30-40 model which can slows down the speed of the run-off, prevent top soil loss and along with this certain water harvesting structures and plantation to secure food fodder and fuel crisis of marginal individuals of these regions. In this paper discussion have been made regarding the formulation of strategies of Watershed development and its field level implementation at Hura Block as this is our intensive block of the project. Vigorous technological use like estimation of run off and development of models complying with the run off standards are analyzed in the paper. Furthermore, the cropping techniques that have been performed to develop the watershed and promote soil conservation has also be critically analyzed in the research paper.

Enhancing water security through site selection of water harvesting structures in semi-arid regions: a GIS-based multiple criteria decision analysis

Abstract This research endeavors to develop a decision support tool aimed at ascertaining the optimal site selection for water harvesting structures in semi-arid regions, employing a geographic information system-based multiple criteria decision analysis approach. Water scarcity poses a formidable challenge in various countries, particularly in arid and semi-arid areas. Among the potential solutions, the adoption of water harvesting technologies stands out for capturing and storing rainwater to address water shortages. However, the effectiveness and efficiency of these structures hinge significantly on their precise placement. To address this issue, this paper introduces a comprehensive framework that integrates multiple criteria, encompassing rainfall intensity, land slope, soil type, and land use, to discern the most suitable locations for water harvesting structures. A practical application of the proposed methodology is demonstrated through a case study conducted in the Sabarmati river basin. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach in identifying highly suitable locations for water harvesting structures, ultimately contributing to the enhancement of water security in the region.

Effective management of the watershed in response to historical climate change using a GIS-based multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)

Abstract Watershed management is necessary to conserve water resources because the watershed hydrological processes are more affected by climate and land use change, resulting in the problems of droughts, floods, soil erosion, etc. This study determined suitable alternatives that can ensure viable strategies for tackling the climate change impacts at the Soan River Basin (SRB). A framework was applied to assess the impacts of climate change and land use/cover change (LUCC) using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). A multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) was used to prioritize watershed management alternatives by comparing watershed management criteria and alternatives using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Framework findings showed a 69 and 31% decline in runoff, and a 58 and 42% increment in evapotranspiration (ET) due to climate change and LUCC, respectively. The top prioritized suitable alternatives were water harvesting structure (WHS) and vegetative cover (VC). Suitability analysis showed that 63.61 and 16.56% area of the SRB were moderately to highly suitable for WHS, respectively. For soil and water management, VC has been found suitable to moderately suitable for 72.68 and 26.75% of the basin area, respectively. So, there should be adoption of such measures which will assist in configuring the climate adaptive strategies.

Site Selection for Rainwater Harvesting Using Remote Sensing, GIS and AHP

Aims: The research work was carried out to find suitable sites for rainwater harvesting in Dhatarwadi river basin of Amreli district of Gujarat, India using remote sensing and geographic information system along with analytic hierarchy process.
 Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out at College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, Gujarat, India.
 Methodology: In present study, suitable sites for runoff water harvesting structures were identified using guidelines of IMSD (1995) and FAO (2003). Five criteria i.e. rainfall, land use/land cover, soil texture, lineament density and slope were selected. Thematic layers of these layers were analysed using overlay process using ArcGIS software and weights for criterias were derived with experts’ opinion using AHP.
 Results: Results obtained were for water harvesting site selection, AHP generated weight for criteria were 36.1%, 20.6%, 18.6 %, 13.1 % and 11.7 % for rainfall, land use/land cover, soil texture, lineament density and slope, respectively. In study area, 66.79 % area found very high suitable, 24.89 % highly suitable, 5.63 % moderately suitable, 0.88 % less suitable and remaining 1.81 % area found not suitable for water harvesting sites. As per suitability and ground truth, 24 check dam sites on scrubland, 52 check dam sites on cropland, 11 check dam sites on the river bed were obtained and 29 farm ponds sites were proposed in the study area. The result indicates that 72.27% of existing RWH sites are in very high suitability and 26.73% located in high suitable whereas only 0.49 % and 0.49 % are in the moderate suitable and not suitable area, respectively.
 Conclusion: To find suitable sites for runoff water harvesting experts can use remote sensing, GIS and AHP in integration for precise work.

Analysis of Water Harvesting Structures Sites Appropriateness Using GIS-Based Methodology: Diyala, Iraq, as a Case Study

Water harvesting is an effective technology that may be used to collect unused runoff, therefore meeting various water needs and mitigating droughts. The study area is experiencing severe water lacks, so the goal of this research is to find ideal locations for structures of water harvesting through the use of a geographical information system-based multi-criteria analysis model that employs fuzzy logic with the analytical hierarchy process model. According to the hydrology and geomorphic criteria of the research area, a suitability map for water harvesting was constructed, and 17 and 12 sites suitable for check dams and farm ponds, respectively, were suggested in the regions with high and very high classes. Thus, this study’s findings underline the significance of geospatial modeling in planning water facilities and addressing the water shortage issue in the study region.

Steep-slope viticulture: The effectiveness of micro-water storage in improving the resilience to weather extremes

Steep-slope vineyards are widely distributed in the Mediterranean region and have a pivotal role in wine production, economic development, and cultural heritage. Nevertheless, they are threatened by climate change in terms of opposite weather extremes, such as heavy rainfalls and long-lasting droughts. In response, rainwater harvesting systems have emerged as valuable solutions for managing water resources and controlling related problems. Of primary importance is the identification of suitable sites for installation. However, a systematic selection procedure still needs to be explored; it is necessary for morphologically complex vineyards that include historical features of significant cultural value (such as terraced systems). To fill this gap, this study employed a high-resolution overflow simulation model that combines a set of criteria to identify the optimal network of water harvesting structures (also drawing on traditional knowledge) and quantify the potential for water storage during rainfall of varying intensities. The study area considered is located within the “Soave Traditional Vineyards” (north of Italy) site, a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) recognized by FAO. The surface overflow was simulated considering two key rainstorms that occurred in the last few years at different time intervals. 53 potential sites for water harvesting were selected according to field survey, runoff simulation, and topographic analysis. The results indicate that the water potentially collected from designed sites could have a double function: (1) mitigate the surface overflow that can potentially cause downslope terrace collapse or even flooding villages; (2) provide irrigation water for vineyards during water scarcity scenarios. The spatial distribution of the water collected could undoubtedly guide sustainable decisions in steep-slope viticultural systems under climate change forcing.