How to maintain ​water level of ​the pond?

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How to maintain ​water level of ​the pond?

Introduction to the project: Alternative Livelihood option 'Pisciculture' for fishermen community in dolphin village:

CEE North under NMCG supported project is working with riverside villages in Bahraich district along Ghaghra tributary of Ganga. The communities in the project village are less educated, economically deprived, socially excluded and marginalised, and they are vulnerable to floods and have fewer livelihood opportunities. Generally, they do fishing activity in the river for the purpose of their livelihoods. In recent past, there has been tremendous pressure on fish resources of the river due to the tendency of taking small fishes as well. This practice is affecting the survival of dolphin and other species as small fishes are food for them.

Question: As part of the poject, CEE has identified a community pond to introduce pisciculture. This pond is spread into 2 bighs (1/2 acre) land area and aroud 1 km away from the river bank. Fish seedlings have been introduced. Maintaining water level of the pond is emerging as the problem in the intervention. The pond is connected to aquifer which is linked with river water level. The level goes down with the river water level. If the pond is refilled by using pumping option the water does not remain in the pond because of its connectivity to the aquifer. We are looking for the solution to this problem as well as also other options for reducing fishing pressure from the river.

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7 Answers

  1. I think the pond bed is more porous if linked to aquifer. You can try with clay lining at the bottom, it's a simple process to retain water. If you want zero infiltration than try HDPE pond lining sheet, But its costly.

  2. Dear Preeti,

    The reverse flow to the aquifer needs to be precluded.

    Theses various methods have already been suggested. It would indeed be a great help if the relative elevation details of the pond and the aquifer can be shared. Besides the losses due to evaporation also need to be estimated. The details of the pond, i.e. length, width and depth ; the free-board needs to be known. Trust you can make these data available so that the most cast effective and techno-commercial solution may be arrived at.

  3. Dear Preeti Rawat,

    Is the aquifer inside the river? That means that the flow/level of river water will dictate the level of your fish culture pond. The answer for your problem would be to block the reverse flow of the water. Water gushes from the aquifer, but when the level of the river falls the water may again flow back. So you have to block the flow of the water. If this would have done, then your real problem would be seepage, because the pond is located at a higher level than that of the river. So you have to do clay coring of the bundhs to arrest seepage. If photographs of the river, aquifer, pond elevation and pond structure are given in serially, then we can have a better understanding of your problem and can clear this.

  4. Ok,  I am late to answer but do one thing - increase the depth of the pond so the minimum water level in the river (in a year) should coincide with the water level of the pond

    or

    wetted surface of the pond may be lined with suitable cost effective lining materials may be plastic or any available in the local market.

  5. I just like to endorse the feedback put forward by K. R. T. Achar Sir. However, I would go for the suggestion No 1, 2 & 3.

    By the way, it will be important to evaluate the soil characteristic / structure at the bottom of the pond. If a benthal layer can be created at the bottom and the sides can be protected (through sealing / covering etc. ) against seepage, then the problem might be solved to a great extent.

    Updates on the issue are highly solicited.

    Thanks and Regards,

    Nripendra Kumar Sarma

    Nagaon, Assam, India

  6. Depending on the soil conditions and the stability of the embankments and the cost economics involved therein, one of the following are the simple methods to retain water in fish ponds:

    1. Seal the pond bottom with Soil Blanket;

    2. Seal the pond bottom with Light Organic Layer (spread cattle manure at the pond bottom); Same may be used for the pond sides when they are not compacted well;

    3. Adopt Puddling - As in rice fields, break the soil structure of the pond bottom;

    4. Adopt Gleization - provide impervious biological plastic layer to the pond bottom / sides, especially if the pond bottom is too permeable;

    5. Seal the pond bottom with Bentonite; and

    6. Seal the pond bottom / sides with the synthetic membrane.

  7. Dear Preeti Rawat,

    It's hard to answer your question without data. As far as I understand the problem, you aim at filling the ponds with groundwater by direct exfiltration (otherwise, I cannot understand why is the water level in the pond linked to the aquifer and river). If that is the case, I would (1) construct a groundwater well, (2) waterproof the pond and (3) fill the pond with groundwater. I hope this helps.

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