Impact Assessment of Water Conservation Measures Using Swat Model for Upper Yamuna River Basin in India Rathee Ravish K1,4, Neelam2, Mishra Sudipta K3 1Research Scholar, Civil Engineering Dept., G D Goenka University, Gurugram-122103, Haryana 4Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering Dept., Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak-124001, Haryana 2Research Scholar, Civil Engineering Dept., G D Goenka University, Gurugram, Haryana 3Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Dept., G D Goenka University, Gurugram, Haryana Online Published on 13 October, 2023. Abstract This research paper presents a comprehensive study on water conservation in the Upper Yamuna River Basin using geospatial information, GIS, and hydrological modelling techniques. Various thematic layers and data have been integrated and analyzed to identify potential water harvesting sites and propose suitable water conservation structures. The study reveals that the Upper Yamuna River Basin is characterized by diverse soil types, land use/land cover, and topography, which significantly influence water infiltration and runoff. The Multi-Influencing Factor (MIF) approach has been applied to assign weights to different factors based on their importance in water conservation. Based on the analysis, four types of water harvesting structures have been proposed: Cement nalla bund, Earthen/Stone nalla bund, Farm Pond, and Loose boulder structure. These structures aim to mitigate floods during rainy seasons and address water scarcity in other months. Additionally, land development planning structures, such as Continuous Contour Trench/Plantation and Graded Bunding/Stone Bunding, have been suggested to combat soil erosion and enhance water retention. The study also involves the calibration and validation of the SWAT model, which simulates hydrological processes and predicts water balance components. The performance metrics for the Base Model and Water Conservation Practice (WCP) Model demonstrate the effectiveness of the suggested water conservation measures. The WCP Model shows significant improvements in various hydrological components, such as increased evapotranspiration, soil water, and groundwater recharge, and reduced surface runoff. The implementation of suggested Water Conservation Practices (WCP) showed positive outcomes on the hydrological conditions. Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) increased by 1.08%, Evapotranspiration (ET) by 2.70%, Soil water (SW) by 18.23%, Percolation (PERC) by 3.05%, and Groundwater flow (GW_Q) by 8.57%. However, there was a decrease in Surface runoff (SURQ) by 23% and water yield (WYLD) by 7.75%. These changes highlight the potential benefits of adopting WCP for sustainable water resource management in the Upper Yamuna River Basin, aligning with the objectives of achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-13. Overall, the study highlights the importance of water conservation practices in improving water availability, groundwater recharge, and soil moisture retention in the Upper Yamuna River Basin. The proposed water harvesting structures and land development planning measures offer valuable solutions for sustainable water resource management, especially in the context of changing climate patterns and increasing water demand. Top Keywords Water Conservation, Basin, Water Resources Planning, Potential sites. Top |