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economics of on-farm development - Institute for Social and ...

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7 lago<strong>on</strong>s, 901 tanks <strong>and</strong> over 30 lakh wells lo . Vembanadu is the bIggest lake.<br />

with an area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 200 square kilometers (sq. km). Manv <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the rivers like I'ni\ar.<br />

- .<br />

Pampa. Manimala. Achanko\il. Meenachil <strong>and</strong> Muvattupuzha draIn (lut to<br />

backwaters. Out <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the 27 backwaters. two are fresh water resources. viz .. Pookot<br />

(Kalpetta in Kozhikode) <strong>and</strong> Sasthamkotta (in Kollam district). Out <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the 44<br />

rivers, 41 are west flowing <strong>and</strong> three are east flowing which are tributaries <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />

Cauvery river. Of the 44 rivers. 33 are less than 100 km l<strong>on</strong>g. with a total length<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 1577 kms covering a catchment area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 14949 sq. km. The remaining I I riycrs<br />

are above 100 kms in length <strong>and</strong> their total length is 1643 km .. with a catchment<br />

area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 25058 sq. km. <strong>and</strong> the effective catchment area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> all the river basins is<br />

38864 sq. kmll. Five major rivers, viz .. Periyar, Bhrathapuzha, Pampa. Chaliyar<br />

<strong>and</strong> Chalakudy altogether drain 40 per cent <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the geographical area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the state.<br />

Apart from rivers. backwaters. tanks <strong>and</strong> wells. springs also c<strong>on</strong>tribute to the<br />

water resources in Kerala. The n<strong>on</strong>-c<strong>on</strong>venti<strong>on</strong>al fresh water source in northern<br />

Malabar. viz .. Slirangams (horiz<strong>on</strong>tal wells) is a unique source <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> freshwater.<br />

Kerala also has good groundwater potential. The annual utili sable groundwater<br />

10 A survey made by the Centre <strong>for</strong> Water Resources Development <strong>and</strong> Management<br />

(CWRDM) reveals that there are 901 tanks <strong>and</strong> that Kerala has the highest density <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />

family based open wells. the density <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> wells being 120/ sq. km. Tube wells also <strong>for</strong>m a<br />

major source <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> water. The estimated quantity <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> groundwater resources in Kcrala is<br />

7900 MeM. (GOK, 1999). There are 236 springs, <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> which. 104 are having a discharge<br />

<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 10 to 100 liters per minute <strong>and</strong> 37 having more than 100 liters/ minute. Similarly the<br />

Sural/gall/s in north Malabar are having a discharge <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> 10 to 12 liters/minute. Thc~ arc<br />

largely used as a water resource in semi-dry an:a <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Malabar <strong>for</strong> drinking purpose,<br />

II Though the total catchment area works out to be 40007 Sq. km .. about 1200 Sq. kill.<br />

is in Tamilnadu <strong>and</strong> the effective catchment area within Kerala is 38864 Sq. km.<br />

24

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