8-Study of Downward Movement of Soil Moisture and Recharge to Groundwater by Tritium Tagging Technique in Jamwari-Chauka Doab.

Abstract

The judicious and economic use of water is a matter of national importance while meeting the water requirements for crops. In this context determination of downward movement of soil moisture in unsaturated soil profile play an important role for plant growth and increased crop production. A field study using tritium as radio-active tracer, has been carried out in Jamwari-Chauka doab of Sarda Sahayak Command Area (U.P.) to study the downward movement of soil moisture due to rain-water through unsaturated soil zone and also to evaluate recharge to groundwater as a result thereof. The study irdicates th2t soil moisture moves downward layer by layer and the rate of mov(ment is ma firniiin during rains (0.61cm/day). However, the rate is significantly low (0.37 mmIday) when there are no rains. The recharge due to rainfall in the doab works out to 19.1 cm or 21.83% of average rainfall. The field capacity of the field strata has been found to be 17.5%.