Abstract:
We review the current status of experimental studies in India
to understand the linkages between afforestation and hydrology. This
discipline deals with the use and management of water, social awareness
of environmental problems, and ecosystem limitations on provision of
watershed services by river basins in the mountain regions of India. Our
review begins with examination of experimental works in tropical countries
and proceeds to discussion of initiatives of Indian research institutes
and Government organizations towards establishing experimental watersheds
to understand the impacts of land cover changes on hydrologic
regimes in the Indian sub-continent. This is followed by the review of the
experimental work carried out by various authors to assess the impact of
land cover changes on major water balance components such as, runoff,
groundwater, evapotranspiration and sediment yield. The spatial scales of
these experiments have been limited to small watersheds or field plots.
This paper also describes impacts of human interventions (such as plantations
of exotic forest species to restore degraded landscapes) on the water
balance components in diverse hydro-geo-environmental conditions in
the Indian sub-continent. We focus on identifying the research areas
which require immediate attention to develop tools to assist planners and
policy makers in assessing and managing the water resources in these
complex environments. The review is largely based on research results
reported during the last 20 to 30 years.
