Identification of Surface Water Harvesting Sites for Water Stressed Area Using GIS: A Case Study of Ausgram Block, Burdwan District, West Bengal, India - Management of Natural Resources in a Changing Environment - page 77

Table 1 Identification of the surface water harvesting potential zones
Sl. No Geomorphic resources Value Zones

1 Minimum Ruggedness Index <0.0078 RI/km 2 Maximum Surface

water harvesting
potential zone

Minimum Relative Relief <3.00 m/km 2

Maximum Drainage Density 3.00 km length of river/km 2

Minimum Slope <20.00′

Maximum Frequency of
Surface Water Bodies

>15/km 2

2 Moderate Ruggedness Index 0.0078-0.0157 RI/km 2 Moderate Surface

water harvesting
potential zone

Moderate Relative Relief 3.00-6.00 m/km 2

Moderate Drainage Density 2.00-3.00 km length of river/km 2

Moderate Slope 20.00-30.00′

Moderate Frequency of
Surface Water Bodies

10-15/km 2

3 Maximum Ruggedness Index >0.0157 RI/km 2 Minimum Surface

water harvesting
potential zone

Maximum Relative Relief >6 m/km 2

Minimum Drainage Density <1.00 km length of river/km 2

Maximum Slope >30.00′

Minimum Frequency of
Surface Water Bodies

<10/km 2

Source : Author's calculation

anthropogenic activities to a great extent. Study and analysis of geomorphic
resources are very much essential to understand the availability of natural
resources which in turn influence the probability of economic and social devel-
opment of the region as well. Ruggedness Index (RI), Relative Relief (RR),
Drainage Density (DD), Slope and Frequency of Surface Water Bodies (FSWB)
are considered very important indicators and they are used to evaluate geomor-
phic parameters, because these are all controlling the surface water resource in
present study area. Evaluations of these resources are considered essential for
implementation of any type of regional and economic planning, especially for
water resource planning and management.

Geomorphic Resources

Geomorphic resources are measured and analysed using Survey of India (SOI)
topographical maps. One square kilometre grids are generated and grid-wise infor-
mation are measured and collected for analysis. The geomorphic resources are con-
trolling the surface water bodies and present land use land cover of Ausgram blocks
I and II; in the present paper surface water harvesting potential zones are identified
and proposed based on the geomorphic resources through GIS tool. It is very essen-
tial for Ausgram blocks I and II, for controlling the water stressed conditions. As a
result farmers can do good crop cultivation at least two times in a year.