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Farm pond

A farm pond is an on-farm excavated reservoir, often lined with LDPE or HDPE film, that intercepts runoff and stores supplemental irrigation water for use during dry spells. ICAR-CRIDA Hyderabad has standardised location-specific farm-pond designs for rainfed regions and classifies the structure as a climate-resilient, drought-proofing technology.

Principle

Runoff from a contributing catchment is channelised into a pond at the lowest point of the holding, where it is stored for later use. Capacity is matched to the runoff yield of the catchment and the supplemental irrigation demand of the cropping system. On light soils the pond floor and side slopes are lined to control seepage; on heavy clay soils unlined ponds may hold water adequately by themselves.

Implementation

CRIDA's planning and design guidance covers siting, capacity calculation, side-slope stability, inlet and spillway design and lining specification. Standard inlet protection prevents siltation, and a spillway carries excess runoff safely past the bund. LDPE or HDPE film of specified thickness, joined by heat or solvent welding, is the common lining for light soils. Stored water can be lifted by pump for sprinkler or drip systems; in Drip Irrigation and Sprinkler Irrigation configurations, a sand or screen filter is fitted at the pump suction. Many ponds are built with MGNREGS convergence so that labour is paid through the employment-guarantee scheme.

Adoption context

Farm ponds are widely promoted in rainfed regions to provide supplemental irrigation at critical crop stages, where a single life-saving irrigation can prevent yield collapse. They form part of the integrated water-harvesting toolkit that includes Rainwater Recharge Pits for groundwater augmentation.

Limitations

Open ponds lose stored water to evaporation and to algal growth; covering options are described under Farm Pond Shed Cover. Seepage on porous substrates without lining can be substantial. Stagnant ponds also serve as mosquito-breeding sites if not maintained.

See also: Farm Pond Shed Cover, Rainwater Recharge Pits, Drip Irrigation, Sprinkler Irrigation.

References

  1. Water Harvesting Technology. ICAR.
  2. Farm Ponds - A Climate Resilient Technology for Rainfed Agriculture. ICAR-CRIDA.
  3. ICAR-CRIDA technologies. Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture.