Water Storage Methods

In our Agriculture for Everybody blog series,  we will discuss the specifics of Water Storage Methods.  Generally, the water storage methods can be classified into two groups and they are as follows.

1. Underground Water Storage
2. Over ground Water Storage

We can opt to utilize one or the other of the methods or a combination of both.


Underground Water Storage

The water is stored below the surface and can be retrieved at a later point of time by using the available options.

Advantages

• Evaporation is very minimal as the water is stored below the ground
• Contamination possibility is very less
• No need to allocate any land for this purpose

Disadvantages

• Water can only be retrieved by using bore well and other means
• Water availability is not guaranteed as other farmers can also exploit the underground water

Over ground Water Storage

The water is stored above the surface and can be utilized directly for many purposes and that too whenever we require them.  Examples of this method are Farm Ponds, Open Wells etc

Advantages

• Can utilize the water & space for Fish Farming
• Can utilize it as drinking water for Cattle, Poultry etc
• Can utilize it for the crops during the summer season when the water availability is generally low
• Seepage of water in the soil will benefit the entire farmland

Disadvantages

• Need to allocate land
• Evaporation is very high and hence possibility of loss of available water to some extent
• Contamination is possible
• Will attract Snails and other similar things which may not be good to our Livestock