Assessment of crop parameters and groundwater level in a policy-implemented micro-watershed environment using geospatial technology

TLDR: In this article, the impact of Integrated Water Management Program (IWMP) activities on crop parameters (viz. coverage, health index, cropping index, and gross primary productivity) and GWL in a micro-watershed site over Hisar district, Haryana, India, using data from Landsat, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Water Resource Information System (WRIS) India during the year 1997 to 2017.

Abstract: Water conservation has been a priority action to the government and researchers across the globe due to its limited availability, uneven distribution and equal requirements to every human being. This has resulted into various actions of water management at the local (micro-watershed) as well as at the regional (large watershed) level with the goal to improve agriculture productivity, soil moisture, and groundwater level (GWL). This study was conducted to assess the impact of Integrated Water Management Program (IWMP) activities on crop parameters (viz. coverage, health index, cropping index, and gross primary productivity (GPP)) and GWL in a micro-watershed site over Hisar district, Haryana, India, using data from Landsat, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Water Resource Information System (WRIS) India during the year 1997 to 2017. Results reveal a significant change in different crop parameters and GWL post-IWMP activities. The rate of changes in crop coverage has been observed to be higher (69.41 ha/year) after the project implementation compared to the pre-project period (31.62 ha/year). Similar results have been found for vegetation condition and cropping index (CI, a newly proposed index for cropping frequency). Changes in GPP have also shown an increasing trend both in Rabi and Kharif season. GWL has changed significantly with a declining trend that may be due to the rising population and increasing demand for irrigation. The method and parameters adopted in this study may be applicable for the assessment and monitoring of similar policies across the globe in addition to the other indices.