This is the first lecture delivered at the Training Workshop on Participatory Land Use Planning through Participatory Rural Appraisal Tools – 6th – 7th December 2021 at SLFI, Colombo

1. Training Workshop on Participatory Land Use Planning through Participatory Rural
Appraisal Tools – 6th – 7th December 2021 at SLFI, Colombo
• P.B. Dharmasena
• 0777 - 613234, 0717 – 613234
• dharmasenapb@ymail.com , dharmasenapb@gmail.com
• Links to publications:
https://independent.academia.edu/PunchiBandageDharmasena
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Punchi_Bandage_Dharmasena/contributions
http://www.slideshare.net/DharmasenaPb
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_PFqwl0OqsrxH1wTm_jZeg
PART 1 – WATER RESOURCES

2. Definition of Participatory Land Use Planning
• Participatory Land-use planning is a
systematic and iterative procedure carried
out in order to create an enabling
environment for sustainable development
of land resources which meets people's
needs and demands.
• It assesses the physical, socio-economic,
institutional and legal potentials and
constraints with respect to an optimal and
sustainable use of land resources, and
empowers people to make decisions about
how to allocate those resources
- FAO/UNEP/GTZ (1999): The Future of Our Land -
Facing the Challenge
Sustainable land management is the
use of land to meet changing human
needs (agriculture, forestry,
conservation), while ensuring long-
term socioeconomic and ecological
functions of the land.

3. What does this PLUP mean?
• It is a scientific approach
• Identify problems related to the use of land and extract the core
problem and causal factors. Use PRA tools
• Decide main objective and specific objectives
• Discuss and analyze how these specific objectives can be
achieved through a modeling exercise.
• Plan the model with what, who, when and how
Identify Plan
Discuss
Decide

4. Approach to Scientific Land Use Planning
Core Problem
Causal Factors
Methodology
Analysis
Interpretations
Main Objective
Specific Objectives
PRA tools
Outputs
Results
Objective statement
Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3 Factor 4 Factor 5
Tool 1 Tool 2 Tool 3
Parameters, indices, maps, plans, tables
etc.
Discussion and interpretations
Conclusions drawn to achieve specific objectives

5. Why your service is important?
Problems Description
1 Land use changes Increasing demand for land, encroachment, destruction of ecosystems,
mismanagement of land resource
2 Land degradation Soil erosion from catchments, sediment flow into reservoirs, tank capacity
reduction, change in tank geometry
3 Depletion of
groundwater
Groundwater movement in the watershed, changes in the system water balance,
different reasons for groundwater depletion
4 Water pollution Soil erosion, use of chemical fertilizer, application of agro-chemicals, threat to
human health
5 Threat to bio-
diversity
Floral diversity, faunal diversity, Issues threatening the biodiversity
6 Human - elephant
conflict
What is human elephant conflict and why does it happen?
The best solution: Let them to enjoy their resources,
Other solutions: Traditional bio-fence with Palmyra trees; Bee hive fence; Electric
fence; Siren drone

6. Major and Medium Irrigation in Trincomalee District
Major DS Division Command area
(acres)
Major Kantale Kantale, Kinniya, Thampalagamam 18,560
Vendrasan Kantale 1,606
Wan ela Kantale 1,576
Janaranjana wewa Kantale 2,000
Morawewa Morawewa 4,491
Mahadiwulwewa Morawewa 2,140
Medium Peramaduwa Kantale 668
Anicuts Allai ( Mavil Aru) Muthur, Seruwila Verugal 25,000
Yan Oya Kuchchaveli 1,520

7. Vavuniya District
• Minor tanks – 674
• Major tanks – 1
• Medium tanks – 22
• Irrigated paddy – 16,875 ha
• Rainfed paddy – 4,125 ha
Paranki Aru subwatershed

8. Valikamam
Thenmarachchi
Vadamarachchi
DS Divisions: 15
GN Divisions: 435
Population: 573, 388
Total number of wells – 28,000
Agro-wells – 19,198
Jaffna Islands

9. GROUP EXERCISES
• Group A- PLUP for Major irrigation
• Group B- PLUP for Minor irrigation
• Group C- PLUP for Well irrigation

10. GROUP EXERCISES
• Step 1 - Preparatory works for PLUP – Composition of participants
(Land users, Agencies (forest, agriculture, irrigation, livestock, wild
life, CBOs), other service agencies, NGOs)
• Step 2 - Resources availability (land, surface water, springs,
groundwater, land uses, ecosystems, biodiversity, heritage areas)
• Step 3 – Selection of PRA tools (SWOT, social mapping, historical
profile, seasonal calendar, wealth ranking, Venn diagram, impact
diagram, case studies)
• Step 4 - Legal aspects of PLUP (land tenure, reservations, land uses)
• Step 5 – Factors to be considered in planning (Poverty, Climate
change, sustainable land management, clean water, water for
cultivation, food security, special features in the focus location, etc.).

11. Final Group Reports
• Cover Page: Title, Location, Team of Experts, Month and Year
Content
1. Introduction – Background, problems and issues, Objective and specific objectives of the
exercise, funding source
2. Description of the Site – demography, socio-economic status, employments, available maps,
industries, tourism, culture and heritage
3. Composition of the Participants – Institutes, land users, individuals
4. Natural Resources in the location – land, surface water, springs, groundwater, land uses, soil,
ecosystems, biodiversity, heritage areas
5. Methodology – Tools adopted (SWOT, social mapping, historical profile, seasonal calendar,
wealth ranking, Venn diagram, impact diagram, case studies)
6. Physical features – land use types, reservations, settlements and other important features such as
temples, schools, community centres, markets etc
7. Planning Criteria - Poverty, Climate change, sustainable land management, clean water, water
for cultivation, Food security, special features in the focus location, etc.
8. Existing land use map - land use, land productivity, threatened areas
9. Land use plan - (including maps – land use, land management)
10. Recommendations – Legislations (Policies, Acts, Regulations), land use, restoration activities,
reservations, decision making authorities

12. Earth’s Resources
• A resource is something we can use to
benefit our living.
• The Earth has many resources that benefit
us.
• We call them "Natural Resources."
• Some of the resources we get from the
Earth are:
• water,
• air,
• sunlight,
• soil,
• plants,
• animals,
• rocks and
• minerals,
• fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)

13. Two Broad Categories of Resources
• Natural resources that can be replaced and
reused by nature are termed renewable.
 Air (wind)
 Fresh water
 Soil
 Living organisms (trees)
 Sunlight
• Natural resources that cannot be replaced are
termed nonrenewable.
 Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)
 Diamonds and other precious gems and
minerals
 Types of metals and ores

14. Earth’s Resources Distribution - Water
0.03%

15. Environment
Pollution
Sound
Pollution
Radio-
Active
Pollution
Heat
Pollution
Soil
Pollution
Light
Pollution
Electro-magnetic
wave Pollution
Water
Pollution
Air
Pollution

16. Industrial waste
Domestic waste
Agro-chemicals

17. What is a Watershed
• It’s a geographical area that directs flow
originated from rainfall into streams and
rivers, and eventually to an outflow
point such as reservoir, lagoon, ocean etc.
• While some watersheds are relatively
small, others encompass thousands of
square kilometers and may contain
streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and
underlying groundwater.
• The largest watershed in Sri Lanka is the
Mahaweli River Watershed, which
drains 10,327 square kilometers and flows
out about 11 billion cubic metres (41%) to
sea annually.

18. Riverbasins – Water Losses to Sea
River basin Total River
Basin Area
(km2)
River
length (km)
Total Rainfall
(million m3)
Drainage to Sea
(million m3) %
Deduru Oya 2,616 142 4,794 1,608 34.0
Kala Oya 2,772 148 4,424 587 13.0
Malwathu Oya 3,246 164 4,592 568 12.0
Yan Oya 1,520 142 2,269 300 19.0
Kelani Ganga 2,278 145 8,692 5,474 62.0
Gin Ganga 922 113 3039 1903 62.0
Kalu Ganga 2,688 129 10,122 7,862 77.0
Walawe Ganga 2,442 138 9,843 2,165 22.0
Mahaweli Ganga 10,327 335 26,804 11,016 41.0
Meeoya 1,516 109 2,176 338 16

19. 585 mcm from
Mannar
435 mcm from
Mulaithivu
350 mcm from
Kilinochchi
We are still wasting water

20. 585 mcm from
Mannar
435 mcm from
Mulaithivu
350 mcm from
Kilinochchi
We are still wasting water
97 mcm from
Paranki Aru
64 mcm from Aruvi
Aru
4,000 acres can be
cultivated annually 25%

21. Why Watersheds are Important?
• In a watershed all water
flows eventually end in
another water body
• In water quality protection
and restoration activities it
is essential to consider the
downstream impact.
• All upstream additions are
collected in downstream
• We should remember that all
our day to day activities
affect downstream water

22. Watershed Management
• Environmental management
is mainly based on
problems emerged in water,
land and air.
• Many attempts are focused
to reduce pollution of water
and air, develop submerged
lands, treat waste dumping
sites and polluted
groundwater, protect
threatened and extinct
species, plan good
management practices to
control polluted drainage
water and many more.

23. Watershed Classification
Based on extent, drainage,
shape and land use:
• Watersheds (more than
50,000 ha);
• Sub watersheds (10,000 –
50,000 ha)
• Mili-watersheds (1,000 –
10,000 ha)
• Micro-watersheds (100 –
1,000 ha)
• Mini-watersheds ( 1 – 100
ha)
Two or more catchments form
sub-watersheds. A group of
sub-watersheds form a
watershed. A group of
watersheds form a basin

24. Principles of Watershed Management
• Use of the land according to its
capability and suitability
• Protection of the fertility of top soil
• Maintenance of a biological cover
through out the year
• In-situ conservation of rainwater
• Construction of physical structures
to enrich groundwater
• Rainwater harvesting to supplement
irrigation water supply

25. Objectives of Watershed Management
1. Soil and water conservation by controlling drainage
disturbance and land degradation
2. Utilization and management of drainage water for useful
purposes
3. Protection, conservation and development of watershed
for efficient and sustainable production
4. Protection and enhancement of water resource generated
from the watershed
5. Avoidance of soil erosion and minimizing the impact of
sedimentation on the watershed
6. Rehabilitation of lands being degraded
7. Reduction of flood threat in the downstream areas
8. Improving the infiltration of rainwater into the ground
9. Development and improvement of timber, fodder and
wildlife resources
10. Development of groundwater resource in possible
locations

26. Factors Affecting Watershed Management
• Watershed characteristics
– Extent and shape
– Geo-morphological features
– Soil types
– Topography
• Climatic features
– Snowfall
– Rainfall amount and intensity
• Process of watershed
– Human activities
• Land use pattern
– Vegetative cover
– Vegetation density

27. Watershed Management Applications
• Special feature of the tropical watersheds is to provide
energy inputs for agricultural production throughout the
year.
• Agriculture supports economic growth of the many tropical
countries
• Main reason for land degradation and water pollution is non-
sustainable agricultural production
• Therefore, watershed management in tropical countries
should be carried out aiming at agricultural production,
environmental protection and poverty reduction
simultaneously
• It is important to use sustainable land management concept
for watershed management application
• Also it is fruitful to adopt environmental service approach
and Payment for Environmental Services – PES programmes
• It is very much important to establish relevant policies,
regulations and institutes.

28. Use of Remote Sensing in Watershed Management
• Natural resources such as soil,
geomorphology, drainage condition
etc. can be quickly identified by
remote sensing
• Important information such as land
use, vegetative cover, slope, soil
erosion etc. can be obtained from
Arial and satellite photographs
• Economic assessments of land uses
and their infrastructure can be
carried out through remote sensing

29. Use of Geographical Information Systems - GIS in Watershed Management
• Mapping land uses
• Inclusion of land boundaries
into maps
• Preparation of inventories of
watershed characteristics
• Tracing roads, drainage,
irrigation canals etc.
Population map

30. Mapping a distributary canal area of Huruluwewa using GIS

31. Mapping soil in a distributary canal area of Huruluwewa using GIS

32. Mapping soil in a distributary canal area of Maduruoya using GIS

34. ARUVI ARU (MALWATHU OYA) SUB WATERSHEDS

35. PARANGI-ARU SUB WATERSHEDS
Thandikulam

36. Soil type distribution of Parangi-Aru Catchment
Reddish Brown Earths (well drained), Low Humic Gley (poorly drained) and Solodized
Solonetz (saline)