Enhancing Groundwater Recharge and Sustainable Agriculture in the High-Relief Himalayan Micro-Watersheds of Bandipora, J&K

Watershed management is a critical strategy for addressing soil erosion, water scarcity, and declining agricultural productivity in high-relief Himalayan regions. This study evaluates the hydrological, agricultural, and spatial impacts of the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) implemented across five micro-watersheds in Bandipora district, Jammu & Kashmir, India. The study adopted a ridge-to-valley planning framework integrating GIS-based spatial analysis, remote sensing, Google Earth imagery, cadastral mapping, and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) for micro-watershed delineation and intervention prioritization. Major interventions included recharge pits, check dams, farm ponds, water harvesting tanks, and multifunctional community infrastructure. Hydrological monitoring, household surveys, and combined multi-location statistical analyses were conducted to assess pre- and post-intervention outcomes. A two-factor analytical framework was employed to evaluate temporal changes, spatial heterogeneity, and interaction effects across study locations. The interventions produced statistically significant improvements in hydrological performance and agricultural productivity across all five micro-watersheds. Results revealed significant improvements in hydrological indicators, with groundwater rise increasing by 214%, alongside reductions in surface runoff (35%) and sediment load (36%), and enhancement in soil moisture (32%) (p < 0.05). These percentage changes were calculated from combined mean values across the five study micro-watersheds, based on pre- and post-intervention monitoring datasets. Agricultural benefits included a 55% expansion in irrigated area, a 24% increase in crop productivity, and improved cropping intensity across study locations (p < 0.01). Significant location and Time × Location interaction effects confirmed that intervention responses varied among micro-watersheds, reflecting differences in topography, land use, and baseline resource conditions. Regression analysis further demonstrated strong relationships between intervention density and hydrological as well as agricultural outcomes (R² = 0.54–0.62). The findings establish that integrated, spatially informed, and community-driven watershed management can substantially enhance water security, agricultural resilience, and ecosystem stability in fragile Himalayan landscapes, providing evidence for climate-resilient rural development strategies in mountainous regions