Pictorial Watershed For Beginners: Watershed Management

This pictorial book aims to educate general readers on the urgent need to protect and regenerate the environment and society especially in rural and semi-urban areas through sustainable water resource management. It showcases the work of WATER an NGO supporting the District Project Management Units (DPMUs) in five districts of West Bengal under the World Bank-funded WBADMIP project since 2018. The book highlights low-cost replicable solutions like water harvesting systems and agri-food processes tailored for different local landscapes and economies. By empowering village councils and grassroots organizations it promotes area-wise water security amid increasing demand water scarcity and climate uncertainty. The visual content emphasizes the importance of investing in institutional frameworks natural and man-made infrastructure and integrated watershed development. WATER brings over 25 years of experience in small water resource management focusing on integrated cost-effective and locally adapted solutions. Their work spans strategic water planning drought modeling environmental assessment groundwater management and capacity building. With a strong technical foundation WATER supports lifecycle-based project delivery by combining engineering conservation and agricultural practices. Their contribution includes micro-watershed planning soil conservation climate adaptation and social capital development especially in rain-fed and financially constrained areas. The overarching message is a shift from sustainability to regeneration—promoting resilient inclusive and scalable water management models for India and other water-scarce regions.