STRENGTHENING ADAPTATION CAPACITIES IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES Factsheet

Climate Change Proofing of Water Reservoir

Kadaikadu, Tamil Nadu, South India

Community KadaikaduKadaikadu is the home of 300 people living in 56 houses. Kadaikadu (N11°11’3’’ E79°51’) is a small rural community in the district of Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu just 500m from the sea. The next bigger settlement Poompuhar (90.000 inhabitants) can be reached via the tarred Kadaikadu road. The Cauvari river is 5km away and several drainage channels run close to the commu-nity. The main income of the people living here is agriculture. The soil tends to be sandy and groundnut is the major fruits grown here. The community was affected by the Tsunami in 2004. Due to the short distance to the Bay of Bengal and the low lying land, Kadaikadu has high exposure to weather events such as cyclones, recurrent flooding and unpredictable rainfall patterns.

Climate Change Impact on Community

The village suffers from salt water intrusion in its ground water sources due to changing rainfall pattern and less recharge of the groundwater. Additionally flooding during cyclones repeatedly leads to salt water into the ponds of the commu-nity. Water shortage is a problem as the tap water supply is not reliable. Ponds are running saline or dry and do no longer contribute to the desalination of the groundwater.

Measures on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA)

In order to address the challenges of climate change and sup-port adaptation, the pilot project for Kadaikadu focused at climate proofing one of the ponds in the community. This will prevent further salinization of the water sources and the nearby fields which is the main source of livelihood for com-munity. The intention was to increase the capacity of water reservoirs and to support the recharging of ground water thus enhancing the well water sources. By construction of bunds/ embankments the pond is protected from the intrusion of brackish water during cyclones and flooding. This strengthens the overall adaptive capacity for Kadaikadu also in the face of changing rainfall patterns and contributes to desalination efforts. The technological intervention increases the ground-water recharge and is accompanied by capacity development in water resource management.

Preventing Water Resources from Salinization

A changed precipitation pattern has reduced the groundwa-ter recharge causing salt water infiltration from the sea. The former groundwater recharge was sufficient to substitute the extraction of fresh water in the coastal region. In times of in-sufficient natural recharge of the groundwater table, additional recharge measures have to be taken up to prevent contamina-tion of groundwater, wells and fields with saltwater (Figure below). Fresh water injection wells or aquifer attached ponds in coastal regions can serve as a groundwater ridge preventing the infiltration of salt water into the fresh groundwater aquifer. The pond or well acts as a recharge barrier. When properly maintained the freshwater barriers hinder the wells placed behind the recharge pond or well from salinization.

Local Project Development

The pilot project was developed in cooperation with the Avvai Village Welfare Society that has been working with the com-munity since several years. Local women and men Self Help Groups (SHG) were involved in the project as well as the village reconstruction committee. The locally involved groups have setup a business concept for the operation and mainte-nance of the pilots also. In regular exchange with the partners of the CapCoast project through the various workshops, trainings and site visits supports the sustainability of the pilot. Adelphi Research provided support on developing training and awareness material and site specific local adaptation guides for improved planning at community level.

Case Study My name is Srinivasan. For the past 10 years, we have experienced various climatic changes like tsunami, recurrent cyclones and floods and rising sea level. Our people are heavily affected by these climatic changes and most of them are losing their livelihoods day by day. The farmers which were earlier having their own agricultural land now have sold off their land, due to increasing salinity and loss of fertility. They are now in fact switching to jobs as a daily wagers working on shrimp farms and power plant unit. We are able to grow only samba due to shortage of water. For the past 5-7 years, we had not grown kuruvai cultivation due to non-availability of water. Due to less agriculture productivity, most of the farmers learnt alterna-tive employment like mason work, fencing, pond deepening etc. and are leading a hand to mouth existence.

A: normal climatical conditions B: decreasing groundwater recharge C: CCA measure: fresh water ridge

against salination

source: http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/cabrillo/casa

Process of Salt Water Infiltration

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