摘要：One of the most important parameters of the hydrological cycle, precipitation, is directly affected by global warming; as a result, natural spring flow that receives input from rainfall in the midwestern Himalayan hills is affected as well. Spring flow is of prime importance in this area: Springs are the backbone of all of the population's agricultural, social, and financial activities. The deterioration of spring flow results in outmigration and adversely affects the economy of the region. An 11-year study was undertaken of 2 watersheds in Uttarakhand, Chandrabhaga and Danda. These watersheds were observed using 9 automatic rain gauges and 2 river gauging sites. Spring flow measurements were made daily, covering almost all springs used by local inhabitants. A power regression relationship between precipitation and spring flow was developed, with high correlation. The time lag between precipitation and spring flow was investigated for different springs, based on 2 to 11 years of daily data. The springs in Chandrabhaga and Danda watersheds showed a daily measured lag of 1 to 30 days and a monthly measured lag of 0 to 2 months. It was observed that the discharge of springs in Chandrabhaga and Danda watersheds primarily responds to rainfall. Based on an analysis of average water availability, theoretical water demand, and actual water use in the 2 watersheds, we recommend planning for increasing the water retention power of each watershed, using drip irrigation in horticultural crops, and installing water conservation structures to capture rainwater during monsoon months for use during nonmonsoon months.
关键词：Spring flow; rainfall; correlation analysis; water availability; water demand; Western Himalaya
