Impact of Small Dams on Vegetation Cover in the Potohar Region of Pakistan

This case study of rainfed areas of the Potohar region of Punjab, Pakistan illustrates the impact of water sector interventions, with a focus on how small and mini dams affect agricultural development. These dams were constructed with the support of the Punjab Government. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was employed using ENVI classic image processing software for estimating vegetation cover. Buffers of 500-m and 1000-m were created around the dams using ArcGIS to identify the changes in vegetation. The study results showed an increase in the vegetation cover by 15.7 % in the entire Potohar region. These results were validated from field collected data that further informed increase in the cropping intensity and introduction of non-traditional crops after the construction of dams. This study verifies the feasibility of small dams in the rainfed areas of Punjab. This information is shared with the planning and development department of Punjab supporting such interventions in other unserved areas of the Potohar region.