Kanakanala Watershed Project covers a total area of 13,402.42 hectares in 21 villages. Situated 400 km from Bangalore, Kanakanala lies in Kushtagi Taluk of Koppal District. Koppal is one of the most backward districts of Karnataka.
The Kanakanala watershed falls under the low rainfall zone, where it rains for an average of 38 days in a year. Even when rain does come, it is in the form of heavy storms that cause soil erosion. Thin soil cover, low soil fertility, and unsustainable crop patterns result in low yields. Moreover, the under utilisation of surface and ground water resources, large tracts of waste and fallow lands and inadequate forest cover are leading to disturbances in the ecological balance.
Agriculture is the main occupation of people living in the watershed with more than 85 percent engaged in agriculture-related activities. More than 90 percent of the geographical area is under cultivation while the remaining area includes tree cover and wastelands.
Total area |
13,402.42 hectares. |
Forest land |
198.62 ha |
Cultivable land |
11,657.13 ha |
Irrigated land |
59.82 ha |
Average land holdings |
2.90 ha |
No. of villages |
24 |
Average rainfall |
571.00 mm |
Altitude |
585 mts. |
No. of households |
3210 |
Total population |
22,470 |
