Series of field trials were conducted during 1987-2010 at Central Institute for Cotton Research, Nagpur indicated that in shallow, medium and deep soils, it was estimated to collect 150, 300 and 350 M 3 of runoff water/ha in experimental ponds (200 M 3) at down stream by September end, 56-82 per cent of the pond capacity, was stored. The recycling of this runoff water through supplemental irrigation during 1987-1993, improved additional seed cotton yield by 136, 290 and 387 kg/ha or 20, 28 and 26 per cent over rainfed cotton LRA 5166 in shallow, medium and deep soils respectively. The supplemental irrigations improved WUE by 34, 73 and 97 kg/ha cm respectively in shallow, medium and deep soils. Experimental pond (200 M 3) size presently advocated, were not accepted by the farmers as they were economically non viable at field scale, but these can be helpful in improving the recharge of existing gravitational wells. Two supplemental irrigations at flowering stage along with deficient micronutrients improved seed cotton yields of 25-30 per cent higher in shallow and medium deep soils, respectively during 2002-2007 in NHH 44 non Bt hybrid cotton. It is difficult to provide life saving irrigations from farm ponds in first fortnight of July to seedling droughts. Large farm ponds at community levels can solve this problem of seedling droughts from the recharge of previous year in underground aquifers besides recharging the drinking water wells for summer shortages with 2-3 years of breakeven under multiple uses of water. Terminal droughts of August can overcome by supplemental irrigations from farm ponds of 10 ha catchment with a breakeven of 12 years. Bt hybrid cotton responded for two supplemental irrigations from harvested runoff water at seedling/terminal droughts in July (12-47% runoff) or in mid September (23-80% runoff) @ 750 kg/ha seed cotton yield in vertisols.
