Water budgets for freshwater fish ponds of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal, India

The water budgets for some aquaculture systems in three states viz. Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal were determined in the present study. The average evaporation and seepage loss from the aquaculture ponds throughout the year in Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jajpur, and Puri districts of Orissa were 164 ± 8.3 and 73 ± 16.5 cm, respectively; 152 ± 10 and 90 ± 16 cm, respectively, in South and North 24 Paraganas, West Bengal; and 182 ± 12 and 110 ± 10 cm, respectively, in Krishna and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh. Evaporation and seepage were significantly (P < 0.05) different between the fish ponds of the three states. Annual rainfall, run-off, and well water addition to the ponds were 178 ± 40, 14.5 ± 3.4, and 156 ± 48 cm, respectively, in Orissa; 166 ± 14, 9 ± 2, and 173 ± 27 cm, respectively, in West Bengal; 120 ± 12, 8 ± 1, and 304 ± 26 cm, respectively, in Andhra Pradesh. Annual rainfall, run-off, and well water addition to the ponds differed significantly (P < 0.05) in the three states. The consumptive water use was 3.34 ± 0.47, 3.35 ± 0.36, and 2.67 ± 0.23 m³/kg, respectively, in Orissa, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh. A significantly (P < 0.05) greater consumptive water use was determined for the fish ponds of West Bengal and Orissa compared to Andhra Pradesh.