Swan River Ecology and Traditional Agriculture Una District

The Swan river flowing through Una district into the Punjab plains is a seasonal river dependent on monsoon rainfall and Himalayan snowmelt. Traditional kul irrigation channels divert Swan river water during flow periods to support kharif crop cultivation. Community water management institutions coordinate water distribution during limited flow periods. The river's seasonal flooding deposits fertile silt on lower terraces that farmers traditionally cultivated with flood-recession agriculture. Traditional knowledge of river behaviour, flood timing, and silt fertility guides agricultural decisions in the floodplain. Swan river conservation faces challenges from sand and gravel extraction that alter river morphology and reduce aquifer recharge benefiting downstream communities.