TO STUDY REJUNEVATION OF RIVERS & STORM WATER MANAGEMENT
Govind S Magar - Asst. Engineer M.C.G.M. & P.G.Student
Prof. Hemant Salunkhe - Asso. Prof. Dept of Civil Engineering. DYPIET Pune
Abstract—Our vision is to scale up this inspiring body of work to develop a collective approach to river rejuvenation that focuses
on addressing the needs of the entire eco-system. A multi-stakeholder approach provides a practical framework to integrate all these different pockets of development into a larger picture for maximizing their impact. In fulfillment of its agreement with the Government of India, a Consortium of 7 IITs (“Indian Institute of Technology”s) had prepared the Ganga River Basin Management Plan (GRBMP) and submitted it to the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Ministry of Jal Shakti (then Ministry of Water Resources, River Development
and Ganga Rejuvenation), Government of India in the year 2015. The GRBMP recommendations were to some extent broad-based strategic measures, but they included some detailed ready-to-implement actions. There was, therefore, a felt need to have substantial further inputs to the Plan that addressed several other specific issues for comprehensive, policy-driven and technology-based solutions for the restoration and conservation of River Ganga and other rivers of the country. The Centre for Ganga River Basin Management and Studies (“cGanga”) was hence created through a Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Jal Shakti (then MoWR, RD & GR), Government of India and IIT, Kanpur in April 2016. The main objective of cGanga was identified as Continual Scientific Support in the Implementation and Dynamic Evolution of the Ganga River Basin Management Plan. In fulfilment of its objective, cGanga has been conducting many field and in-
house studies as well as workshops and consultations with various stakeholders, executive bodies, monitoring agencies and
experts on various components of GRBMP and its implementation. Based on these activities over the past few years, a clearer understanding emerged on some of the major
implementation challenges of GRBMP. This led to a more refined and detailed strategic implementation procedure that combines robust scientific method with a socio-economic and administratively aligned policy framework as presented in this document. The present manual attempts to describe in a concise manner the background, objectives, vision, knowledge-framework, methodology, governance principles, restoration strategy, monitoring, feedback and correction mechanisms, and financial management of the river restoration and conservation plan. The document is intended to act as both a guide for the non-specialist reader or stakeholder as well as a broad instruction manual for specialized government / implementing agencies who may need to take account of significant variations in physical and social particulars of river basins in implementing the restoration plan successfully.
The preparation of this report was enabled by the various studies, surveys, analyses, and discussions carried out by dedicated members of the cGanga team. In addition, key stakeholders, experts and community representatives of many river basins interacted with cGanga members and gave their valuable inputs unreservedly on many aspects of the present document.
Keywords: Storm Water Management System, River Rejunevation Green Methods, River Basin System
INTRODUCTION
The Rivers are the lifeline of civilization not least the Indian civilization. For not only do rivers provide freshwater, food, energy and other valuables to humans, they also receive, purify and carry away wastewaters and provide economic means of transport by navigation. And, while in normal times rivers are pleasant and fascinating to humans, they can also bring widespread death and destruction when they overflow with flood fury or suck away the hopes of life from parched lands when reduced to a trickle. Rivers are thus dynamic actors on landscape scales matching human actions in their scope of spatial influence and impact. The degradation of rivers in modern times has, therefore, had equally far-reaching – and at times cataclysmic – consequences on humans, with unexpected floods, droughts and water-borne diseases being the most common disasters caused by distressed rivers. The restoration and conservation of rivers is therefore of utmost importance for sustaining humanity and ecology through present and future generations in India.
Large rivers are formed by the coming together of smaller lower order rivers – the tributaries – like the tertiary and secondary roots of trees joining in stages to form the primary roots that support entire trees. The lower order tributaries – like the tertiary and secondary roots of trees – are therefore of crucial importance in maintaining the health of rivers. They not only feed water, nutrients and sediments, but also significant biodiversity into higher order tributaries and the main stem of the river. It is not surprising, therefore, that river degradation often begins in the smaller tributaries, especially those flowing through or near urban settlements. The Committed and Focussed Approach River rejuvenation efforts in India have often focused on large rivers as a whole, but have failed to make much headway,
partly because the task is too enormous to be grasped in its entirety and carried out cogently within a limited time span. Not only is the river too large to be observed and monitored comprehensively, the anthropogenic factors affecting the river are also often too diverse and unevenly distributed across the river basin. The task becomes much simpler when the effort to reverse the degradation process is focused on the smaller urban and semi-urban tributaries/drains, especially those that are perennial or can be easily made perennial. The latter includes the natural storm water drains that often function at present as wastewater “nala”s in the cities, but which can be easily converted to perennial water bodies by supplying them with treated wastewater round the year. The multiple benefits accruing from such rejuvenation – economic, environmental, aesthetic and cultural – are also immediate, and they impact large population groups which canvendor management system is for supporting the good quality of material, delivery on time, good service and cooperation, reasonable price, strong and close relationship to continuous improve, etc.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES,SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS
In the light of the preceding discussions, the prioritized objectives of a River Basin Organization for the present approach may be summarized as follows:
a) Health of River to ensure that the river or natural water course is restored and maintained as a perennial river. This involves at least the following measures:
As custodians of rivers, RBOs must themselves develop their own understanding and information base about the rivers, and communicate and negotiate on the needed restoration measures with stakeholders.
• Assured clean water (or uncontaminated water) input to maintain the minimum desirable flows round the year.
• Maintaining adequate width and depth of flow suitable for aquatic life by way of structural interventions (like weirs and bunds) if needed.
• Preventing the influx of wastes and pollutants.
• Protecting physical integrity of the river and floodplains.
b) Conformity with local Ecology and Environment, such as:
• Connectivity with local water bodies.
• Unblocked natural drainage routes.
• Reducing catchment runoff rates to enhance groundwater recharge.
c) Maximizing Benefits from River, such as:
• Surplus water storage for human use.
• Fish and other aquatic cultivation.
• Tourism & Recreation.
• Navigation & Transport.
• Increased public revenues from river-centric activities.
d) Minimizing Damages or Losses due to River, such as:
• Minimizing Flooding and Water-logging.
• Land Reclamation.
e) Enhancing Benefits for Downstream Regions, such as:
• Improved Water Quality downstream.
• Improved Biodiversity downstream
Waterlogging in Mumbai is an annual affair, met with cynicism and apathy. The city’s insufficient drainage system, unsustainable urbanisation, reduction of green cover and natural barriers are enlisted among the top reasons for the floods.
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But this information is often too dense or inadequate to understand why citizens can’t spend one monsoon without wading through (and living in) murky rainwater mixed with sewage and solid waste. Citizen Matters explains:
Let’s begin with the topography of the city. Welded together through land reclamation, the city is shaped like a saucer. It has low lines of hills on either sides: Malabar Hill and Worli Hill to the west, and Sewri, Antop, Sion to the east and a depression in the centre.
The tidal effect
When it rains, B Arunachalam writes, the water naturally gravitates and drains into this central depression: Think Hindmata in Central Mumbai or Kurla and Chembur. From here, the water is not able to drain off. In addition to this, high waves in the Arabian Sea splash on the land and increase the inundation.
High tides rushing to the roads increase waterlogging. But there’s also something called the Neap tide.
Neap tide is when the difference between a high tide and a low tide is the least. This restricts rain water drainage into a water body. Since all the water from the city is discharged into the Arabian Sea, tidal variations matter.
Cars submerged due to water logging. Photo: A Kap, Flickr, Creative Commons
100-year-old drainage system
Mumbai’s drains are over a 100 years old and have a capacity to bear 25 mm of rain per hour, which is insufficient during high-intensity monsoons. A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Storm Water Drains (SWD) report finds that poor workmanship and materials is evident in the 100+ year old drains. There are spots where drains have been punctured for other services without adequate maintenance. This is exacerbated by gullies, or drain pipes designed to discharge surface water, which are poorly placed.
The city’s drainage system consists of 2,000 km of open drains along the road, 440 km of closed drains (such as below the footpaths), box drains, minor nallahs, major nallahs and 186 outfalls, or points where a waste stream is discharged directly into either the Mithi river or the Arabian Sea.
A 1993 BMC report finds that “Much of the drainage system, particularly in the suburbs, is restricted by unauthorised development contrary to the development plan or the development control rules. This restriction sometimes infringes into the drain itself and sometimes only affects access for maintenance.”
Ongoing development projects also damage drains. In the past, BMC has written to the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited about how the Metro 3 (Colaba-Seepz) work was clogging and damaging drains.
Conversion into a concrete jungle
Previously, South Mumbai had a vast concentration of open spaces which allowed the percolation of water into the soil. But gradually, these open spaces have been concretized. In a way, South Mumbai, with many ongoing infrastructure projects, is now catching up with the challenges that Mumbai’s suburbs have faced for a long time.
Last month, areas like Fort, Girgaum, Kalbadevi, Bhuleshwar in South Mumbai were flooded. Apart from the torrential downpour, some of the reasons identified were blocked drains due to the pandemic, on-going Metro construction and the reduction in green cover. BMC, however, denied that the drains were blocked.
But it’s undeniable that there has been a reduction in open spaces across the city. The city lost 40% of its mangroves between 1995-2005 along with 42.5% green cover in the past 30 years. The ratio of green spaces to total area has fallen from 46.7% in 1988 to 26.67% in 2018. This has reduced the amount of rain water that can be percolated in the soil.
The state government’s Development Control Regulation, 1991 require 15 to 25% of a plot to be maintained as recreational open space in both residential and commercial zones, but this rule is routinely flouted.
Shrinking rivers
Apart from the Mithi river, there are other rivers in Mumbai such as Poisar, Dahisar and Oshiwara. Instead of having a natural flood plain, the rivers have been consistently narrowed. The mouth of the original Mithi river was once several hundred metres wide and is only about 40 metres wide today.
The problem is exacerbated by the city’s heavy immigration and skyrocketing realty prices which make river beds the only viable living option for scores of low-income communities. “Slum encroachment” is often touted as the main reason for the inability to make flood plains or construct storm drain channels, but there are as many residential complexes and government offices built on reclaimed or swamp land.
The problem of solid waste
Not all areas of Mumbai are properly serviced for waste collection and management. Waste is only collected occasionally from unauthorised areas and is often dumped into open drains. The problem is best solved by improving collection and segregation at source, instead BMC spends thousands of crores transporting waste to landfills and desilting drains before the monsoon.
In 2005, 23% of all drain defects were associated with obstructions such as water or sewer pipes which cause blockades, and another major barrier identified was strewn plastic bags and solid waste.
People wading through ankle and knee-deep water in Mumbai. Picture: Abhijeet Jagtap, Flickr, Creative Commons
Mega projects, mega disasters
In 1985, BMC conceived the Brihanmumbai Storm Water Disposal System (BrimStoWaD) project. The project was aimed at redesigning drains, setting up pumping stations, constructing major drains for desilting, removal of obstructions from the drains and rehabilitating slum-dwellers. The project was sidelined for two decades till it got fast-tracked after the 2005 floods.
Similarly, the city has spent Rs 600 crores to set up six pumping stations across the city. When it floods, these pumping stations pump out water from the drains into the sea. But news reports frequently point to how they can be dysfunctional due to choking by garbage.
Whether it’s the construction of major drains or pumping stations, BMC has not managed to successfully run any project despite the long delays. “Land acquisition is our biggest challenge,” says Mahesh Thakur, former Chief Engineer Storm Water Drains.
Scope for solutions
While inquiring into the floods of 2005, the Concerned Citizens Commission (CCC) report found that there is a lack of coordination with the various agencies that work in Mumbai. The MMRDA plans upgradation projects that often affect existing drainage systems but the BMC does not take a firm enough stance to make them comply with rules. Similarly, it found that the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA), by virtue of being a separate authority, is able to bypass planning standards and BMC procedures.
Another body, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), the report found, was working purely as an engineering and construction agency with no overall expertise of schemes and their desirability for the city as a whole.
Big-ticket projects often gain prominence but the focus must be on upgrading existing drainage systems and paying attention to the natural drain of water.
Mumbai’s development story is of land reclamation, mangrove razing and vanishing rivers. Mumbai’s business district – the Bandra Kurla Complex was constructed by destroying mangroves, reclaiming land, and narrowing the Mithi River. The Concerned Citizens Commission (CCC) report found the development of BKC as a major reason for flooding in Kurla-Kalina-Saki Naka areas in July 2005.
All of 437 sq. km. of Greater Mumbai is drained by inadequate and broken drains or forcibly narrowed rivers. If rainwater percolation in the soil or natural drainage through existing water networks is not improved, flooding would continue to remain an annual occurrence
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The framework is significant in several ways.The restoration measures needed comprise comprehensive measures not only for the river but also for the floodplains and the entire catchment or watershed. Thus, attention should be paid on all aspects, namely:
Input Water Quality:
A Four-Stage Water Quality Improvement Cycle is proposed as shown in the adjoining figure for municipal, industrial, commercial and agricultural-returned flows management so that the freshwater body receiving the water is not only ecologically and aesthetically satisfying, but is also a reliable source of water for human use. Thus, while Primary (and, where possible, Secondary) Treatment of municipal sewage ensures significant removal of organic and inorganic wastes, phyto-remediation of the ensuing wastewater in Wetlands removes and hydrologically connected to other water bodies in their neighbourhoods. Thus, ensuring the sustenance of and connectivity with other water bodies (including groundwater) in the region is of importance.
River-Related Infrastructure:
Some structural interventions may be necessary to ensure the functioning of the river as a secure perennial river without obstructing terrestrial activities. Thus, for instance, weirs may be needed in river stretches with steep gradients to provide the necessary flow depths or flow velocities needed for river biota; or, embankments may be needed in regions that are susceptible to flooding during heavy storms; or bridges may be needed to secure river crossings for human and terrestrial animals.
Restoring/ Developing Aquatic and Terrestrial Biota:
Both aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna are essential for healthy rivers and their catchments. In catchments natural vegetation, in particular, helps in recharging water both in soils and in groundwater as well as in runoff purification; Hence efforts may be desirable to generate and maintain adequate levels of natural vegetal cover in the basin. Likewise, adequate levels of aquatic flora and fauna should be maintained in the river and water bodies by controlling over-exploitation of biotic products and seeding with suitable species where needed.
Continuous Records:
A complete inventory should be kept of all changes made and/or observed in the river and its basin (including key monitoring indicators) during the restoration-conservation period. These records will not only help assess the progress and success of the efforts, but can also help in overcoming unexpected obstacles in the progress as well as in implementing similar programmes in other river basins
River definition
River is a natural stream of fresh water that flows into an ocean or into a land locked water body and is usually fed by small streams (called tributaries). The tributaries join the main river, during its onward journey, forming a drainage basin. The drainage basin collects available runoff and ground water (GW) discharge. Continuous optimum flow is an inbuilt quality of a healthy river system. Perennial healthy river is a living eco-system.
River can also be defined as is a hydrological, geomorphic, ecological, biodiversity rich, landscape developing natural system that plays key role for the freshwater cycle, balancing dynamic equilibrium between snowfall, snow-mass (including glaciers), rainfall, surface water, ground water and providing large number of social and economic services to the people and serves ecosystems in its watershed.
Natural responsibility of a river system
The natural responsibility of a river system is multifarious. The run-off uses the river course for its onward journey. The moving waters perform two functions. Under the first function, the moving water dissolves the soluble compounds and lifts loose material (rock fragments and soil etc). Under the second function, the running water transports the eroded sediments along with dissolved compounds. During transportation, it enriches the flood plane by depositing silt. In the final phase, the running river water deposits the transported detritus material to form the delta and the dissolved salts are added to the sea. The transportation of particles is selective and is controlled by their density, river bed slope and the flow velocity of running waters. It is different in different seasons and is influenced by rainfall and snow melt. River passes through different stages and tends to develop a smooth terrain. During its life, the river system continuously performs its natural function to different degree.
Drop in the flow leads to degradation of river health, unsafe conditions for the survival of aquatic life, unfavorable environment for discharge of its natural responsibility and therefore when the continuous non-monsoon flow stops, the river dries temporarily, the hydrological cycle breaks and the river lose its functional natural identity.
Environmental flow
Environmental flow is that optimum quantity of continuously flowing water which is essential for the discharge of river’s natural responsibility. The natural responsibility also includes eco-system safety, providing environment for survival of dependent creatures and vegetation.
Delineation of river system in India
All India Soil and Land Use Survey (AISLUS), Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Government of India (GOI) has published a National Watershed Atlas in 1990. This atlas shows delineated and codified river catchments. This is five stage delineation subdividing major river-systems into smaller units and every unit and its sub-units have been given a permanent code number. According to AISLUS, there are 6 major water resource regions, 35 river basins, 112 catchments, 500 sub-catchments and 3237 watersheds. The sizes of these units are in decreasing order. Need based sub-division of watersheds in smaller units can be attempted.
Water availability in India
According to Ministry of Water Resources (GOI), India receives approximately 400.0 million hectare meters (mhm) precipitation (including snowfall) every year. Out of this quantity, approximately 203.7 mhm is evaporated, consumed by plants and is locked in the sub-surface (soil and aquifers) formations. The total yearly run-off in the country is around 196.3 mhm. The gross GW reserves in the country are 43.2 mhm. The yearly utilizable surface run-off and ground water is 69.0 mhm and 39.6 mhm respectively whereas nearly 127.3 mhm runoff is wasted every year.
Areas with declining non-monsoon flow
Stream gauging data and observations in different parts of the country shows that there is a general decline in the non-monsoon flow in practically all river systems. The noticeable decline of flow and drying of rivers in non-monsoon period is observed in peninsular rivers drained by smaller hydrologic units (sub-catchments and watersheds). The affected areas, in general, are as given below-
Sub-catchments and watersheds of the major irrigation projects.
Rain-fed areas.
Down hill areas of degraded forest with depleting soil cover.
Heavy ground water exploitation areas.
Downstream of a river stretches from where large amount of flow is lifted.
Areas in the neighborhood of deep open cast or underground mines.
Sub-catchments and watersheds of the major irrigation projects.
Irrigation projects are built across rivers. Their reservoirs store run-off water brought from uplands. The uplands generally constitute small hydrologic units (watersheds, sub-catchments etc). The lands in these units are generally undulating therefore SW (surface water) gets drained immediately after flood / rains where as undulating lands with little soil cover facilitate quick draining of GW stored in degraded catchments and neighboring lands. The GW non-monsoon flows are therefore not sustained for long. The result is moisture / water stress in the terrain and flows deplete immediately after monsoon in small streams and the depletion gradually affect rivers flowing in watersheds and sub -catchments. The increasing GW exploitation worsens the situation and therefore non-monsoon flow ceases.
Rain-fed areas.
The term rain-fed area is used by agriculture scientists for monsoon dependent areas. Most of the rain-fed areas are hard rock areas. They have generally shallow aquifers with poor storage capacity. The natural discharge generally dewaters the ground water aquifers immediately after monsoon. Due to increasing GW exploitation, the water table aquifers are emptied fast and therefore their contribution to the river system gets reduced. This situation reduces ground water contribution to larger hydrologic units in non-monsoon season i.e. ultimately reducing the quantity and duration of flow in the entire river system.
Down hill areas of degraded forest with depleting soil cover.
Degraded forests with low crown density facilitate soil erosion. The depleting soil covers (thickness of soil cover) provide reduced storage space for GW recharge. Maximum run-off takes place during floods. The non-monsoon contribution from such areas is low. This situation ultimately reduces ground water contribution to larger hydrologic units i.e. reduction in quantity and duration of flow in the entire river system.
Heavy ground water exploitation areas.
Ground water rich areas are generally over exploited. This trend is increasing in GW rich units in the country. Though the aquifers are replenished every monsoon but their contribution to river flow is continuously reducing due to increasing GW exploitation. This reduction in contribution ultimately leads to reduced ground water flow to larger hydrologic units i.e. reduction in quantity and duration of flow in the non-monsoon season in the entire river system.
Downstream of a river stretches from where large amount of flow is lifted.
Drinking Water supply schemes of metro-cities drawing large quantities of river water reduces the river flow in downstream. This lift ultimately reduces flow in the downstream of the river system. Similarly when the water is lifted from the river flowing in the neighboring hydrologic unit, similar effect is observed in the downstream stretch of the river flowing in the donor unit.
Areas in the neighborhood of deep open cast or underground mines.
Mineral extraction requires digging of earth and therefore during mineral extraction, lot of GW is released in the mine. This GW is pumped out and discharged in the nearest water course. Water pumping from the mine is similar to GW exploitation and therefore rivers situated in the immediate neighborhood of the mine generally face decline in the water table and in the non-monsoon flow of local rivers. The released water improves flow in the downstream rivers.
River rejuvenation vision
Observations indicate that the river flow is sustained till the underground water table is above river’s bed level. As soon as the regional water table dips below the river’s bed level, the river dries.
The flow depletion or drying of rivers is generally observed initially near the origin and then progressively in the larger hydrologic units. In the background of intricate behavior of a river-system, proposed hydro-geological approach paper attempts to provide a conceptual platform for restoration of the flow in the river system. The sustainability of regenerated flow is dependent on river water utilization therefore the water use prioritization for different purposes are proposed
LITERATURE REVIEW
River rejuvenation is urgently required in flow stressed hydrological units in non-monsoon season therefore the hydro-geological approach for river rejuvenation stresses the need of hour.
Flow data of a river at regular time interval during non- monsoon season at the outlet of each flow stressed relevant hydrologic unit.
Corresponding average water table decline (GW balance / stage of exploitation) in a contributing hydrologic unit at corresponding time interval.
Approximate quantity of SW required at regular time interval in non-monsoon season in the corresponding hydrological unit for river revival planning.
The hydro-geological approach recognizes the fact that decline of water table is a cumulative effect of non-monsoon GW draft, natural discharge and sub-surface flow vis-a- vis the sub-surface contribution of GW, entirely depends upon the soil thickness and its GW parameters in the respective catchment. In the catchments, depleting soil thickness worsens the situation. Empirical methods are suggested to approximately assess the value of draft, discharge and sub-surface flow/ contribution potential along with thrust on soil erosion control/improvement measures
River rejuvenation approach
In monsoon season, adequate water flows in practically every river -system so there is no need to further augment their flows. The real challenge is in non-monsoon season therefore the river rejuvenation approach suggests-
1. Identification of flow stressed hydrological units.
2. Identification of factors responsible for depleting non-monsoon flow in the corresponding unit .
3. Data on A, B and C (refer above).
4. Situation analysis in each stressed hydrological unit
5. Suggestions with source for flow revival in the individual hydrological unit.
6. Need of scientific input and continuous efforts to refine approach.
7. Management of Climate Change
Identification of stressed hydrological units.
Watersheds and sub-catchments are the fifth and fourth hydrologic units (AISLUS). These units are located in higher reaches or upstream and are part of the larger hydrological unit. They are the home for small order streams. During monsoon, the streams flowing in these units carry flood waters but during non-monsoon, flow stress (flow depletion and stream drying) in the initial reaches is generally observed.
Flow monitoring, at suitable time intervals may be done at the outlet of all watersheds and sub-catchments by using velocity-area or any other suitable method. This exercise will identify stressed hydrological units and stress duration. Suggested monitoring shall broadly identify the flow stressed watersheds and sub-catchments and similar exercise could be carried forward to larger hydrologic units. This exercise will classify hydrologic unit wise stressed and dry rivers along with stress duration.
Identification of factors responsible for depleting non-monsoon flow.
During flow monitoring, reconnaissance survey should be undertaken to identify the factors responsible for depletion of non-monsoon flow. The information thus collected shall identify the reasons (factors) responsible for depleting non-monsoon flow in the investigated hydrological unit.
Data on A, B and C (refer above).
The data spelt is broadly needed for the river revival. It is therefore stressed that the flow data at regular time interval during non- monsoon season at the outlet of each flow stressed relevant hydrologic unit, corresponding average water table decline (GW balance / stage of exploitation) in a contributing unit at corresponding time interval and the approximate quantity of SW required at regular time interval in the corresponding hydrologic unit may be collected / determined. Rainfall data of minimum past ten years will also be collected.
Situation analysis in each unit
The situation analysis aims to assess the flow depletion trend in non-monsoon season and assess corresponding GW draft (quantity) and approximate month-wise quantity of SW needed for recharge along with identification of other traditional initiatives.
Suggestions for flow revival in the individual hydrological unit.
The out come of the situation analysis and interpretation of data should conceptualize hydrologic unit wise structural (desired SW and GW structures) and traditional initiatives.
Need of scientific input and continuous efforts to refine approach.
Since the earth crust is heterogeneous in nature, therefore there is an unquestionable need for scientific input and continuous effort to refine the approach in different litho-units and their variations/situations for successful restoration of flow in different hydrological units. The approach also needs assessment of relationship between agro-climates and incoming climate change effects.
Management of Climate Change
It is believed that the climate change is expected to influence the rainfall pattern and its quantum. It may increase the flood intensity in certain pockets therefore flood management through water conservation activities would be required. Similarly, in decreasing rainfall areas, an appropriate strategy will be required to assess the probable impact of climate change on river water management activities and planning of structures.
Prioritizing river water use for sustainability of flow
For sustained non-monsoon flow, the approach paper advocates prioritization of river’s water in the non-monsoon months. The suggested prioritization in decreasing order is as given below-
Environmental flow
Drinking Water and basic needs.
Water use for livelihood and agricultural (exclude water intensive crops).
Water use for Celebrations, Public Gatherings on festivals or religious occasions, Fairs and Cultural Tourism.
Hydro-power.
Water intensive crops and water consuming activities.
Industries.
Others if any.
The river water allocations should be made after meeting the requirement of the environmental flow. The drinking and basic needs should be assessed and quantifiable allocations be made. Further allocations could be made after meeting the above requirement. The allocations for basic and other needs should be reviewed and revised every ten years following the up-to-dated census data.
Depending upon the water availability, the approach considers it appropriate (if viable) to support economic activities but it discourages non-essential water intensive / consuming activities in the water stressed or water deficit stretches.
The use of river water for meeting drinking water needs of nearby locality or city or adjoining agriculture fields or other hydrologic unit should be permitted after meeting environmental flow, drinking and basic needs.
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