Sustainable river flow management using resilient landscape techniques

Abstract

Dams are the man-made structure which acts as a barrier for the natural flow of rivers, surface water or underground streams. These dams create reservoirs and not only help in flood management but also helps in managing the water resources for the communities in agriculture and farming, food production, water supply for drinking and household chores, sanitation and hygiene, etc. The dams have an average life expectancy of 100 years. Many dams in India have crossed their life expectancy and many others are there with a lot of pressure on the dam due to siltation and increased water volume during monsoons. As sediments are being collected in the reservoir of dams, the reservoir cannot hold as much water. It obstructs the surge control dam’s capacity to capture flood water effectively. So, it is felt much essential now to work out feasible arrangements and provide sustainable solutions for managing this volume and pressure discharge from dams. These dams cause many ill-effects to the environment like Habitat fragmentation, negative impact on water body on which it is built, decrease of ground water table, downstream sediment erosion and prove to be a risk to the environment and overall biosphere. This thesis showcases a detailed landscape assessment approach and identifies vulnerability of landscape of Hirakud Dam. Potential opportunities have been identified to restore its strength. Alternate strategies to dams have been proposed for storing and ensuring the availability of water through change in landscape measures.