Issues in Ganga Basin

By

N.N.RaiDirector, Hydrology

Central Water Commission

Issues in Ganga basin Health of river in certain reaches

Flood problems in Eastern states

More consumptive water demand due to high population pressure

Huge variability in non-monsoon and monsoon water availability

Huge rainfall variability in southern and northern part of basin

Cloud burst in Himalayas

Drainage area map of Ganga

Important facts Drainage area of Ganga basin in India 861452 sq.km

Mean annual runoff (MAF) 525.02 BCM

Glacier runoff 3% of MAF

(Source: IWMI RR 150)

Seasonal snow melt 1% of MAF

(Source: IWMI RR 150)

Utilizable surface water resources in India 690 BCM

Utilizable GW resources in India 431 BCM

Utilizable surface water resources in Ganga basin 250 BCM

Replenishable GW resource in Ganga basin 170.99 BCM

Population in Ganga basin (yr 2010) 505.54 million

Per capita water availability in Ganga basin (yr 2010) 1039 cubic meter<1700

Live storage created so far in Ganga basin 48.748 BCM

Live storage in projects under construction 7.703 BCM

Health of river in certain reaches

1.3 million ha, 85% div Non Monsoon, 8.4 BCM-Annual, 2.4 BCM-NM, 40-65% spill monsoon

800 km, Ganga Canal System – 0.7 million ha Command, 51 million population, 21 districts

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How the food and water security can be achieved with water availability in India skewed in time and space, and still lower per capita storage?

Per capita Live Storage (m3)

More consumptive water demand due to high population pressure

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Water Availability

Live Storage

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MBasin wise water availability and live storage

Basin wise Population in Millions (estimated for year 2010) and per capita water availability m3/person/yr

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Virtual Water Flows (India)

Source: Inter-regional virtual water flows Kampman (2007)

State Per capita Water Availability (SW+GW)m3/capita/yr

Net Virtual Water Import BCM/yr

Haryana 1055 -14.1

UP 2059 -20.8

Punjab 2452 -20.9

Jharkhand 2498 + 9.3

Bihar 6898 +15.3

Odisha 8710 +4.8

Source : Inter-regional virtual water flows - Kampman (2007)

•Water-rich Eastern and North-eastern regions of India (in terms of per capita water availability) are ironically the virtual water importing regions.•Northern region, having much less per capita water availability as compared to Eastern region, is exporting huge quantity in terms of virtual water to Eastern region.•Northern region is not so good in terms of storage reservoirs either as compared to Western or Southern regions.•Ironically, the Northern region is exporting virtual water by mining groundwater from very deep aquifers. This is absolutely unsustainable.

Huge variability in non-monsoon and monsoon water availability

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75% dependable inflows and demands (Typical)

75% dependable inflows DMI demands Irrigation Demands

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Huge rainfall variability in southern and northern part of basin

Cloud burst in Himalayas

Thank You

Historical List of Famines in India (1765-1947)

Year Famine Name(if any)

Mortality

1769-70 Great Bengal Famine

10 Million

1782-83 Madras Famine11 Million

1783-84 Chalisa Famine

1791-92 Doji Bara / Skull Famine

11 Million

1837-38 Agra Famine 800,000

1860-61 Upper DoabFamine

2 Million

1865-67 Orissa Famine 1 Million

Source: Imperial Gazetteer of India, volume III

Year Famine Name(if any)

Mortality

1868-70 RajputanaFamine

1.5 Million

1876-78 Great Famine Madras / Bombay

5.5 Million

1888-89 Ganjam, Orissa, Bihar

1896-97 Indian Famine 5 Million

1899-1900

Indian Famine 1 Million

1905-06 Bombay 235,062

1943-44 Bengal Famine 1.5 Million

Needless to emphasize that no famine like situation occurred after India started making dams.