inter-basin water transfer – is this a solution for water scarcity?
DESCRIPTION
Requirements of human are increasing tremendously with massive change along with the evolution of human and its development. This creates stress on the natural resources; such as water, lands, forest, etc. Freshwater demand is highly increased with the growing population and the change in lifestyle of people. Hence, the concept of interbasin water transfer was developed to minimize water scarcity and to distribute water as per requirements. However, this has brought lots of negative consequences that became a challenge to preserve the earth systems. The National River Linking Plan (NRLP) is developed by the Government of India to resolve water scarcity and that plan became controversial especially on the transboundary water right issues. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to highlight all the major and minor consequences that might happen due to the NRLP project with the perspective of making sustainable environmental development. The study revealed that for the sustainable development; every issue related to nature, socio-cultural and transboundary water right must be addressed and water should be distributed in such a manner that it solves the issues of spatial and temporal water availability.TRANSCRIPT
04/12/2023
Pabitra GurungPhD Student (230111762)
Presentation for the course NRES-801Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (NRES)
University of Northern British ColumbiaPrince George, BC, CANADA
INTER-BASIN WATER TRANSFER – IS THIS A SOLUTION
FOR WATER SCARCITY?
04/12/2023
Outline Background
Global Water Transfer/River Linking Nechako River Water Transfer Water Scarcity and Water Transfer Ganges River Basin
River Linking Plan of India Impact of River Linking
(Advantages & Disadvantages)
Transboundary Issues
Conclusion
Discussion
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Background: Global Water Transfer/River Linking
Source: WIKIPEDIA
PURPOSE:
For the alle
viation of w
ater
scarci
ty
For the generatio
n of
hydropower
For the navigatio
n
For the im
provement of w
ater
quality
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Background: Global Water Transfer/River LinkingFor the alleviation of water scarcity
Source: WIKIPEDIA
Total Number o
f Projects:
Africa:
4 Interbasin water
transfer
Americas: 7 Interbasin water
transfer
Asia: 9 Interbasin water
transfer
Australia:
2 Interbasin water
transfer
Europe: 2 Interbasin Water
transfer
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Background: Global Water Transfer/River Linking
For the generation of hydropower
Source: WIKIPEDIA
Total Number o
f Project:
Africa:
1 Interbasin w
ater
transfer
Australia
:2 In
terbasin water
transfer
Asia: 1 In
terbasin water
transfer
Canada: 16 Interbasin W
ater
transfer
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Background: Global Water Transfer/River Linking
For the generation of hydropower: Local Project in BC, Canada
Source: WIKIPEDIA
Kenney Dam, from which runoff is diverted from the Nechako River to a coastal
watershed, the Kemano River
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Background: Water Scarcity and Water Transfer
Source: International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
Physical and Economic water scarcity in 2025
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Background: Water Scarcity and Water Transfer
Source: International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
Physical and Economic water scarcity in 2025
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Background: Ganges River Basin, India
Source: Water Resources System Division, National Institute of Hydrology, India
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River Linking Plan of India
Source: Water Resources System Division, National Institute of Hydrology, India
India’s National River Linking Program (NRLP), National Water Development Agency (NWDA)
16 probable links of the Peninsular Rivers
14 probable links of the Himalayan Rivers
Increasing population and improved living standard
Water stress in western and middle part of the India
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Impact on Hydrology
Water supply and Salinity (Advantages and Disadvantages)?
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Storage & Use within a Basin
Flow after Storage
Natural Flow
Storage
Release
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Storage & Diversion
Flow after Diversion
Natural Flow
Diversion
Drawdown
Riv
erf
low
Riv
erf
low
Hydrograph
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Impact on Environment and Ecology Environmental deterioration
Threat to wildlife (specially for Bengal Tigers, Elephants, Wild Buffaloes)
Submergence of agricultural and forest lands
Bio-diversity will be on great risk
Effect on the endangered species
Salt water intrusion in coastal area
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Issues of Upstream Country: Nepal
Transboundary Issues
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Issues of Upstream Country: Nepal
Transboundary Issues
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Issues of Downstream Country: BangladeshTransboundary Issues
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Issues of Downstream Country: BangladeshTransboundary Issues
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Issues of Downstream Country: BangladeshTransboundary Issues
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Conclusion Water is essential to all for the sustainable life and
socio-economic development
Change in river basin hydrology and ecology will create problem of social-economic and ecological stress
Proper distribution of water in space and time is required
Issues of different state and country must be addressed
Social and religious value of the river should be maintained
Advantages and disadvantages require proper evaluation
Thus it is of primary importance that studies at various spatial scales are conducted to better understand the impacts of future water diversions in India and other regions of the world.
Forest, P.; 2012. Transferring bulk water between Canada and the United
States: More than a century of transboundary inter-local water supplies.
Geoforum. 43(1): 14-24.
Gohari, A.; Eslamian, S.; Mirchi, A.; Abedi-Koupaei, J.; Bavani, A.M.; Madani, K.;
2013. Water transfer as a solution to water shortage: A fix that can Backfire.
Journal of Hydrology. 491: 23-39.
Gupta, J.; van der Zaag, P.; 2008. Interbasin water transfer and integrated
water resources management: Where engineering, science and politics
interlock. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth. 33(1-2): 28-40.
Misra, A.K.; Saxena, A.; Yaduvanshi, M.; Mishra, A.; Bhadauriya, Y.;
Thakur, A.; 2007. Proposed river-linking project of India: a boon or
bane to nature. Environmental Geology. 51(8): 1361-1376.
Verma, S.; Kampman, S.V.; van der Zaag, P.; Hoekstra, A.Y.; 2009. Going
against the flow: A critical analysis of inter-state virtual water trade in the
context of India’s National River Linking Program. Physics and Chemistry of
the Earth. 34(4-5): 261-269.
References
04/12/2023
Prof. Bill MacGillProf. Neil HanlonProf. Stephen DéryAll the Colleague
THANK YOU !!!
04/12/2023
How river-linking/water-transfer will impact bio-diversity, ecology, environment and eco-tourism?
What are human’s water rights and justices?
Who is responsible to maintain better environment?
What are the consequences of going against the flow and nature?
What should be a transboundary water use policy?
Questions for Discussion ?