Your search found 6 records
1 Bharati, Luna; Smakhtin, Vladimir; Jayakody, Priyantha; Kaushal, N.; Gurung, Pabitra. 2011. Use of a distributed catchment model to assess hydrologic modifications in the Upper Ganges Basin. In Brebbia, C. A. (Ed.). River basin management VI. Southampton, UK: WIT Press. pp.177-186. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2495/RM110161]
River basin management ; Catchment areas ; Hydrology ; Simulation models ; Environmental flows ; Soil water ; Assessment ; Canals ; Water balance ; Runoff / India / Upper Ganges Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044361)
http://library.witpress.com/pages/PaperInfo.asp?PaperID=22160
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H044361.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H044361.pdf
(0.60 MB)
Allocation of river water to cities, industries and agriculture has been a common practice in river basin planning and management. It is now widely accepted that water also needs to be allocated for aquatic environments – alongside the demands of other users. Discharge data are a pre-requisite for calculating such environmental demands – Environmental Flows (EF) – regardless of the EF assessment method used. This paper describes the application of a distributed hydrological model (SWAT) to simulate discharges, which were then used for EF assessment in the Upper Ganges River in India (total area: 87000 km2). The EF assessment was done using a multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach (Building Blocks methodology). The EF method involved several stakeholder workshops with various expert groups and extensive field studies. This is the first time that a comprehensive EF assessment has been done in India. The characteristic feature of the study is that cultural and religious water demands were also incorporated into the assessment of EF requirements as the conservation of the river’s spiritual traits were recognized by the stakeholders as being as important as the maintenance of its ecological integrity. The assessment resulted in EF requirements ranging from 72% of Mean Annual Runoff (MAR) in the upper stretches to 45% of (MAR) in the lower stretches, which is coherent with the ecological and spiritual status of the reaches.
2 Bharati, Luna; Smakhtin, Vladimir; Jayakody, Priyantha; Kaushal, N.. 2011. Use of hydrological modeling in environmental-flows assessment in the Ganges [Abstract only]. In Habersack, H.; Schober, B.; Walling, D. (Eds.). Conference abstract book: International Conference on the Status and Future of the World's Large Rivers, Vienna, Austria, 11-14 April 2011. Vienna, Austria: University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences. pp.40.
River basin management ; Hydrology ; Models ; Environmental flows ; Assessment ; Water allocation ; Runoff / India / Ganges River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044362)
http://www.iahs.info/conferences/CR2011/2011_WLR_Vienna/files/WLR_Abstract_Book_final.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H044362.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H044362.pdf
(0.20 MB) (5.89MB)
Allocation of river water to cities, industries and agriculture has been a common practice in river basin planning and management. It is now widely accepted that water also needs to be allocated for aqautic environment- alongside the demands of other users. Discharge data are a pre-requisite for calculating such nvironmental demands - environmental flows (EF) - regardless of the EF assessment method used. This paper describes the application of a distributed hydrological model (SWAT) to simulate discharges, which were then used for EF assessment in the Upper Ganges River in India (total area: 87000 km 2). The EF assessment was done using a multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach (Building Blocks methodology). The EF method involved several stakeholder workshops with various expert groups and extensive field studies. This is the first time that a comprehensive EF assessment has been done in India. The characteristic feature of the study is that cultural and religious water demands were also incorporated into the assessment of EF requirements as the conservation of the river’s spiritual traits were recognized by the stakeholders as being as important as the maintenance of its ecological integrity. The assessment resulted in EF requirements ranging from 72% of Mean Annual Runoff (MAR) in the upper stretches to 45% of (MAR) in the lower stretches, which is coherent with the ecological and spiritual status of the reaches. The EF estimates are now being considered in the simulation modeling of basin development scenarios under conditions of current climate and projected climate changes.
3 O’Keeffe, J.; Kaushal, N.; Bharati, Luna; Smakhtin, Vladimir. 2012. Assessment of environmental flows for the Upper Ganga Basin. [Project report of the environmental flows assessment done under the Living Ganga Program]. New Delhi, India: World Wide Fund for Nature - India (WWF-India). 161p.
Environmental flows ; Assessment ; River basins ; Drought ; Freshwater ; Ecosystems ; Hydrology ; Hydraulics ; geomorphology ; Surveys ; Biodiversity ; Social aspects ; Living conditions ; Upstream ; Water resources ; Water use ; Water quality ; Indicators ; Land use ; Land cover / India / Upper Ganga Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H044950)
http://awsassets.wwfindia.org/downloads/exec_summary_mail_1_28.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H044950.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H044950.pdf
(1.10 MB) (1.10MB)
Ecosystem integrity as well as the goods and services offered by the rivers in India are getting adversely affected by changes in quantity, quality and flow regimes. Growing water abstractions for agriculture, domestic, industrial and energy use are leaving many rivers running dry, while others are becoming severely polluted. The mighty Ganga is no exception. During its 2,525 km journey from Gangotri to Ganga Sagar, there are complex, nested sets of challenges that threaten the very existence of the holy river revered by millions of Indians. In the upper Himalayan reaches, the flow in the river is vulnerable to water abstractions by hydropower projects, both existing and proposed. From the time the river enters the plains, abstractions for agriculture, urban and industrial uses leave the river lean and polluted. As the river's dynamics have been altered by diversions and inefficient use, the freshwater flow has reduced, leading to a reduction in the river’s assimilative capacity. As the river makes its way to the sea, and more pollution is added to the lean flows, the stress on the Ganga increases. Climate change is adding another set of complexities to the problems of the Ganga and to the hundreds of millions of people who depend on the river and its basin.
4 O’Keeffe, J.; Kaushal, N.; Smakhtin, Vladimir; Bharati, Luna. 2012. Assessment of environmental flows for the Upper Ganga Basin. [Summary project report of the environmental flows assessment done under the Living Ganga Program]. New Delhi, India: World Wide Fund for Nature - India (WWF-India). 24p.
Environmental flows ; Assessment ; River basins ; Ecosystems ; Water quality ; Biodiversity / India / Upper Ganga Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H045079)
http://awsassets.wwfindia.org/downloads/exec_summary_mail_1_28.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H045079.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H045079.pdf
(1.10 MB) (1.10MB)
5 Sapkota, Pratibha; Bharati, Luna; Gurung, Pabitra; Kaushal, N.; Smakhtin, Vladimir. 2013. Environmentally sustainable management of water demands under changing climate conditions in the Upper Ganges Basin, India. Hydrological Processes, 27(15):2197-2208. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.9852]
Water management ; Water demand ; Water use ; Groundwater ; Climate change ; River basins ; Environmental flows ; Catchment areas ; Models ; Case studies ; Crop production / India / Upper Ganges Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H045943)
(2.06 MB)
Allocation of water to cities, industries and agriculture has been a common practice in river basin planning and management. It is widely accepted that water also needs to be allocated for the aquatic environment, i.e. alongside the demands of other users. This paper describes the application of a basin planning model (Water Evaluation and Planning Model) to assess present and alternative water management options, which include incorporation of environmental flows (EFs) in the Upper Ganges River, India. Furthermore, the impacts of projected climate changes are also considered. The paper also briefly summarizes the EF assessment methodology, which was conducted through a multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder approach (Building Blocks methodology). This is the first time that a comprehensive EF assessment has been done in India. Results from this study show that annual water demands for the domestic, industrial and irrigation water use are 1375, 1029 and 6680MCM, respectively. Unmet demands, i.e. when there is not enough water to fulfil the required demands, were a problem during December and January for the past climate and during December, January and February under climate change-projected conditions. Adding EFs increased unmet demands in the same winter months. During March–November, unmet water demands were less than 5MCM even with the addition of EFs. Reducing crop type to less water intense crops was more effective in reducing unmet demands than decreasing the cropped area. Improving irrigation systems through improved efficiency and water saving technologies as well as conjunctive use of surface and ground water is also viable options. However, the most effective water management solution is from managing upstream storage structures such as the Tehri dam for increased dry season flows. Dry season releases from Tehri dam can be used to reduce the downstream unmet demands, which include EFs to less than 5MCM/month.
6 Arthington, A. H.; Tickner, D.; McClain, M. E.; Acreman, M. C.; Anderson, E. P.; Babu, S.; Dickens, Chris W. S.; Horne, A. C.; Kaushal, N.; Monk, W. A.; O’Brien, G. C.; Olden, J. D.; Opperman, J. J.; Owusu, Afua G.; Poff, N. L.; Richter, B. D.; Salinas-Rodríguez, S. A.; Shamboko Mbale, B.; Tharme, R. E.; Yarnell, S. M. 2023. Accelerating environmental flow implementation to bend the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss. Environmental Reviews, 27p. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2022-0126]
Environmental flows ; Freshwater ; Biodiversity ; Ecosystem services ; Resilience ; Rivers ; Water availability ; Water users ; Stakeholders ; Climate change ; Constraints ; Legislation ; Regulations ; Monitoring ; Funding ; Socioeconomic aspects ; Ecological factors ; Infrastructure ; Human resources ; Capacity development ; Training ; Case studies / USA / Guatemala / Mexico / Canada / UK / South Africa / Zambia / India / China / Australia / Putah Creek Tributary / Usumacinta River / Peace-Athabasca Delta / Savannah River / Roanoke River / Great Brak River Estuary / Olifants River / Luangwa River / Nile River Basin / Ramganga River / Yangtze River / Lower Goulburn River
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052092)
(1.91 MB) (1.91 MB)
Environmental flows (e-flows) aim to mitigate the threat of altered hydrological regimes in river systems and connected waterbodies and are an important component of integrated strategies to address multiple threats to freshwater biodiversity. Expanding and accelerating implementation of e-flows can support river conservation and help to restore the biodiversity and resilience of hydrologically altered and water-stressed rivers and connected freshwater ecosystems. While there have been significant developments in e-flow science, assessment, and societal acceptance, implementation of e-flows within water resource management has been slower than required and geographically uneven. This review explores critical factors that enable successful e-flow implementation and biodiversity outcomes in particular, drawing on 13 case studies and the literature. It presents e-flow implementation as an adaptive management cycle enabled by 10 factors: legislation and governance, financial and human resourcing, stakeholder engagement and co-production of knowledge, collaborative monitoring of ecological and social-economic outcomes, capacity training and research, exploration of trade-offs among water users, removing or retrofitting water infrastructure to facilitate e-flows and connectivity, and adaptation to climate change. Recognising that there may be barriers and limitations to the full and effective enablement of each factor, the authors have identified corresponding options and generalizable recommendations for actions to overcome prominent constraints, drawing on the case studies and wider literature. The urgency of addressing flow-related freshwater biodiversity loss demands collaborative networks to train and empower a new generation of e-flow practitioners equipped with the latest tools and insights to lead adaptive environmental water management globally. Mainstreaming e-flows within conservation planning, integrated water resource management, river restoration strategies, and adaptations to climate change is imperative. The policy drivers and associated funding commitments of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework offer crucial opportunities to achieve the human benefits contributed by e-flows as nature-based solutions, such as flood risk management, floodplain fisheries restoration, and increased river resilience to climate change.
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