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There have been attempts to answer the E-Flows requirement in the Ganga, and therefore, besides the pollution discussions, the debate for Ganga conservation within the formal circles is around allocation of water for E-Flows. In this regard, two important and critical, but old irrigation systems Upper Ganga Canal and Lower Ganga Canal, however both these systems have undergone modernizations drives from time to time in upstream states on the Ganga main-stem Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are generally discussed.
It has been debated whether there are prospects and opportunities to enhance the flows in the river Ganga downstream of these interventions. In the case of Uttar Pradesh which is a critical state when it comes to large-scale withdrawal of Ganga water resources for irrigation , Kaushal and Kansal, concluded that current proportion of water allocation for agriculture is bound to get reduced in near future. The paper, in a way, attempts to package a complete picture—ranging from an understanding about the current water resources use pattern from the river Ganga at critical location, including ground realities in this regard and the E-Flows requirements at such a location; to, ascertaining how the recommended E-Flows can be secured in such an over-committed river system.
Efforts are made in this paper to provide insights and suggestions, that may find place in overall policy discourse on securing water for maintaining E-Flows in Ganga, in specific and in other river systems, in general where heavy diversions for irrigation are existent. It is argued that there are opportunities which can support long term E-Flows realization in the Ganga.
Figure 1 illustrates the step-by-step approach for this work, in which each task-head is based on i field-oriented primary information and ii secondary literature, including formal documentation. Therefore, the first and foremost task was to understand the key stakeholders, their significance and their current roles in allocation-management-use of Ganga water resources. For this task, key stakeholders were identified and various modes of engagements were adopted to generate the required information, these modes included—one-to-one discussions, interactive sessions, Focused Group Discussions, individual interviews, workshops etc.
The listing of stakeholders, type of engagements and objectives of the engagements is given in Table 2. The wide spectrum of stakeholders with whom the team interacted can be seen in Figure 2. The review of secondary literature and field surveys were conducted almost simultaneously and the collected data was deliberated upon, initially within the team and later on with the stakeholders, i.
Figure 2. Map of project area with intervention irrigation projects , survey locations, and sectoral Ganga water allocation Source: WWF India. The trade-offs are primarily assessed for the biggest user of Ganga water resources, i. An attempt is made to ascertain how much irrigation water savings can be achieved at varying percentages of efficiency in irrigation water use; the idea is that the saved water can be used for enhancing the flows in the river. The implications of current policies on surface water allocation withdrawals from the river and use at state level are discussed through an action research study that was conducted in the upper Ganga.
The surface water allocation at state level is generally governed by populist considerations around ensuring water for irrigation; however, the aspects of National Water Policy are also considered, nevertheless the key motivation remains the earlier one.
The management of water resources and its efficient use is something that is very much there in policy realm, but in practice, this is not close to anticipated targets and objectives of both, Governments of India and of the state of Uttar Pradesh.
This research was conducted in catchment of critical stretch of River Ganga, where the river faces heavy abstractions, which are perennial in nature, i. The project area map along with information about intervention and survey locations is given in Figure 2. Figure 1 exhibits the project area, i.
Additionally, the figure indicates precise sites, where interactions, interviews and FGDs Focused Group Discussions were conducted. The figure also illustrates the sector-wise percentage of water use through these two interventions and the sample size of respondents. This information in Figure 2 indicates heavy water resources usage for irrigation and other purposes as these canal systems also provide water for domestic supplies to some of the cities within the basin—including National Capital Region NCR and in Uttar Pradesh, plus some industrial supplies from Ganga's water resources.
The findings were used as inputs for developing the overall understanding about trade-offs, associated cost and benefits of maintaining E-Flows in the critical stretch of River Ganga. In this section, the findings are organized in a thematic manner. There is a plethora of inferences that one can draw from the field investigations in the LGC command with different stakeholders, and the same is summarized below in bullet points.
These points can be considered while devising policy and strategy for long term E-Flows implementation in Ganga through sustained irrigation water use efficiency measures. There has been a steep rise in sugarcane cultivation since last few decades and that has tremendously put pressure on available water resources. The majority of farmers use earthen channels for conveyance of water from the canal to field. This indicates great scope for andragogy based extension services for disseminating water efficient agriculture practices.
Figure 3. The mandate of state Irrigation Department is to provide water for irrigation to the command farmers, which has been the priority of the officials; however, they understand the implications of reduced flows in River Ganga upon its health. The key messages from them include:.
Most of the officials were positive about enhancing flows in Ganga to improve the health of the river; however, they feel that rationalizing the allocations of Ganga water resources from existing commitments would be a key challenge. Their suggestions include following:. The process of arriving at E-Flows values is illustrated in Figure 4. Figure 4. Therefore, the trade-offs are not as challenging as in the case of downstream of Narora Barrage.
Figure 5. The December-January month coincides with the timing of maximum water requirement for irrigation as well.
It is the lean season when most of the socio-cultural festivities are organized, and therefore, the desired water-levels are critical for having satisfactory socio-cultural rituals. It was observed that the water levels required by these fish species are able to meet socio-cultural requirements.
It is worth mentioning that the hydrological information that has been used in this E-Flows assessment is of pre-Tehri dam timeframe as long-term hydrological information is required to be used as a standard practice in E-Flows assessment. However, since the commissioning of the Tehri dam in , the flows scenario in the Ganga might have changed, and thus, the E-Flows requirements may vary. This is a matter of further research. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.
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But more than a bucket-list checkoff, the highest point in the world is hugely important to scientists studying climate change. Scientists with the National Geographic and Rolex Perpetual Planet Everest Expedition are researching climate change, weather, water resources, and changes to plant, insect, and wildlife populations.
A river is a large, natural stream of flowing water. Rivers are found on every continent and on nearly every kind of land. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Skip to content. Image Ganges River Delta The Ganges Ganga River and its surrounding watershed supports one of the most fertile and densely populated regions on the planet, and its intricate web of waterways offered a stunning view to the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS Photograph by NASA.
Reducing elephant conflict with people Read More. The Ganges river basin is home to more than million people but the river is in trouble. We've developed tools to help businesses identify their water risks and opportunities, and get involved in water stewardship.
Business, communities and ecosystems are exposed to the same water challenges. That's why we see business as a key ally in helping us find solutions through water stewardship. We're working with communities, governments and businesses across the world to promote joined-up approaches to water management. There are around 50, large dams currently in operation and millions of smaller ones throughout the world.
We're working to make sure dams are carefully planned and managed so their negative impact is reduced. Fundraising Block. Adopt Please select an elephant a lion a panda a turtle an african rhino an orangutan a dolphin an amur leopard a gorilla a snow leopard a polar bear a penguin a jaguar.
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