DAMODAR BASIN WATER MANAGEMENT-A REVIEW WITH NEW INITIATIVES- A CASE STUDY By SATYABRATA BANERJEE DY. CHIEF ENGINEER (CIVIL) & DEBASHIS GHOSH CHIEF ENGINEER-I (CIVIL) DAMODAR VALLEY CORPORATION, KOLKATA, INDIA BASIN LEVEL MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES-CASE STUDY SESSION(CS-4)

 Century-long effort of taming the highly destructive turbulent Damodar river during floods and utilizing its huge water resources ultimately resulted the formation of Damodar Valley Corporation in the year 1948 just after independence by an act of Parliament.  An important national responsibility of taming the river with monitoring and developing this large river basin in an integrated manner for the well being of the people of the valley was assigned to DVC. DAMODAR VALLEY CORPORATION -AN INTRODUCTION

 Promotion and operation of schemes of flood control;  Promotion and operation of schemes for irrigation, water supply and drainage;  Promotion and operation of schemes for generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy both hydro and thermal;  Promotion of afforestation and control of soil erosion;  Promotion in public health, agriculture, industrial activities and general well-being in the Damodar Valley and its adjacent area of operation. PRIME OBJECTIVES OF DVC

Flood Live Total Possible Flood Moderation Capacity Storage Storage Storage Combined Peak Moderated Inflow Outflow Million Acre-ft Cusec (MCM) (Cumec) Original Plan lac 2.5 lac (3579) (2838) (7009) (28321) (7085) 1st Stage of lac 2.5 lac DVC Dams (1851) (1209) (3578) (18420) (7085) With Non Acquisition lac 2.5 lac of Land (1296) (1209) (3007) (17003) (7085) Current lac 2.5 lac Position (971) (926) (2206) (14169) (7085) A VIEW OF DAMODAR VALLEY RESERVOIR STORAGE CAPACIT Y

 Flood Control -Even with the reduced flood storage capacities (about 33% of originally planned), DVC has managed to moderate a large number of floods in post dam era to a great extent.  Moderation of Some Major Floods:  Combined Peak Combined Peak Flood Moderation  Period Inflow in cusec Outflow in cusec in cusec   Oct ,23,000 2,88,000 3,35,000  Oct ,16,000 1,60,000 3,56,000  Oct ,88,000 1,75,000 4,  Sept ,74,000 1,63,000 6,11,000  Sept ,19,000 2,50,000 3,69,000   Irrigation – Supplying water for 3 crops in a year- On an average water supplied by DVC annually for Kharif, Rabi (Winter crop) & non-committed Boro (Summer crop) irrigation are 1150 MCM, 86 MCM & 300 MCM respectively.  Water Supply for Industrial & Domestic Purpose- Supplying about 555 MCM of water annually, to about 185 various industrial & municipal agencies within the valley, which includes, Steel Plants, Thermal power plants, Municipalities, Railways, Collieries & various other industries in the area. PERFORMANCE OF DVC

 Power Generation- DVC now stands as one of the major Power Generating Unit of the eastern region of the country with a total power generating capacity of MW, including the Hydel power generation of MW.  Watershed Management with soil conservation – For the conservation of soil & maintaining the ecological balance of the region, various watershed management activities like afforestation, construction of check dams, soil surveys, terraced cultivation, water quality monitoring etc. are being taken up on sub-catchment basis by DVC since its inception.  Social Integration and other activities -Various developmental activities in the surrounding villages of its major projects, to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants, such as construction or renovation of School buildings, roads, culverts or bridges, construction of community centers, street lighting, health care centers or dispensaries, arranging N.G.O.s to import various training programmes to villagers for health care, cottage industries, farming, fisheries etc. have been undertaken by DVC over the years. PERFORMANCE OF DV C

 Inadequate Flood Storage Capacities –Available only about 33% of what envisaged Drastic Reduction in Lower Damodar Channel Capacity to carry Flood Discharge - Reduction of 50% of what envisaged  Operation of Tenughat dam – Not included in unified control. Not developed to full potential with no flood storage capacity.  Uncontrolled Catchment below Maithon & Panchet dams- No control of DVC as no structure could be envisaged and developed in plane area.  Sedimentation in Reservoirs- Reduction in live storage- Reduction of about 50% Dead storage, 33% live storage & 10% flood storage  Miscellaneous Issues - Various issues like Irregular & unauthorized drawl of water, construction of small dams in the upper reaches without the consent of DVC, mining & various other activities on the rivers & submergence areas over the years, conflicts between the DVC Act & State Acts such as State Irrigation Act etc. in levying revenue for bulk supply of raw water for irrigation, industrial and domestic purposes, no financial assistance with direct capital investment by any of the participating Governments as per the provision of Section-30 of the DVC Act for the projects undertaken by DVC latter on etc. are affecting the performance of DVC adversely. MAJOR CONSTRAINTS IN BASIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

 Proposed Reviews of Integrated Water System Operation:  Flood Storage  Guide Curves  Zoning of Reservoirs  Flood Forecasting & Hydrological Studies  Lower Damodar Channel Capacity & Drainage  Water Supply for Irrigation, Municipalities & Industries REVIEW,CHANGES & INITIATIVES IN BASIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

GUIDE CURVE OF PANCHET DAM

FLOOD OPERATION GUIDELINES  GUIDELINES FOR FLOOD OPERATION  Percentage occupation Combined release in cusec  of combined flood storage June to Sept. October  % or less  20% to 50% 1,20,000 80,000  50% to 70% 1,60,000 1,20,000  70% to 100% 2,00,000 1,60,000  Matching inflow with outflow Note: Flood operation will commence when the water levels start rising above upper guide curves.

 Proposed changes in the Reservoir Operation Guidelines:  Commencement of Flood Operation  Flood Releases  Flood Cushion  Flushing Doses  Flood Warning System  Flood Forecasting with Real Time Data Collection System  Water Allocation for Irrigation & Other Uses & Evaporation REVIEW,CHANGES & INITIATIVES IN BASIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

 Modification of Guide Curves  Preparation of Master Plan of Basin  Construction of Balpahari Dam (Upstream of Maithon dam)  Rehabilitation of Maithon, Panchet & Konar Dam under DRIP  Modernisation of Flood Forecasting & Real Time Data Collection System through GOI- Hydrology Project-III  Installation of automated Rain Gauges  Soil Conservation, Afforestation & Rain water harvesting DIRECT INITIATIVES OF DVC

 Prior to the developmental activities undertaken by the DVC, the river Damodar used to be known as ‘River of Sorrow’ due to its devastating floods, which inundated a large part of West Bengal almost every year.  With the start of operation of DVC dams in 1959, not only the intensity of floods came down drastically, but a large area within its command in the districts of Burdwan, Hoogly of West Bengal became highly fertile and now popularly known as the ‘ Granary of India’(Rice Bowl of India).  Constraints like acquisition of land, rehabilitation of people staying in flood zone, issues of uncontrolled catchment, sedimentation of reservoir etc. are very hard to resolve in the present socio-economic scenario.  It is also evident that the system is grossly inadequate to tackle high intensity floods. But still there is a possibility of better flood management and basin management as a whole through this existing system itself, if some modifications in the year old operational guidelines are considered and proposed new initiatives are accepted for implementation after a thorough review.  To achieve the national objective of well being of the people of valley area, DVC needs a full support administratively, technologically & financially from each of its stakeholders to make the system dynamic and effective for the overall benefit of the people and Nation.  CONCLUSIONS

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