Integrated Water Resources Planning for optimal benefits to the society Panel Discussion-3 India Water Week 2017

Water Resources Management related issues Monsoon-based climate : Temporal and Spatial variability Huge population to support : Most of the basins already water stressed /scarce Lack of SW storage infrastructure in Ganga and Brahmaputra basins : Floods and Droughts Shortage of water (in per capita terms) in western and peninsular India About 60% of country’s water resources flowing to the Sea, unutilised : Mostly in Ganga and Brahmaputra basins Long Distance Water Transfer (Interlinking of Rivers) is yet to begin Over-extraction of Groundwater in large parts of the country: e-flows diminishing Low irrigation water use efficiency in SW irrigation Gap in Irrigation Potential created and Irrigation potential utilised Untreated sewage discharge in rivers Water management in the domain of States: Absence of River Basin Organisations National Water Framework Bill (drafted in 2013) not yet enacted

Spatial Variation of Rainfall in INDIA mm Average 1,170 Max. 11,000 Mawsynram Meghalaya Min. 100 Western Rajasthan Precipitation during June to September 3000 BCM (75%)

Temporal Variation of Rainfall All India 75% Even in monsoon season, the rainy days are limited. On an average there are about 20-25 rainy days for 120 days (June-Sep) resulting in rains for just 100-150 hours of rainfall.

Water Availability - INDIA Total utilizable water resources 1121 BCM Ground Water 431 BCM Surface water 690 BCM Current utilization 450 BCM ( 65% ) 243 BCM (58%) Total water availability 1869 BCM Total Precipitation 4000 BCM

Sector wise Future Demand (BCM) Probable Water Demand as Projected by NCIWRD (1999) 2025 2050 Irrigation 611 807 Domestic 62 111 Industry 67 81 Energy 33 70 Others Total 843 1180

Per Capita Water Availability (National Average) Water stress Line 1700 cu. m. per person per year Water Scarcity Line 1000 cu. m. per person per year

Basinwise Per Capita Water Availability and Falkenmark Water Stress and Scarcity Indicators

Utilisable Surface Water Potential 690 BCM Live storage scene in India Utilisable Surface Water Potential 690 BCM Storage needed for potential utilisation 450 BCM Storage in present projects 251 BCM (Including ongoing projects and anticipated loss in storage due to siltation) Storage to be created (450-251) 199 BCM Such large storage need cannot be met only through underground storage or minor irrigation schemes. There is need to reserve the ground water for drinking water security and shift irrigation from GW to SW.

Basin wise Water Availability and Live Storage (BCM)

Per Capita Water Availability versus Per Capita Live Storage created

Per capita Live Storage (m3) Russia can sustain for about 4 years of consecutive droughts as its per capita availability is about 4 times water stress index of 1700 m3 per capita per year. Australia can sustain for about 3 years of consecutive droughts . India, however, due to lack of per capita storage (210 m3 per capita cannot sustain beyond 3-4 months after monsoon withdrawal.

Virtual Water Flows (India) 5 -46 13 22 9 +34 Live Storage (BCM) -9 9 1 10 4 2 +4 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.

River Basin Organisations for IWRM Only a few River Basin Organisations exist in the country, that too with specific mandate, and not for full-fledged IWRM. Narmada Control Authority Tungbhadra Board Bhakra-Beas Management Board Damodar Valley Corporation Brahmaputra Board Godavari River Management Board Krishna River Management Board Ganga Flood Control Commission -----etc

Need for Integrated Planning of Water Resources This scenario calls for the Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach, as the problems are complicated, the use of remote sensing, and the new GIS based techniques, and simulation through modeling of the hydrologic and water use models, provides an opportunity for finding appropriate planning solutions after considering the technical, legal, social, possible changes in the policy, institutional mechanisms, and environmental issues.

Points to Ponder River Basin Organisations for basin level water resources management National Water Framework Law Integrated Water Resources Management Creation of Storage to tackle temporal variability Interlinking of rivers to tackle spatial variability Addressing Water Quality in rivers (hotspots) Managing e-flows in hydrologically closed basins, as well as in other basins from where water flows out for lack of storage : We can allocate e-flows throughout the year, only if we have stored that Reversing the trend of Groundwater depletion: More reliance on SW Promoting use of drip and splinker irrigation systems, wherever possible

Thank You