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operational management of floods (Why operational management of dams…
operational management of floods
lack of scientific flood management
- frequent floods witnessed
engineering-oriented
in its approach - dam safety and reservoir heights - holistic and integrated approach - include
weather simulation, land use on the flood plain and community preparedness.
Why operational management of dams deserves equal importance?
33 dam failures since independence
and 80% of the dams >
25 years old
Spillway capacity
may need to be re-evaluated
floods
- beyond the carrying capacity of channels downstream
maximum amount of water in reservoirs during the monsoon season - irrigation and generation of electricity -
summer months
INDIA - flood-management systems are
not supported by science
ignoring crucial
decision-making data
- patterns of rainfall, geology and climate change
reservoir-induced seismicity (
RIS
) - weight of the reservoir -
earthquakes
experts say
dam reservoirs need to be
relatively empty
before the onset of rain.
not the case in Kerala
near full-capacity Idukki
- forced to
release water into already flooded areas
state
did not gradually release water
from about 30 dams in anticipation of rains
Inter-state dam management
-
Mullaperiyar
is located in one state (Kerala), operated - (Tamil Nadu)
CAG report
- Kerala had
not conducted a dam-break analysis
or prepared an Emergency Action Plan
Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Manuals
for any of its dams - NO
Way forward
International Practice
- Colorado River in the US runs through seven states - look at weather forecasts to understand how much water to expect - start releasing water, based on the predictions - India can follow
this scientific approach
important that at least
30% of the storage capacity
of dams be kept
free before the monsoon
Non conventional sources
- solar, wind and tidal power, rather
over-dependence
- hydel projects
solar power generation in Kochi airport
can be copied in similar large-scale projects by other government agencies
Administration
State government, the State Dam Security Authority and the National Water Commission
- prepared to take bold decisions
present task of dam and water management is vested -
Public Works Department, Electricity Board, Irrigation Department
State Dam Security Authority
- if competent, should be entrusted with the task of water management
Regular desiltation of dams
review every dam
in the country,
decommission
those that are at end-of-life + sound safety protocols
Kerala
should setup -
State Flood Commission
- examine impact - land use changes on the hydrology of the state , dam management systems ,
district-level sub-commissions
- identify areas where roads, railways, hydropower, embankments and other infrastructure projects aggravated flood problemss