Live Water Storage Of About 34 Bn Cubic Metres Already Lost In India: Official

There is an urgent need for sustainable management of sediments in reservoirs and rivers in the country, a senior Central Water Commission official said on Monday, adding an estimated 34 billion cubic meters (BCM) out of 258 BCM of live storage has already been lost.

CWC Chairman Kushvinder Vohra said studies undertaken by the agency showed that average loss of gross storage is about 0.45 per cent per year, and that of live and dead storage is about 0.3 per cent and 0.95 per cent per year, respectively. 

This results in a huge economic loss over a period of time, he said at the national workshop on Integrated Management of Sediments in River Basins and Reservoirs for Sustainable Development, according to a statement.

"It is estimated that out of 258 BCM of live storage created in India, we have already lost about 34 BCM which shall become 50 BCM by 2050. Thus, there is an urgent need for sustainable management of sediments in reservoirs and rivers," he said, according to the statement. 

During the event, presentations were made by subject experts on a wide range of topics such as national framework on sediment management, sediment assessment studies, application of geomorphological tools for river morphological health assessment among others. 

The CWC has also initiated eight coastal data collection stations where near-shore sediment data is being monitored to work upon the issues related to coastal erosion the statement said. Further, the CWC also supports states with flood control and anti-erosion schemes.   

The DRIP (Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project) scheme has provision for carrying out need-based de-siltation of selected reservoirs and catchment area treatment. 

Some of the works done under the scheme are; De-siltation of Asan Barrage, Uttarakhand and Catchment area treatment works at two dams viz Kundah reservoir and Krishnagiri reservoir in Tamil Nadu. Some more sediment management interventions are being planned under Phase-II and III of DRIP scheme.