Water resource management

INTRODUCTION
Water is an excellent resource of a nation as it can be made to serve various function. Properly planned use of water may nourish our farms and forests, may run our turbines for generation of hydroelectric power. It is infact an amazing fluid and can lead to an overall prosperity of a nation and that of the entire community as a whole, but if not properly harnessed or planned the same useful servant may became wild or an enemy in the form of severe storms, floods and cyclones bringing disasters devegatation and catastrophes. Proper planning is therefore absolutely necessary so planning for water resources development in its wider sense may defined as a through study of the pros and cons of various possible ways of harnessing this wonderful resource and finally writing down the means and ways of achieving the best and optimum benefits.

 Planning for water resources is infact a very very complex subject because each water development project is unique in its physical and economic setting. It is therefore impossible to describe a simple process. Which inevitably may lead to the best decision. The job of water resource planner becomes a little bit simpler when only one objective is to be served. But when a no. of objectives are to be served such as in multipurpose. The planning becomes much more, complex and difficult.

Purpose served by water resources development projects

Flood control Irrigation Hydroelectric power Navigation Domestic and industrial water supply Watershed management Recreational use of water Fish and wild life Pollution abetment Insect control Drainage Sediment control Salinity control Artificial precipitation(cloud seeding equipment) Employment Public work acceleration New water resources policies

Classification of water resources development projects Single purpose:- is the one which is designed and operated to serve only one purpose Multipurpose project:- which is designed and operated to serve two or more purposes. It may however be stated that a project which is designed for single purpose but which produces. Incidental benefits for other purposes should not be considered

DATA REQUIRMENT OR STEPS INVOLVED IN PLANNING A WATER RESOURCES PROJECT

statement of objective:- before any project planning is undertaken the planner must have a clear cut statement of the objectives of the project. the formulation and implementation of any project depends mainly upon the availability of funds collection of data:- for the formulation of any realistic and better planning. it is absolutely necessary that through reliable data are collected. the data required consist not only of hydraulic data and site data but a substantial data are required on geological, economic, social and other related fields. collection of old reliable hydrological data is absolutely necessary for any planning

General data
Hydrological data:- precipitation, stream flow, evapotranspiration, water quality, sediment Geological data:- ground water, soil survey, erosion, minerals Cartographic data:- maps Ecological data:- vegetation, fish wild life Demographic data:- people and institutions Economic data:- industry, transportation, market, tourism, recreation, land, taxes Legal data:- water rights, pollution control, land zoning Public opinion

Special data
Agricultural data:- land classification, crop water requirement, climatic studies Flood control data:- past flooding and damages, data on local storm water drainage requirements Municipal and industrial user data:- population and their water needs, industrial establishment and their water requirement Hydroelectric power data:- existing and required capacities Navigation data:- present water traffic patterns, alternative road, rail and air transport Pollution control data

 Projection for future:- whenever a project is designed it is designed to serve not only the present day requirements but the anticipated future needs. The future projection should be evaluated on some realistic possibilities of growth. Project analysis:- when once a no. Of alternative proposals and their costs have been worked out in the previous step the next step is to select the best out of all of them. The finally selected units should be economically most efficient and environmentally satisfactory. If the most efficient unit can be justified on engineering economy consideration(its benefit cost ratio is more than 1 or any other specified minimum value) it may be recommended for construction.

Economic analysis of water resources project

It involves the computation of : the present worth of a certain future amount or the benefits which would be derived from a project during certain no. Of years Amount to be recovered annually from the beneficiaries of the project so that if needed the project may be replaced by a new one Annual instalments for the recovery of the investment made for a project

 consider an investment P made today (at the 0 year) which is

earning

interest at i% per annum compounded yearly At the end of 1 year the amount would be (P+iP)= P(1+i) at the end of 2 year = P(1+i)+iP(1+i)= P(1+i)2 Thus at end of N years the amount grows to F= P(1+i)N OR P= (1/(1+i)N)F P- present worth of an amount F after N years that is an amount F after N years is equivalent to an amount P today (1/(1+i)N) discount factor Discount factor refers to translating future money to its present value and compounding refers to translating present money to a future period in time. i = interest rate per year P= present sum of money F= future sum of money A= annual payment

 Let A be the amount recovered for the beneficiaries of the project at the end of every year and it is invested to earn interest at i% per annum compounded yearly. It grows to an amount F at the end of N years (F being the probable cost of the new project to be undertaken to replace the earlier project) thus F= A+A(1+i)+A(1+i)2+-----+A(1+i)N-2+A(1+i)N-1 (1) By multiplying this eq. By (1+i) we get (1+i)F= A(1+i)+A(1+i)2+-----+A(1+i)N-1+A(1+i)N (2) By subtracting eq. 1 by eq. 2 iF= A[(1+i)N-1] OR A= [i/(1+i)N-1]F called as sinking fund factor (3) Thus sinking fund factor indicates the amount A that must be recovered for the beneficiaries of the project at the end of every year and it is invested to earn interest at i% per annum compounded yearly to accumulate an amount F at the end of N years

 Let P be the investment made for a project which if invested for a period of N years at the interest rate i% per annum compounded yearly, would have grown to an amount F thus from case 1 last eq. F=(1+i)NP Introducing value of F in eq. 3 A= [i(1+i)N/(1+i)N-1]P A is the annual instalment for the recovery of the investment made for a project The term [i(1+i)N/(1+i)N-1] is called as capital recovery factor Thus capital recovery factor indicates the amount A that must be recovered every year from the beneficiaries of a project for which amount P has been invested and the interest rate of i% per annum is considered

Impact assessment of water resource development and managerial measures

(1) negative impacts Loss of wild life habitat Loss of valuable forest land Loss of agricultural land Loss of religious sites (mosques, temples) Loss of adventure sports and river rafting Displacement and rehabilitation of people Growing pressure of civilization and industrialisation on nearly areas Post project effects like salinity and water logging of irrigated land Reservoir induced seismicity Adverse impacts are caused to fisheries

(2) positive impacts Net improvement in public health is caused due to availability of ample domestic water supply The overall increase in the production of wood and crops Excellent habitat for fisheries and water liking birds Development of tourism and recreator (brindavan garden) Improved micro climates Development of sanctuaries and wild life

Rainwater harvesting is the accumulating and storing, of rainwater. It has been used to provide drinking water, water for livestock, water for irrigation or to refill aquifers in a process called ground water recharge. Rainwater harvesting is a technology used for collecting and storing rainwater from rooftops, the land surface or rock catchments using simple techniques such as jars and pots as well as more complex techniques such as underground check dams.

It is a method which has been used since ancient times and is increasingly being accepted as a practical method of providing potable water in development projects throughout the world. It has wide application also in urban and peri-urban areas where the reliability and quality of piped water is increasingly being questioned. Rainwater can be utilized alone or together with other supply sources in residential, commercial and industrial projects where pure water is desired

 Of the total water on earth, only 3% constitutes freshwater. Rest is saline water in the oceans. 11% of the total freshwater on earth is groundwater available upto a depth of 800m which can be extracted for use.

 Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on ground water. So to increase the ground water table through artificial recharge and improve its quality. Over-exploitation of ground water resource has resulted in decline in water levels in most parts of the country. To increase soil moisture levels for urban greenery. To provide supplemental water for the city's requirement. To mitigate urban flooding. It makes ecological and financial sense not to waste a pure natural resource available in large quantity on ones roof.

1) Catchment: Any surface or the paved areas can be treated as catchment. Even the footpaths and roads can act as the catchment, as these areas too receive the direct rainfall. Rooftops are the best among them because of the large coefficient of run off generated from them and there are less chances of contamination of water.

2) Conveyance : Conveyance system basically includes down pipes which collects the rain water from catchment to the storage tank. These down pipes are usually built during the time of construction. They need to be designed appropriately so as to avoid the loss of water during the conveyance process. 3) Storage : The storage system is designed according to the amount of water that is to be stored. The design and site of the storage system should be properly chosen. The areas which receives the rainfall frequently, there a simple storage system could be constructed, to meet the daily water requirements. Otherwise the areas which receive the lesser rainfall, there the storage systems are quite essential. Rain barrels, underground or open slumps are mostly used to collect rain water. The storage system should be properly sealed and should not leak. Using chlorine from time to time keeps the water clean.

Storing of rain water on roofs of the houses: Rain water falling on the roofs of the houses can be stored in nearby wells, tanks and step wells or can be stored in houses through pipes. The rain water of roofs can also be stored in the water percolation tanks for recharging ground water.

Small bonding around the fields: Flow of rain water falling on the fields in checked by building small bounding around the fields. The water thus stored n the field percolates underneath and increases soil moisture.
Step farming: Soil moisture of step fields made along mountain slopes is being increased by checking rain water of these fields.

 Check dams on seasonal rivers and drains: Rain water is also stored behind the check dams constructed over the seasonal rivers and drains with the help of soil, stones and wood. These dams regulate the water supply and also help in controlling soil erosion to some extent.

Water percolation tanks: Rain water is stored in tanks constructed in lands unsuitable for agriculture. These tanks serve the purpose of recharging of ground water reserves as water stored on these.
Making of drains: Rain water is also being stored in the drains dug around the fields.

Structures generally used in recharging of ground water are:

 Pits Recharge: Pits are constructed for recharging the shallow aquifers.
Trenches: These are constructed when the preamble strata is available at shallow depths. Dug wells: Existing dug wells may be utilized as recharge structure and water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well. Hand Pumps: The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the shallow / deep aquifers, if the availability of water is limited. Water should pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps.

 Recharge Shafts: With bore wells for recharging the upper as well as deeper aquifers, lateral shafts of 1.5 to 2m wide and 10 to 20m long depending upon availability of water with one or two bore wells is constructed. The lateral shafts are back filled with boulders, gravels and coarse sand. Spreading Techniques: When permeable strata start from top then this technique is used. Spread water in streams by making check dams, cement plugs or a percolation pond may be constructed.

 An ideal solution to water problems in areas having inadequate water resources.

The ground water level will rise & quality of water improves.
Mitigates the effects of drought and achieves drought proofing. Reduces the runoff which chokes the storm water drains. Flooding of roads is reduced. Soil erosion will be reduced. Saving of energy per well for lifting of ground water.