An Alternative Approach to Evaluating Inter-Basin Water Transfer Links: a Case Study of the Inter-Linking of Rivers Project in India
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Durham E-Theses An alternative approach to evaluating inter-basin water transfer links: A case study of the Inter-Linking of Rivers Project in India SINHA, PAMMI,NITIN How to cite: SINHA, PAMMI,NITIN (2017) An alternative approach to evaluating inter-basin water transfer links: A case study of the Inter-Linking of Rivers Project in India, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/12487/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 An alternative approach to evaluating inter-basin water transfer links: A case study of the Inter-Linking of Rivers Project in India Pammi Nitin Sinha Department of Geography Durham University, UK A thesis submitted to fulfil the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy July 2017 An alternative approach to evaluating inter-basin water transfer links: A case study of the Inter-Linking of Rivers Project in India Pammi N Sinha Water managers face significant challenges in managing water supply and are constantly looking for new ways to meet demand. Inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) is a preferred solution, especially in developing countries such as India. Proponents have praised IBWT for its benefits but critics have raised several concerns, among which, concerns related to the IBWT decision-making process are fundamental. The proposed Inter-linking of Rivers project (ILR) in India has been extensively criticised for its decision-making process. This thesis evaluated the decision-making process of two ILR Projects in India, namely the Sankh-South Koel (S-SK) and South Koel- Subarnarekha (SK-Sr) ILR links, using data and tools available in the public domain. The research acquired a holistic and multi-disciplinary understanding of the catchments involved in the two ILR projects. The knowledge gained assisted in identifying key inputs, informing assumptions and explaining the research outcomes. Based on the best-practices in the IBWT field, the study developed an integrated appraisal of potential annual and seasonal surplus/deficit of water in the donor and recipient catchments of both links. Both ILR links and their catchments were simulated for their annual and seasonal performance assessments under a range of current and future water management scenarios. The simulation outputs were used to assess the risks in meeting water requirements by the catchments and the links. The ILR links were also assessed for their vulnerabilities in meeting the proposed water transfer amount. The research critiqued existing ILR plans and found that the ILR planners have over-estimated the water surplus in the donor catchments of both links and that the links will fail to meet their projected aspirations. The donor catchments themselves need efforts to ensure their current and foreseeable future water demand. The recipient catchments show no urgent need to import water from another basin currently or in the foreseeable future; although low water availability has been noted in them during the non-monsoon season which needs attention. Thus, the ILR planners are advised to reconsider their decisions and revisit their planning. An alternative approach to evaluating inter-basin water transfer links: a case study of the Inter-Linking of Rivers Project in India Ms. Pammi Nitin Sinha A thesis submitted to fulfil the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Geography Durham University, UK 2017 Table of Contents List of figures …………………..……………………………………………………………………………………..ix List of tables ………………..……………………………………………………………………………………….xv Abbreviation.……………………………….……………………..………………………….…………………….xxi Important terms.……………………………………………………….………………………………………..xxii Declaration and statement of copyright………………………………….………………………….xxiii Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………………..…………………….xxiv Chapter 1: Inter-basin water transfer .................................................... 1 1.1 The context of water transfer ........................................................................ 1 1.2 Inter-basin water transfer: management ...................................................... 2 1.3 The case of Inter-linking of Rivers (ILR) project in India ................................ 5 1.4 Research aim ................................................................................................ 10 1.5 Broad Description of the thesis ................................................................... 11 Chapter 2: Current understanding of Inter-basin water transfer ......... 13 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 13 2.2 Contextualising the research: understanding IBWT .................................... 13 2.2.1 IBWT: Lineage ....................................................................................... 13 2.2.2 IBWT: Benefits, concerns and criteria .................................................. 15 2.2.2.1 Benefits of IBWT ........................................................................... 16 2.2.2.2 Concerns around IBWT ................................................................. 18 2.2.3 Critiquing benefits and concerns: advice for IBWT .............................. 29 2.2.4 Criteria-sets for IBWT ........................................................................... 31 2.3 The case of Inter-linking of Rivers projects in India ..................................... 34 2.3.1 ILR: the Project overview ..................................................................... 34 i 2.3.1.1 Development history .................................................................... 34 2.3.1.2 Details ........................................................................................... 38 2.3.1.3 Elements of NWDA studies: a critique.......................................... 40 2.3.2 Debate around the ILR Project ............................................................. 43 2.3.2.1 The ILR: Projected benefits ........................................................... 43 2.3.2.2 The ILR: Current and projected concerns ..................................... 44 2.3.3 The ILR Projects: uncertainties and advice .......................................... 52 2.4 The ILR project and the global IBWT: major features, gaps and recommendations ........................................................................................ 54 2.5 The research rationale and style.................................................................. 58 2.6 Objectives of thesis ...................................................................................... 60 2.7 Summary ...................................................................................................... 62 Chapter 3: Details of methodological approach, data, model and the study area ………………………………………………………………………………………..63 3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 63 3.2 Methodological approach ............................................................................ 63 3.2.1 Use of publicly available data and tools .............................................. 64 3.2.2 Characterisation of the catchments ..................................................... 65 3.2.3 Integrated assessment of the water availability and its demand in the catchments ......................................................................................................... 66 3.2.4 Performance assessment of ILR links and its catchments ................... 66 3.2.5 Critiquing existing ILR plans and providing recommendations ........... 68 3.3 Datasets and tools ....................................................................................... 68 3.4 Study area: ILR links and their catchments .................................................. 76 3.4.1 The ILR links: detail from pre-feasibility reports .................................. 77 3.4.1.1 Sankh-South Koel (S-SK) ILR link ................................................... 78 ii 3.4.1.2 South Koel - Subarnarekha ILR link ............................................... 83 3.4.2 The catchments of the ILR links under study ....................................... 88 3.5 Summary ...................................................................................................... 91 Chapter 4: Characterisation of the catchments ................................... 93 4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................. 93 4.2 Materials and Methods ................................................................................ 93 4.2.1 The donor and recipient catchments ................................................... 93 4.2.2 Method ................................................................................................. 95 4.2.2.1 Landscape characterisation