Climate Change & River Basin Management

Deepening Crisis in Riparian Drinking Water: Can IFBRM stall it?

Pranab R Choudhury

Context ‘Pani bihune sarbanasa; Pani bahule sarbanasa’ “Water, in excess or in absence leads to mass destruction” Climate Change poise towards the Both! Among all the Waters, Drinking Water seems to be more threatened

‘Mitha Pani’ Has already become Major Election Issue in Rajasthan Among all communities, Riparian Communities seem to be more Vulnerable (with their dependence on surface flows & shallow aquifers)

Organization of Presentation


Riparian Drinking Water Crisis   




Ongoing changes Climate Change threats Riparian Vulnerability Contexts

Adaptation Strategies  

Scientific Adaptation Strategies IFBRM as strategy



Strength of Approach Situational Advantage

Riparian Water Crisis


Ongoing changes in quality & quantity  




Climate Change threats 




Seasonal Flow variations & water availability Pollution from Mining, Industrialization, Urbanization Significant changes to stream-flows, water quality, groundwater recharge and discharge, increased water temperatures

Competition, conflicts & vulnerability Contexts 

Who are going to suffer more in Upper, middle and lower catchments

Ongoing Changes

Orissa’s Water Endowments  Storage fresh water resource is 175 BCM  Mahanadi, Brahmani–Baitarani basin are estimated as surplus basin in terms of water and food ( Cluster 5 of IWMI River basin clusters )  Replenishable GW resources is 20 BCM/Yr  84% of villages have GW at less than 10m depth & 97% within 15m (MI Census, 2001)

Ongoing Concerns : Quantity














Dwindling Environmental flow in rivers in Summer Water sources drying up in summer across riparian belt Mine blasts drying tube wells in upper catchments More frequent and high intensity floods during monsoon Competition from agriculture use – deepening wells

Hirakud Reservoi r

Rengali Reservoir

Baitarani

Brahmani

Mahanadi

Bay of Bengal

Ongoing Concerns : Quality


Orissa stands 4th in India in terms of water pollution load (Pandey and Ghosh, 2002)




‘C’ Class water in Mahanadi, Brahmani and Baitarani ( OPCB, 2006)




Branded as highly polluted (MoEF) & brought under NRCP




Direct discharge of effluents by Industries and urban bodies




Community waste (domestic sector) about 4-times the industrial effluent




Less voluminous flow in rivers like Baitarani constrains dilution effect




Elementary enrichments in downstream of the Baitarani (Konhauser et al , 1997)




Very high concentration of Cr (VI) in seepage water; Range of hexa -valent chromium between 0.05 to 1.12 ppm (permissible limit 0.05ppm). Cr+6 also detected during the analysis of sediment samples collected from river mouth, more than 100 Km from mines (Samantroy et al,1998 & Tiwary et al, 2005)




Deltaic river water show higher concentration of TC, FC and higher values for EC, nitrite and also Cr (VI) (CPCB, 2004)




Metal pollution from mine waste C – Class : Drinking water source with conventional treatment followed by disinfection)

Industrialization Impacts! Key negative impacts of the energy-intensive, industrial development unleashed by massive exploitation of coal and other mineral resources are 

Rising in Pollution




Dead rivers carry toxic effluent through villages where people still rely on the blackened rivers for bathing, drinking and washing their clothes.

Destruction of subsistence communities


Called "an industrial drain", the Nandira tributary, which feeds into the Brahmani River, once life-sustaining river, is dead. The black water is poisoning and slowly killing people, animals, fish and plants as far away as 50 miles downstream.

http://www.islandnet.com/plethora/mai/orissa.html

Water Quality in the Baitarani 85°30'

86°0'

85°45'

86°15'

86°30'

86°45'

87° 0'

22° 15'

JHARKHAND IR A NG KO

¤ Joda

22° 0'

N.

22° 0'

Champua Raruan

SUNDARGARH MO HA LD AN .

21° 45' Lahunipada

REFERENCES :

Bangirposhi

MAYURBHANJ

Jhumpura

Average Trends from 1988- 2005

Jashipur

Sukruli

Koira

BAITARANI BASINE MAP SHOWING WATER QUALITY MONITERING STATIONS

Karanjia

21° 45'

Samakhunta Saharapada

STATE BOUNDARY

:

DISTRICT BOUNDARY

:

BASIN BOUNDARY

:

BLOCK BOUNDARY

:

RIVER & NALA

:

BLOCKS ALONG RIVER

:

SURFACE WATER STATION

:

Keonjhargarh Banspal

Pal Laharha

Patana Thakurmunda

21° 30'

21° 30'

KEONJHAR Ghatgan

Anandapur

BALASORE

I ARAN

JAJPUR

Korai R.

KH AR SU AN

R.

10

0

10

Dhamnagar

¤

Bari

20 Kms

85°30'

21° 0'

BHADRAK

Binjharpur

Total Coliform

Chandbali

Dasrathpur

BAITA RA

¤

NI R.

Raj Kanika Aul

SCALE

85°15'

Basudebpur Tihidi

Bhandari pokhari

JAJPUR

20° 45'

Simulia Bhadrak

A RH

KAMAKHYANAGAR

Bonta RIV ER

¤

DHAMARA RIVER

ER

BAIT

Dhangadi Sukinda

DHENKANAL

21° 0'

21° 15'

Khaira

Hatadihi

9000 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0

Conductivity

20° 45'

RIV

¤ Ghasipura

Telkoi

BR AH MA NI

Harichandanpur

21° 15'

WA T E R Q U A L IT Y T R E N D –L A ST 5 Y E A R S.

Kaptipada

BU

PAL-LAHARHA

¤

19 88 19 89 19 90 19 91 19 92 19 93 19 94 19 95 19 96 19 97 19 98 19 99 20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05

85° 15'

KENDRAPARA 85°45'

86°0'

86° 15'

86° 30'

86°45'

87° 0'

Average Trends from 1988- 2005

Average Trends from 1988- 2005 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0

12 10 8 6 4 2

19 88 19 89 19 90 19 91 19 92 19 93 19 94 19 95 19 96 19 97 19 98 19 99 20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05

19 88 19 89 19 90 19 91 19 92 19 93 19 94 19 95 19 96 19 97 19 98 19 99 20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05

0

Sulphate

pH

DO

BOD

Calcium

Magnesium

Total Hardness

Riparian Sufferings


Constant degradation in water

85°15'

85°30'

86°0'

85°45'

quality (C to D Class)


Increasing trend in direct effluent

86°30'

86°45'

87°0'

. AN GIR KON

22° 0'

Joda

22° 15'

22° 0'

Champua Raruan

SUNDARGARH

Bangirposhi

MAYURBHANJ

Jhumpura MO HA LD AN .

21° 45' Lahunipada

Jashipur

Sukruli

Koira

discharge from mines, industry and

86°15'

JHARKHAND

Karanjia

21° 45'

Samakhunta Saharapada

urban and rural habitations

Keonjhargarh Banspal

Pal Laharha

Patana Thakurmunda

Ghatgan

PAL-LAHARHA

inhibiting natural dilution

Harichandanpur

21° 15'

Anandapur

JAJPUR

Korai KH AR SU AN R.

10

0

10

20 Kms

Basudebpur Tihidi

Dhamnagar JAJPUR

20° 45'

Simulia Bhadrak

Bhandari pokhari

upon surface flow for drinking water

water directly (Census, 2001)

Bonta

RIV ER

DHENKANAL

KAMAKHYANAGAR

and one fourth of them on river

BALASORE

Hatadihi Dhangadi Sukinda

21° 0'

21° 15'

Khaira

Ghasipura

Telkoi

About 40% population of 2000 villages in 16 riparian blocks depend

Kaptipada

NI ARA BAIT




21° 30'

Bari

Chandbali

Dasrathpur Binjharpur

BAIT ARA NI R.

DHAMARA RIVER

Raj Kanika Aul

KENDRAPARA 85°15'

85°30'

85°45'

86°0'

86° 15'

86°30'

21° 0'

BHADRAK

BR AH MA NI RIV ER

Less voluminous flow in the river

KEONJHAR

. AR RH BU




21° 30'

86°45'

87°0'

20° 45'

Threats Overwhelm


Anthropogenic contribution of nutrients is responsible for lowering DO and pH level in the Mahanadi. Different magnitudes of BOD loading w.r.t total nitrogen and phosphorus demonstrates the intensity of organic pollution - Panda et al (2006) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V6C4KJ756X3&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion =0&_userid=10&md5=75ba913ff4566386bd7691d9bf543432




Sukinda Valley is now among world’s 10 most polluted areas in the World. Approx 70% of the surface water and 60% of the drinking water contains hexa-valent chromium at more than double national and international standards (levels of over 20 times have been recorded) Blacksmith Institute (2007) http://www.worldproutassembly.org/archives/2007/09/orissas_mines_v.html







“Drinking water is bad. When we bathe the skin itches. When we drink water we get sores in our mouth. It is difficult to breathe. Hair begins to fall. We get sores in our throat. The body itches at night.” - A tribal in Mukta Chhatrapur OPCB confirms pollution of Vamshadhara by Vedanta’s refinery http://www.hiidunia.org/2008/08/orissas-ancient-tribes-look-likely-to.html

Upcoming Changes

Climate Change Predictions WB-RMSI Study : Mahanadi Basin






Will be wetter and warmer More rain during winter/pre-monsoon Increase in Min Temp is more than Max Temp Surface water availability will be more More floods are expected

Scenario

Annual Rainfall

Max Temp

Min Temp

A2

23%

3.8

4.2

B2

20%

2.4

2.9

Also Global Sweat Gland Concern http://www.teriin.org/events/docs/wb_confer/73v_national.pdf

Run off

A2

B2

Following Mahanadi flows


Surface air temperature has increased @ of 1.1 C° per century with slight decrease in precipitation. River flows has gradually decreased (1926-1980) – PG Rao (1995) http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=2967171




Highest increase in precipitation, water yield and ET predicted in the Mahanadi among 12 Indian rivers. Flooding situation in Mahanadi and Brahmani will deteriorate - Dr Gosain (2003)




Modelling results indicates highest increase in peak runoff (38%) in the Mahanadi outlet during September (2075-2100) and the maximum decrease in average runoff (32—5%) in April (2050-2075). Indication of progressively increasing intensities of flood in September and drought in April over the considered years - Ashokan & Dutta (2006) http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/117884507/abstract?




Reduction in occurrence of extreme high flow events in future may be due to the effect of high surface warming -

Muzumdar & Ghosh (2007)

http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2008/2007WR006137.shtml http://ponnvandu.wordpress.com/category/mahanadi/

Upcoming threat : Quality


Salinity & Sea water intrusion 

Coastal pregnancy to get affected by drinking salty water, thus affecting pregnant women and their unborn children -

IPCC (2008)

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/File_Climate_change_to_hit_coastal_pregnancies/art icleshow/2918986.cms



5.39 lakh hectares of the coastal alluvial tract is beset with salinity hazard in Orissa. From Chandeneswar in Balasore district in the north east and extends up to Brahmagiri in Puri district in the south west

Riparian Drinking Water Future











Reduced water quality & quantity – surface & GW Increased frequency of drying up of shallow wells in rural areas Increased water treatment costs & health expenditure Increased vulnerability of the poor and marginalized

Threats to Food Security Access to potable drinking water is a key determinant of food security - absorption
2.17 lakh rural habitation affected by poor water quality




fluoride affected 31,306 villages, salinity affected 23,495, iron affected 118,088, arsenic affected 5,029, nitrate affected 13,958 and multiple factors affected 25,092

Enhanced Competitions & Conflicts


Quality conflict 




Watershed Externalities 




Deepening wells – poor suffers

Upstream Vs Downstream 




Industrial and agricultural pollution

Open defecation and water quality

Urban Vs Rural water supply

Vulnerability Contexts & Water divides


The tribal poor in Upper catchments   




Deltaic (lower catchment) poor & marginal communities   




Victim of floods – water access Reliance on surface flows Victims of drying/pollution of shallow aquifer

Rural Communities Vs Urban  




Tribal link to Forest-Mining-Hydro-Industrialization – Alienation & marginalization Threat of access – topographical limitations Threat of quality

Physical access - distance Insurance mechanism

Caste & Socio-economic divide

Adaptation Strategies

Present Adaptation Strategies Tapping sources – surface flows & GW
Source protection & sustainability
Catchment Protection e.g. Shimla
Run off management & Recharge - WDP
Water treatment and purification
Water testing tool kits & Awareness measures
Decentralization


Seem to be inadequately prepared for CC situations

Basin Approach






Drinking water not in isolation of others – beyond sectoral water divides Looking Water in entirety - as an ecosystem resource – integrating NR and interactions Looking beyond the users and abusers -at Human influences and interactions Connecting waters, resources, users and interactions Integrating riverscape, landscape and humanscape along a logical natural water boundary at an optimal scale

IFBRM Platform


Inclusive  




Pro-active 






Business usual to business unusual Local/traditional strengths

Information-based  




Planning for future & not only reactive

Innovative 




Water to NR to Policy & Structures to Livelihoods Institutions – Multistakeholders & multi-sectoral

Bridging information divide Enabling informed choices

Democratic

Civil Society Role in IFBRM









Cross-thematic Basin Resources Appraisal to understand resources, management/ governance patterns and interactions/ connectedness Enhancing basin literacy, informed choices and options Basin stakeholder dialogues/consultation – intra and inter consultations among users/abusers, influencers, competitors, decision makers Developing and sustaining Inclusive Basin governance structure

Situational Strength Available and emerging information base
Increasing belief in integration and convergence
Focus on participation and community
Growing capability of CSO
Enhanced space for innovations
Resource limitations not a problem


Thanks!