Floods in Brahmaputra and Barak River Systems-Management of Water Resources (Important)

Government constituted a high-level committee for proper management of the water resources in the North Eastern Region (NER) under the Chairmanship of Vice-Chairman, Niti Aayog. The Brahmaputra and Barak river systems account for one-third of India՚s run off, are highly prone to floods.

Barak River Systems

Prime Minister visit to Guwahati in August this year to review the flood situation and relief work in the North Eastern States exposed the poor water management.

Floods in Brahmaputra

Causes of Floods in Brahmaputra and Barak River Systems

Brahmaputra is one of the largest river systems in the world causing considerable distress through frequent flooding and erosion. The flood problem in Brahmaputra and Barak valleys has three main facets:

  • Inundation of the riverine areas due to spilling of banks by the main river and by tributaries.
  • Drainage congestion specially at the outfalls of tributaries during high stages of rivers
  • Bank erosion and channel instability due to excessive sediments.
Brahmaputra and Barak River Systems

Cases of Floods in Brahmaputra and Barak River Systems

There are three cases when floods arise:

  • The Brahmaputra and tributaries flowing high during monsoon months spill the banks causing floods.
  • River Brahmaputra is in high stage and the tributaries are flowing within the bank, drainage congestion at the outfall causes flood.
  • Main River and the tributaries are all in spate simultaneously, the situation becomes most critical due to inundation of 30 to 40% of land susceptible to flood damage.

Flood Statistics in Brahmaputra and Barak River Systems

  • The Brahmaputra valley in Assam only accounts for 95% of total flood prone area of North Eastern region and 9.5% of the country՚s total.
  • Heavy rainfall during monsoon aggravates flooding of countryside agricultural land due to submergence and at times habituating places.
  • The early period (April and May) rainfall is absorbed by moist free soil causing less flood.
  • Rainfall from June to October ranging from 1500 mm to 1750 mm causes river flowing in high stages with floods.
  • Floods in the river basin are caused by rainstorms associated with low-pressure system like marked low, cyclones or tropical cyclones.
  • Tropical cyclones and depression in Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea moving across the Indian sub-continent guide succession over Brahmaputra basin leading to severe floods.
  • Cyclonic circulation during monsoon can also cause major floods inundating a large area.

Harms of Floods

  • Apart from the damage to the property and live, people in the riverine area are unable to harvest their crops and cultivate the seasonal crops.
  • As much as 70% of the flood loss in Assam is in agriculture sector.
  • Drainage congestion aggravates the situation by submerging the low-lying areas even suitable for cropping due to heavy rainfall in the valley.

Need for Committee

It was found that optimum management of water resources was a crosscutting task requiring multi-sectoral interventions and concerted strategy, including management of catchment areas in upper reaches involving concerned Central Ministries and State Governments.

Objectives of Committee

The Committee would facilitate optimizing benefits of appropriate water management in the form of:

  • Hydroelectric power
  • Agriculture
  • Bio-diversity conservation
  • Reduced flood damage erosion
  • Inland water transport
  • Forestry
  • Fishery
  • Eco-tourism

Terms of Reference of the Committee

  • Appraisal of existing mechanism and institutional arrangements for management of water resources of the North Eastern Region.
  • Identification of gaps in the existing mechanism and institutional arrangements for optimal management of water resources of the NER.
  • Suggest policy interventions required for optimally harnessing the water resources for accelerating development in the NER
  • Spelling out of actionable measures required for optimizing the management of water resources in the Northeast.
  • Chalking out a Plan of Action for dovetailing of the schemes and programmes of concerned Union Ministries, their attached offices and autonomous bodies as well as the schemes of the respective North-Eastern State Governments.

Constitution of Committee

The Committee includes

  • Secretaries from the Ministries of:
    • Development of North Eastern Region
    • Department of Border Management
    • Department of Space, Power, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation
    • National Disaster Management Authority
  • Chief Secretaries of all the 8 states in NER as members
  • Co-opt or invite as special invitees secretaries of other ministries and departments as well as experts with domain knowledge

Examrace Team at Aug 21, 2021