Pabitra Gurung

Pabitra Gurung
The impacts of water infrastructure and climate change on the hydrology of the Upper Ganges river basin – A research report by IWMI
This study by International Water Management Institute (IWMI) assessed the variability of flows under present and ‘naturalized’ basin conditions in the Upper Ganges Basin. Posted on 18 Dec, 2011 07:03 PM

GangaThe Ganges river system originates in the Central Himalayas, and extends into the alluvial Gangetic Plains and drains into the Indian Ocean at the Bay of Bengal. In the upstream mountainous regions, hydropower is the main focus of development with mega and micro projects either under construction or being planned in both Nepal and India.

After the main river channel reaches the plains, it is highly regulated with dams, barrages and associated irrigation canals. All this infrastructure development and abstractions affects the river’s flow regime and reduces flows, which, in turn, impacts downstream water availability, water quality and riverine ecosystems. Furthermore, there are concerns that climate change is likely to exacerbate the water scarcity problem in the Ganges Basin. Therefore, modeling the hydrology of the basin is critical for estimation, planning and management of current and future water resources.

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