Andhra Pradesh

The study has been conducted to develop a data simulation model and irrigation schedules for the eastern Godavari delta irrigation system, Andhra Pradesh. It aims at analysis of various factors that influence the irrigation operations and development of appropriate mathematical models and associated computer programs.

The study attempts to undertake surface modeling to simulate the water levels in the mouth portion of Vasishta-Godavari by taking the tidal effect during a flood season, by using the Finite Element Surface Water Modeling System (FESMWS) developed by United States Geological Survey (USGS) to model the reach. The objective is to simulate the surface water flow for a flood discharge of 2.35 lakh cusecs, under the effect of diurnal tide at the bay end.

The surface water levels of a river, especially at the mouth are required for planning and managing flood alleviation schemes and river engineering works. In the lower reaches of many rivers, flood plain inundation may result from very high tide or a very high flood or a combination of both. Also the extent of landward intrusion of saline water into a river at mouth varies with the relative strength of freshwater discharge and the co-oscillating tidal flow resulting from the dynamical interaction of the adjacent coastal waters.

The study was taken up as a part of the representative basin studies being done by NIH and involved hydrological land use & land cover mapping for the Suddagedda basin of Andhra Pradesh. Mapping was carried out through visual interpretation for the years December 1987, April 1989, December 1992 and November 1996 using IRS IB-LISS II, LANDSAT 5-TM and IRS IC-LISS III data.

Land use and land cover are the most important surface characteristics of a basin. They are very dynamic features over space and time and it is difficult to get real time information on them through conventional means. Planners need to update knowledge of natural resources, which can be obtained quickly, economically and accurately through remote sensing techniques. Further, the land use map of a basin or region provides hydrologically significant categories, which are essential for estimation of reliable runoff from ungauged basins.

The study undertakes hydrological soil classification of Suddagedda basin of Andhra Pradesh based on field and laboratory experiments on the soil samples. The hydrologic soil properties of an area are essential to accurately estimate the runoff generated due to storm in the area. The main soil parameters generally considered for analysis are soil texture, soil structure, infiltration rate and hydraulic conductivity.

The study applies a simple five-parameter model based on the concept of probability distributed method as proposed by Moore (1985) to simulate the daily runoff over a nine-year period of 1989-1997 at Tamavaram in Prakasham district of Andhra Pradesh on the Gundlakamma river.

The study presents the spatial analysis of groundwater levels and its quality for the year 1998 for Kakinada town in coastal Andhra Pradesh. The Deltaic Regional Centre of NIH has been monitoring groundwater levels and its quality in and around Kakinada town since 1994. Groundwater samples have been analyzed for physical and chemical parameters. The variation in each parameter is discussed in the report.

A total of 164 samples were collected from 41 observation wells during the months of February, May, August and November 1998. The area covered by these observation wells is around 82 sqkms. The groundwater table contours were plotted for pre-monsoon (May 98) and post monsoon (November 98) periods and the approximate flow direction had been demarcated.

This field report describes the work of WaterHealth India (WHI), in organising safe drinking water using low-cost water purification units, in several villages of Andhra Pradesh. The work was taken up with financial support from IFMR Trust.

Vinjinampadu village in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, is one of the villages where WHI worked to establish the unit. The village had lacked potable water supply, because of which its people suffered from a range of water-borne diseases. The situation was similar in many of the other villages in which WHI initiated this work.

Organizers:

• South Against Genetic Engineering
• Bangalore Film Society
• Era Organics
• ICRA
• Pristine Organics
• Bhoomi Network
• Green Foundation
• Svaraj

Venue: Ashirvad, No. 30 St. Mark's Road Cross, Opp. State Bank of India, Bangalore 560 001

The presentation deals with Mahindra and Mahindra’s (M&M) work on optimal utilization of groundwater resources in its vehicle manufacturing plant at Zaheerabad, Andhra Pradesh. M&M had taken help from ICRISAT and Groundwater Department of GoAP to study the hydro-geology and topography of the estate and prepare ground water maps.

A time bound master plan of water augmentation was worked out to undertake activities like rainwater harvesting pits, new locations for borewells/ openwells/ percolation tanks, planting of less water intensive trees, re-usage and re-cycling of wastewater, rainwater channels to recharge the under ground water reservoirs and installation of drip irrigation.

This study explores possibilities of local energy and groundwater management in Andhra Pradesh with the involvement of farmers for constructive contribution in improving the field situation in electricity supply and groundwater management.

Ground water pumping using electricity is a complex issue, leaving all actors - the farmers, distribution company, State government and environment conscious analysts - frustrated and dissatisfied. Farmers are frustrated with the poor quality of electricity supply, distribution companies with the low revenue, State government with the high levels of subsidy and the environmentalists with inefficient water use resulting in falling water tables. Level of mistrust between actors is also quite high. The process of evolving a sustainable solution is not clear.

In this context, this study by Prayas Energy Group and Centre for World Solidarity (CWS), explores:

• Grassroot and state-level insights, regarding electricity use and water management in agriculture
• Developing a simple methodology in consultation with farmers for collecting baseline field data and analyzing it towards improving the efficiency in a strategic way 
• Possible areas of intervention in future