Flood and Watershed Management: Dealing with Natural Disasters

(Building Resilience for Food and Nutrition Security)

Alok K SikkaDDG (NRM)

Indian Council of Agricultural Research

&

Technical Expert (Watershed Development),National Rainfed Area Authority,

Planning Commission, Government of IndiaNew Delhi

Natural Disaster OccurrenceEstimated economic damages (US$ X 1,000)

National Flood Commission (1980): 40 m ha Current Estimate (XII Plan): 49.814 m ha Annual average area and population affected due

to flood : 7.2 M ha and 3.19 million respectively. Brahmputra-Meghna, Ganga and Indus most

affected basins 39 districts chronically flood prone

Flood Affected Area Annually Average 7.2 M Ha Maximum 17.5 M Ha (1978) Minimum 1.096 M Ha (2006)

24%

19%

12%11%

6%5%

23%

Uttar pradesh BiharAssam West BengalOrissa Andhra PradeshOther States

source: prevention web.net

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Cattle lost Nos.Flood Damages 1953 - 2011 Maximum Average

Area affected (M ha) 17.50 (1978) 7.2

Crop affected (M ha) 12.29 (2005) 3.79

Damage to crops value (million $) 1217.9 (2003) 186.5

Cattle lost (Nos) 618248 (1979) 96593

Damage to public utilities (million $) 2918.2 (2009) 316.3

Total damaged (million $) (crop, cattle, public utilities) 5425.8 (2009) 602.0

Affecting Food & Nutritional Security

Major Flood Events in Recent Periods

1998 Assam has been suffering floods regularly since 1998.

2004 Bihar Flood

2005 Flooding in Maharshtra & Gujarat

2008 Kosi Flood in Bihar

2009 Flooding occurred across many parts of South India in Oct 2009

2010 The Leh floods occurred on 6 August 2010

2012 Brahmaputra Flood

2013 2013 North India floods in Uttarakhand0

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Damage to crops value, Million $Damage to crops area in, M ha

2008 Flood -Shifted Course of Kosi River after Breach Unlike earlier floods, in 2008 river changed its

path by several kilometres More than 2.5 lakh houses destroyed. Much higher submerged area (crops in 1.06 lakh

hectares were destroyed)

Sand casting in agricultural fieldat Bishanpur, Patharghat block

DAMAGE TO AGRICULTURE LANDS: Uttarakhand Flood

Asan river shifted to about 200 m at some places

Encroachment of riverine lands

Washing away agricultural field adjoining River and stream: Uttarakhand

Affected paddy fields (50 ha) Ganjam, Orissa

Submerged paddy field Kendrapara, Orissa

Submerged sugarcane field Kendrapara, Orissa

Flood Damages during Tropical Cyclone Phailin-2013-Orissa

Government’s Initiatives, Programs and Policies Policy Statement - 1954 High Level Committee On Floods – 1957 & Policy Statement of 1958 National Flood Commission (Rashtriya Barh Ayog) – 1980 Committee on flood management North- Eastern States- 1988 Committee on flood management Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, U. P.-1988 National Commission for Integrated Water Resource Development - 1999 Expert Committee to Review the Implementation of the RBA-2003 Committee to identify critical Anti-erosion scheme of Ganga Basin states – 2003 Task Force on flood Management /Erosion Control-2004 National Water Policy ( 1987/ 2002/2012)

Projects/Schemes: Centrally sponsored schemes for soil conservation/Watershed Management in

the catchments of River Valley Projects & Flood Prone Areas Critical flood control, river management, anti erosion, drainage development Flood Forecasting, flood plain zoning ISRO Disaster Management Support Program : Flood Hazard Zonation National Flood Risk Mitigation Projects- Mitigation or reduction in risk

Engineering/ Structural Measures Dams & Reservoirs Embankment Flood walls Channel Improvement River Diversion Anti Erosion Works

Non Structural Measures Flood Forecasting & Warning Flood Plain Zoning Flood Proofing

Catchment Area Treatment Watershed Management Channel Treatment

Present Status of Flood Management Activities87

275 9 4

18 9 151

020406080

100 COVERS MAJOR AND INTER STATE RIVER BASINS.

175 STATIONSINFLOW 28STAGE 147

National Guidelines on Disaster Management – Flood DisastersFlood risk and vulnerabilityEarly warning mechanismCatchment protection and river‐basin approach

Contingency crop planning for in-season and post flood period.District level Contingency Plans of 500 districts developed for floods,

drought, cyclone, etc.Flood management in flood planes: community nurseries of rice,

cultivation of submergence/flood tolerant rice varieties (eg. Swarna-sub 1), direct seeding of sprouted seeds of short duration rice cultivars,sowing of kharif pulses where rice cultivation is no more possible,promotion of raised and sunken bed techniques, tillage managementtechniquesSwamp taro Colocasia esculenta: Duration:10 months; Feb-Dec, water

chest nut, Gorgon nut, etc.

Crop Planning for Flood Prone Areas

Waterchestnut as flood resilient crop

Makhana(Euryale ferox Salisb)

RAINY SEASON : DEEP WATER

RICE (cv. Hangseswari)

Multiple use of water in seasonaly flooded areas

Grain yield 2.0-2.8 t/ha depending upon the time, depth and duration of flooding

Water productivity enhanced from nil to about Rs. 7.0 /m3

Post-monsoonMonsoon

3.5m

9.5 m9.5 m

3.5m

3.0 m

3.0 m

Dugout Area 1-1.5 m wide berm

in between bunds and trenches

Side Slope-1:1)

2.5 M

Pond based farming (Annual/Perennial)

Rice-fish

Secondary Reservoir for Multiple us Fishery, Irrigation, Horticultre/Vegetable, duck

Fish Trenches – cum- Raised beds

Duck

Fish Hatchery

28.0 29.7

81.0

132.6

93.6

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Multiple use based IFS in Waterlogged areas

Vermi Compost

Coping strategies in Phallin affected Areas

In paddy, staking for the lodged crop & applicationof urea (25 kg) & MOP (10-15 kg) after drainage

Spray of streptocycline @ 0.1 g/l for protectionagainst the incidence of bacterial leaf blight.

Promotion of submergence tolerant varieties ofpaddy in next season

In sugarcane, drainage of excess water andpropping of plants followed by a booster applicationof fertilizer.

In coconut, application of COC 3g/l in afterclearing the broken/drooped leaves for young treeswhile fresh planting in place of uprooted oldertrees.

In banana, lodged plants be removed leavinggood suckers.

Earthing up and staking of affected plantationcrops and application of nutrients to minimize lossin productivity.

Integrated watershed management focused on natural, animal and social resources hasemerged as a powerful concept in development planning-a major program of agricultureand rural development

Has multiple objectives with multiple functions, with silt reduction and flood riskreduction as one of the objectives.

In the RVPs and catchment of flood prone rivers, it has helped in reducing peak runofffrom 46.6 to 1.6% and sediment production rate in the range of 17-94%.

Integrated Watershed Management

Example of Sahastradhara - Watershed Area: 64 ha(slope stabilization measures, diversion drains, contour trenches, crib structures,retaining walls, bench terracing, geo textiles, live check dams, gabion check dams andspurs)Debris outflow was brought down to 6 t/ha, as against 550t/haMonsoon runoff, reduced from 57 to 37%.Flood peaks got attenuated and ground water recharge increased

Treated WatershedUntreated watershed in the vicinity of Sahastradhara 12

Key Lessons Emphasis on non-structural measures in conjunction with structural

measures Importance of integrated flood management with coordinated

planning and development of land, water and other related resourcesin the basin.

Integrated watershed management in catchment areas to reduce silt,attenuate flood peaks and enhance pereniallity of flow down-stream.

Disaster preparedness and time bound Contingency planning. Emphasis on crop/agriculture contingency plans. More investments for better flood forecasting and timely action,

flood insurance, diversion of flood water and repair ofembankments.

Broaden flood management strategy including rehabilitation oftraditional drainage systems and productive use of flood waters.

Involving and empowering local community based institutions.

National Disaster Management Structure

Central Government Mechanism Central Water Commission (CWC) Brahmaputra Board Ganga Flood Control Commission National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

State Level Mechanism Water Resources DepartmentsFlood Control Board State Disaster Management Authority

Challenges:• Addressing climate variability and climate change• Upstream –downstream implications• Preserving ecosystems• Trans-boundary and interstate sources of risk• Coordination and converge: a major challenge

Opportunities:• Productive use of flood water /low lying areas• Breeding of submergence tolerant deep water rice varieties and aquatic

crops,• Intra-basin and Inter-basin water transfer /river linking• Diversion of flood water for groundwater recharge• Using advances in modeling and geo-informatics

Challenges and Opportunities

Areas of improvements & cooperation• Approach to ‘reducing risk at source’ rather than on ‘end‐of‐ pipe’ mitigation• Sharing of knowledge and experience and data products• Regional cooperation in trans‐boundary & interstate context• Scientific basis of understanding /academic research

Reflections & Way Forward

Combination of large, medium and small storage options Emphasis on information management, and strengthening of flood forecasting &

early warning systems using satellite based information with hydraulic and hydrologic models

Integrated flood management plans with greater focus on non-structural options Paradigm shift to emphasize on rehabilitation of natural drainage systems and water

bodies in participatory approach for improved carrying capacity. Transform adversity into opportunity by productive use of flood waters/flood prone

low lying areas adopting multiple flood water use based integrated farming systems. Development of tool kits for Community Based Disaster Risk Management

(CBDRM) Guidelines on Agriculture Disaster Management for Floods including Best Practices. Promote more use of groundwater in flood plain areas and allow flood water for

groundwater recharge Regional Dialogues for enhanced cooperation for flood risk reduction River Basin Authorities/Organizations for integrated planning and management.