What is the news?

• The monsoon season in India this year brought about unprecedented changes, with Mumbai and New Delhi experiencing the onset of rains on the same day after a gap of 61 years.

” Floods are acts of God but flood losses are largely acts of man”

Central idea

• The events of heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding are occurring in various parts of India leading to significant loss of lives, damage to land, and financial losses. This highlighting the inadequacy of India’s hydro-infrastructure for effective flood management and calls for a shift in mindset towards conserving flood flows as a valuable resource

Floods in India: A recurring challenge

• Frequency: India experiences floods on a recurring basis, with at least one major flood event occurring each year. This indicates that floods are not isolated incidents but rather a consistent challenge.
• Loss of Lives: Floods in India lead to the loss of lives, with an average of 1,600 lives being lost annually, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. The loss of human lives highlights the severity and recurring nature of the flood challenge.
• Damage to Land: Floods affect a significant area of land in India, impacting approximately 75 lakh hectares. This demonstrates the recurrent impact of floods on agricultural land, leading to crop damage and agricultural losses.
• Financial Losses: Floods in India cause substantial financial losses, with damages estimated at Rs 1,805 crore. These losses encompass damages to crops, houses, and public utilities, further highlighting the recurring challenge and the need for effective management strategies.

Flood management measures

Structural Measures:

• Storage Reservoirs: These reservoirs are constructed to store excess water during high-flow periods and release it gradually, reducing flood peaks. They also serve as a water source for irrigation, electricity generation, and other purposes.
• Embankments: These structures, also known as levees, act as barriers to prevent floodwaters from encroaching on vulnerable areas such as agricultural lands, cities, and industries.
• Diversions: This measure involves redirecting excess water away from heavily populated or susceptible areas to less vulnerable regions, helping to minimize the impact of flooding.

Non-Structural Measures:

• Flood Forecasting and Warning Systems: These systems use data analysis, weather monitoring, and hydrological modeling to provide advance warnings about potential flood events. They enable timely evacuation of people and movable assets, reducing the risk to life and property.
• Flood Plain Zoning: This measure involves regulating the use of floodplains by restricting human activities and developments in flood-prone areas. By delineating zones based on flood risk, it helps minimize vulnerability and losses associated with floods.

How floods can be a valuable resource?

• Water Storage: Floods can serve as a valuable resource for water storage. By conserving and capturing floodwaters, the excess water can be stored in reservoirs or other storage facilities. This stored water can then be used for various purposes during dry periods, including irrigation, drinking water supply, and industrial needs.
• Drought Mitigation: Conserving flood flows can help mitigate the impact of droughts. By storing excess floodwaters, the saved water can be utilized to partially address water scarcity during drought periods, providing relief to agriculture, communities, and ecosystems that rely on water availability.
• Groundwater Recharge: Floods contribute to the replenishment of groundwater aquifers. The infiltration of floodwaters into the soil helps recharge underground water reserves, ensuring a sustained supply of groundwater for various uses even after the flood event subsides.
• Ecological Benefits: Floods support ecosystems and promote biodiversity. The article mentions that floods bring essential nutrients, sediments, and organic matter to wetlands and riverine habitats, which nourish the ecosystems and support diverse flora and fauna.
• Hydropower Generation: Controlled release of floodwaters can be harnessed for hydropower generation. By utilizing the energy of flowing water, floods can be a valuable resource for producing renewable energy through hydropower projects

Why India needs to upgrade its hydro-infrastructure?

• Inadequate Infrastructure: India’s hydro-infrastructure is currently inadequate for effective flood management. The existing infrastructure, such as storage reservoirs, embankments, and diversions, is not sufficient to address the challenges posed by floods.
• Insufficient Storage Space: The storage space created in major river basins, such as the Ganga and the Brahmaputra, is inadequate for the available flows. This indicates a need to enhance storage capacity to effectively manage floodwaters and maximize their utilization.
• Managing Variabilities: With changing rainfall patterns and intensities due to climate change, the variability of water flows in rivers will increase. Upgrading the hydro-infrastructure is seen as crucial to effectively manage these increasing variabilities and address the resulting challenges of floods and droughts.
• Conservation of Flood Flows: The potential value of conserving flood flows for drought mitigation. Upgrading the hydro-infrastructure would enable the conservation of unutilized flood flows, which can then be stored and utilized during dry periods to partially mitigate droughts.
• Water Security and Resilience: Upgrading the hydro-infrastructure is important for ensuring water security and resilience. It allows for improved water management, including storage, distribution, and utilization, which can reduce dependence on erratic monsoon patterns and enhance the country’s ability to cope with water-related challenges.
• Environmental Considerations: An upgraded hydro-infrastructure should incorporate environmental considerations. This includes preserving ecological flows, minimizing disruptions to ecosystems, and promoting sustainable water management practices.

Way forward: Towards comprehensive flood management

• Shift in Focus: Shifting attention and efforts from flood control to flood management. This involves adopting a comprehensive approach that encompasses structural and non-structural measures, as well as integrating environmental considerations.
• Upgrading Hydro-Infrastructure: Upgrading the existing hydro-infrastructure includes increasing storage capacity, improving embankments, and constructing new reservoirs. Upgrades should address the inadequacies of the current infrastructure and consider the potential for conserving flood flows.
• Conserving Flood Flows: By safely storing and utilizing excess floodwaters, damages caused by floods can be reduced, and the saved water can be utilized to partially mitigate droughts. This requires the development of storage facilities and infrastructure to capture and store floodwaters during high-flow periods.
• Integrated Approach: There is need for an integrated approach to flood management. This involves combining structural measures with non-structural measures such as flood forecasting, warning systems, and floodplain zoning. Integration should also consider environmental considerations and the preservation of ecological flows.
• Learning from International Experiences: Learning from international experiences in flood management. This includes evaluating the performance of flood control measures, studying integrated approaches, and understanding how other countries have balanced flood management objectives with environmental concerns.
• Community Engagement and Awareness: Raising awareness about flood risks, promoting community preparedness, and involving local communities in early warning systems and evacuation plans.
• Policy and Governance: There is need for robust policies and governance mechanisms to support comprehensive flood management. This includes incorporating climate change adaptation strategies, promoting multi-stakeholder collaboration, and ensuring environmental safeguards.
• Investment and Resource Allocation: Allocating adequate resources and funding for flood management initiatives. This involves securing financial support for infrastructure upgrades, research and development, capacity building, and community resilience programs.

Conclusion

• It is imperative for India to recognize flood flows as a valuable resource and implement measures that conserve water for subsequent use and water security. By adopting a comprehensive approach, upgrading hydro-infrastructure, and leveraging a mix of structural and non-structural measures, India can effectively mitigate the impacts of floods while ensuring sustainable water management for the future.

Also read:

The lesson from a monsoon-battered North India: Time to be prepared

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now

What is the news?

• Last weekend, parts of North India witnessed heavy rains that triggered flash floods and left a trail of destruction, tragically it resulted in at least 50 reported deaths. Himachal Pradesh was the worst affected. Several places in Haryana, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh reported record rainfall.

Central idea

• Last weekend, North India faced a calamity as torrential rains triggered flash floods and wreaked havoc across the region. Understanding the factors that led to this catastrophe is crucial in developing effective strategies to mitigate the impact of such extreme weather events in the future.

Fundamental characteristics of monsoon rainfall in the region

• Concentrated Timeframe: Monsoon rainfall in the region is not evenly distributed throughout the year. Instead, it occurs within a specific timeframe. All the seasonal rainfall (about 80-100 cm) falls within 130-150 hours, which is a relatively short period.
• Heavy Rain Contribution: The heavy rains play a significant role in contributing to the overall seasonal precipitation. Half of the seasonal rainfall (40-50 cm) occurs in only 30-40 hours.
• Runoff: When heavy rains occur, most of the rainwater drains away as runoff, particularly when the soil is already wet. This indicates that a substantial amount of rainfall does not get absorbed into the ground but flows off as surface runoff.

Factors attributed to the Heavy Downpour in north India

• Active Monsoon and Moisture Influx: An active monsoon season with strong winds in the lower air layers brought in moisture from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. These moisture-laden winds contributed to the heavy rainfall in the region.
• Atmospheric Forcing and Eastward Moving Troughs: Large-scale atmospheric forcing, in the form of outflows in the upper layers of the atmosphere, moved eastward through mid-latitude troughs. These troughs directed the flow of moisture towards the Himalayan region, exacerbating the intensity of the rainfall.
• Orographic Uplift and Steep Terrain: The steep terrain of the Himalayas, combined with orographic uplift, played a significant role in intensifying the precipitation. When air masses encounter the mountains, they are forced to rise, resulting in enhanced rainfall.
• Synoptic Conditions and Moisture Intrusion: The synoptic conditions during the period were conducive to heavy rainfall. The monsoon was active, with strong moist easterly winds entering the region. Additionally, there was moisture intrusion from the North Arabian Sea, further augmenting the rainfall.

Increasing Trend of Extreme Rainfall

• Tripled Number of Extreme Rainfall Events: Recent studies indicate that the number of extreme rainfall events, defined as rainfall exceeding 15 cm in 24 hours, has tripled in many parts of the country.
• Prolonged Duration of Rainstorms: The duration of rainstorms has also tripled, indicating that rainfall events are lasting longer, potentially leading to higher rainfall accumulation.
• Decreased Number of Rainy Days and Hours: The total number of rainy days and hours during the monsoon season has decreased. This means that when it does rain, it tends to be in the form of heavy downpours rather than spread out over more frequent but lighter rainfall events.
• Regional Variation: Central India has been particularly affected by the increasing trend of extreme rainfall events, with a significant rise in both frequency and intensity.
• Himalayan Region Prone to Extreme Rainfall: The Himalayan region, with its complex topography and varied weather patterns, is prone to extreme rainfall events. Studies indicate that 65 percent of areas in the region show a positive trend in the frequency of daily rainfall extremes.

Impact of Arctic Warming on Monsoon Climate

• Increased Frequency of Blocking Highs and Mid-latitude Troughs: Arctic warming has been observed to influence the monsoon climate through changes in mid-latitude circulation. As the Arctic warms and sea ice recedes, there is growing evidence of an increased frequency of blocking highs and deep mid-latitude troughs. These atmospheric patterns can affect weather systems and contribute to extreme rainfall events during the monsoon season.
• Influence on Circulation Patterns: Observations and models suggest that Arctic warming can alter circulation patterns, including the movement of air masses, pressure systems, and wind patterns. These changes can have cascading effects on the monsoon climate, including the transport of moisture and atmospheric conditions that contribute to heavy rainfall events.
• Impact on Monsoon Dynamics: The warming of the Arctic and subsequent changes in circulation patterns can affect the dynamics of the monsoon. This can lead to shifts in moisture inflow, atmospheric stability, and the timing and intensity of rainfall during the monsoon season.
• Potential for Future Changes: As Arctic warming continues; it is expected that the impacts on the monsoon climate will persist and potentially intensify. This suggests that the influence of Arctic warming on the monsoon may contribute to further changes in extreme precipitation patterns and associated impacts in the future.

Way forward: Mitigation Strategies for Flooding

• Robust Early Warning System: Implement a comprehensive early warning system that utilizes meteorological observations, including Doppler weather radar and high-resolution numerical weather prediction models. Advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning can aid in interpreting the data, enhancing the accuracy and timeliness of alerts.

• Continuous Monitoring and Flood Warning Systems: Continuously monitor rainfall patterns, river levels, and deploy an advanced flood warning system. This integrated approach allows for timely response and evacuation plans to safeguard vulnerable communities.
• Flood Risk Maps: Develop flood risk maps incorporating topography, historical flood data, and hydrological modeling. These maps can identify high-risk zones and guide targeted actions to enhance preparedness and resilience.
• Climate-Resilient Infrastructure: Improve and maintain climate-resilient infrastructure, including robust drainage systems and channels, to prevent waterlogging and minimize flood damage.
• Land Use Planning and Zoning Regulations: Implement effective land use planning and zoning regulations, designating flash flood-prone areas as non-residential or restricted zones to mitigate potential risks.
• Protection and Restoration of Natural Ecosystems: Prioritize the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems such as forests and wetlands. These natural buffers can absorb rainfall and reduce runoff, mitigating the intensity of floods.
• Public Awareness Campaigns: Conduct widespread awareness campaigns to educate individuals on flood response and preparedness. Encourage actions such as evacuation planning, first aid knowledge, and reliance on credible sources of information during emergencies

Conclusion

• Recognizing the escalating threat of extreme precipitation events and implementing proactive measures are pivotal in improving India’s resilience to climate-induced disasters. Building resilience is crucial to safeguarding vulnerable communities and ensuring a sustainable future for the nation.

Also read:

[Burning issue] Urban Floods in India

Get an IAS/IPS ranker as your 1: 1 personal mentor for UPSC 2024

Attend Now