Ten Fundamental Questions for Water Resources Development in the Ganges : Myths and Realities
This paper summarizes the results of the Ganges Strategic Basin Assessment (SBA), a 3-year, multi-disciplinary effort undertaken by a World Bank team in cooperation with several leading regional research institutions in South Asia. It begins to fil...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English en_US |
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IWA Publishing
2016
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/03/26048535/ten-fundamental-questions-water-resources-development-ganges-myths-realities http://hdl.handle.net/10986/24120 |
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okr-10986-24120 |
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oai_dc |
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Digital Repository |
| institution_category |
Foreign Institution |
| institution |
Digital Repositories |
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World Bank Open Knowledge Repository |
| collection |
World Bank |
| language |
English en_US |
| topic |
FLOODING WATER QUALITY UPSTREAM DAMS SURFACE WATER SYSTEM GROUNDWATER STORAGE FLOOD PLAIN FLOW BASIN BOUNDARIES RIVER BEDS FLOOD CONTROL BENEFITS SNOW DAMS SEDIMENT BUILD DOWNSTREAM IRRIGATION FLOOD WATERS ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS HYDROLOGY AQUIFER WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS SURFACE WATER FLOOD MANAGEMENT FLOOD PROTECTION EMBANKMENT FAILURE DAM CONSTRUCTION GROUNDWATER AQUIFERS FLOOD PEAK ASSET MANAGEMENT RIVER COMMISSION PEAK FLOWS WATER RESOURCES WATER SYSTEM WATER STORAGE STREAM BASIN STATES SALINE INTRUSION WATER MANAGEMENT LARGE DAMS RIPARIAN COUNTRIES RIVER SYSTEM BASINS FLOODS WATER BASIN COMMUNITIES WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT RAINFALL DRAINAGE RIVER BED GLACIERS TRIBUTARIES AQUIFERS IRRIGATION WATER IRRIGATORS RUNOFF ANNUAL RAINFALL COASTAL AREAS LARGE-SCALE INFRASTRUCTURE BASIN PLANS EMBANKMENTS ANNUAL AVERAGE FLOW BASIN LEAKAGE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT STORAGE CAPACITY WATER TRANSFER RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT HYDROPOWER POTENTIAL BASIN DEVELOPMENT GROUNDWATER USE CLIMATE CHANGE RIVER CHANNEL DROUGHT HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT WATER USES FRESHWATER RIVER BASIN BASIN MANAGEMENT MAIN RIVER WATER POLICY INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT OPERATION OF DAMS HYDROPOWER SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT BASIN COMMITTEES DECISION MAKING RIVERS ANNUAL FLOW WATER RESOURCES PLANNING SURFACE WATER IRRIGATION CLIMATE CHANGES WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT SURFACE WATER FOR IRRIGATION LOW FLOWS DOWNSTREAM ECOSYSTEMS FLOWS FOR IRRIGATION DAM INTERNATIONAL RIVERS WATER AVAILABILITY MAJOR RIVERS FLOW AUGMENTATION MAIN RIVER SYSTEM RIVER BASIN ORGANIZATION FLOOD PLAINS ENGINEERING IRRIGATION WATERSHED RIVER FLOWS DOWNSTREAM AGRICULTURE GROUNDWATER METERS REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT BASIN SCALE FLOOD CONTROL HYDROPOWER GENERATION AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY RIVER SYSTEMS WATER INFRASTRUCTURE BASIN ORGANIZATION DOWNSTREAM COUNTRIES GROUNDWATER RESOURCES NEW DAMS GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT EVAPORATION WATERS UPSTREAM DAM BASIN COUNTRIES UPSTREAM STORAGE SURFACE WATER STORAGE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS RIPARIAN AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL TRIBUTARY EMBANKMENT HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES REMOTE SENSING RIVER |
| spellingShingle |
FLOODING WATER QUALITY UPSTREAM DAMS SURFACE WATER SYSTEM GROUNDWATER STORAGE FLOOD PLAIN FLOW BASIN BOUNDARIES RIVER BEDS FLOOD CONTROL BENEFITS SNOW DAMS SEDIMENT BUILD DOWNSTREAM IRRIGATION FLOOD WATERS ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS HYDROLOGY AQUIFER WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS SURFACE WATER FLOOD MANAGEMENT FLOOD PROTECTION EMBANKMENT FAILURE DAM CONSTRUCTION GROUNDWATER AQUIFERS FLOOD PEAK ASSET MANAGEMENT RIVER COMMISSION PEAK FLOWS WATER RESOURCES WATER SYSTEM WATER STORAGE STREAM BASIN STATES SALINE INTRUSION WATER MANAGEMENT LARGE DAMS RIPARIAN COUNTRIES RIVER SYSTEM BASINS FLOODS WATER BASIN COMMUNITIES WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT RAINFALL DRAINAGE RIVER BED GLACIERS TRIBUTARIES AQUIFERS IRRIGATION WATER IRRIGATORS RUNOFF ANNUAL RAINFALL COASTAL AREAS LARGE-SCALE INFRASTRUCTURE BASIN PLANS EMBANKMENTS ANNUAL AVERAGE FLOW BASIN LEAKAGE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT STORAGE CAPACITY WATER TRANSFER RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT HYDROPOWER POTENTIAL BASIN DEVELOPMENT GROUNDWATER USE CLIMATE CHANGE RIVER CHANNEL DROUGHT HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT WATER USES FRESHWATER RIVER BASIN BASIN MANAGEMENT MAIN RIVER WATER POLICY INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT OPERATION OF DAMS HYDROPOWER SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT BASIN COMMITTEES DECISION MAKING RIVERS ANNUAL FLOW WATER RESOURCES PLANNING SURFACE WATER IRRIGATION CLIMATE CHANGES WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT SURFACE WATER FOR IRRIGATION LOW FLOWS DOWNSTREAM ECOSYSTEMS FLOWS FOR IRRIGATION DAM INTERNATIONAL RIVERS WATER AVAILABILITY MAJOR RIVERS FLOW AUGMENTATION MAIN RIVER SYSTEM RIVER BASIN ORGANIZATION FLOOD PLAINS ENGINEERING IRRIGATION WATERSHED RIVER FLOWS DOWNSTREAM AGRICULTURE GROUNDWATER METERS REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT BASIN SCALE FLOOD CONTROL HYDROPOWER GENERATION AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY RIVER SYSTEMS WATER INFRASTRUCTURE BASIN ORGANIZATION DOWNSTREAM COUNTRIES GROUNDWATER RESOURCES NEW DAMS GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT EVAPORATION WATERS UPSTREAM DAM BASIN COUNTRIES UPSTREAM STORAGE SURFACE WATER STORAGE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS RIPARIAN AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL TRIBUTARY EMBANKMENT HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES REMOTE SENSING RIVER Sadoff, Claudia Harshadeep, Nagaraja Rao Blackmore, Donald J. Wu, Xun O'Donnell, Anna Jeuland, Marc Lee, Sylvia Whittington, Dale Ten Fundamental Questions for Water Resources Development in the Ganges : Myths and Realities |
| geographic_facet |
South Asia South Asia Bangladesh India Nepal |
| description |
This paper summarizes the results of the
Ganges Strategic Basin Assessment (SBA), a 3-year,
multi-disciplinary effort undertaken by a World Bank team in
cooperation with several leading regional research
institutions in South Asia. It begins to fill a crucial
knowledge gap, providing an initial integrated systems
perspective on the major water resources planning issues
facing the Ganges basin today, including some of the most
important infrastructure options that have been proposed for
future development. The SBA developed a set of hydrological
and economic models for the Ganges system, using modern data
sources and modeling techniques to assess the impact of
existing and potential new hydraulic structures on flooding,
hydropower, low flows, water quality and irrigation supplies
at the basin scale. It also involved repeated exchanges with
policymakers and opinion makers in the basin, during which
perceptions of the basin could be discussed and examined.
The study’s findings highlight the scale and complexity of
the Ganges basin. In particular, they refute the broadly
held view that upstream water storage, such as reservoirs in
Nepal, can fully control basin wide flooding. In addition,
the findings suggest that such dams could potentially double
low flows in the dry months. The value of doing so, however,
is surprisingly unclear and similar storage volumes could
likely be attained through better groundwater management.
Hydropower development and trade are confirmed to hold real
promise (subject to rigorous project level assessment with
particular attention to sediment and seismic risks) and, in
the near to medium term, create few significant tradeoffs
among competing water uses. Significant uncertainties,
including climate change, persist, and better data would
allow the models and their results to be further refined. |
| format |
Journal Article |
| author |
Sadoff, Claudia Harshadeep, Nagaraja Rao Blackmore, Donald J. Wu, Xun O'Donnell, Anna Jeuland, Marc Lee, Sylvia Whittington, Dale |
| author_facet |
Sadoff, Claudia Harshadeep, Nagaraja Rao Blackmore, Donald J. Wu, Xun O'Donnell, Anna Jeuland, Marc Lee, Sylvia Whittington, Dale |
| author_sort |
Sadoff, Claudia |
| title |
Ten Fundamental Questions for Water Resources Development in the Ganges : Myths and Realities |
| title_short |
Ten Fundamental Questions for Water Resources Development in the Ganges : Myths and Realities |
| title_full |
Ten Fundamental Questions for Water Resources Development in the Ganges : Myths and Realities |
| title_fullStr |
Ten Fundamental Questions for Water Resources Development in the Ganges : Myths and Realities |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Ten Fundamental Questions for Water Resources Development in the Ganges : Myths and Realities |
| title_sort |
ten fundamental questions for water resources development in the ganges : myths and realities |
| publisher |
IWA Publishing |
| publishDate |
2016 |
| url |
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/03/26048535/ten-fundamental-questions-water-resources-development-ganges-myths-realities http://hdl.handle.net/10986/24120 |
| _version_ |
1764455589369348096 |
| spelling |
okr-10986-241202021-04-23T14:04:19Z Ten Fundamental Questions for Water Resources Development in the Ganges : Myths and Realities Sadoff, Claudia Harshadeep, Nagaraja Rao Blackmore, Donald J. Wu, Xun O'Donnell, Anna Jeuland, Marc Lee, Sylvia Whittington, Dale FLOODING WATER QUALITY UPSTREAM DAMS SURFACE WATER SYSTEM GROUNDWATER STORAGE FLOOD PLAIN FLOW BASIN BOUNDARIES RIVER BEDS FLOOD CONTROL BENEFITS SNOW DAMS SEDIMENT BUILD DOWNSTREAM IRRIGATION FLOOD WATERS ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS HYDROLOGY AQUIFER WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS SURFACE WATER FLOOD MANAGEMENT FLOOD PROTECTION EMBANKMENT FAILURE DAM CONSTRUCTION GROUNDWATER AQUIFERS FLOOD PEAK ASSET MANAGEMENT RIVER COMMISSION PEAK FLOWS WATER RESOURCES WATER SYSTEM WATER STORAGE STREAM BASIN STATES SALINE INTRUSION WATER MANAGEMENT LARGE DAMS RIPARIAN COUNTRIES RIVER SYSTEM BASINS FLOODS WATER BASIN COMMUNITIES WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT RAINFALL DRAINAGE RIVER BED GLACIERS TRIBUTARIES AQUIFERS IRRIGATION WATER IRRIGATORS RUNOFF ANNUAL RAINFALL COASTAL AREAS LARGE-SCALE INFRASTRUCTURE BASIN PLANS EMBANKMENTS ANNUAL AVERAGE FLOW BASIN LEAKAGE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT STORAGE CAPACITY WATER TRANSFER RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT HYDROPOWER POTENTIAL BASIN DEVELOPMENT GROUNDWATER USE CLIMATE CHANGE RIVER CHANNEL DROUGHT HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT WATER USES FRESHWATER RIVER BASIN BASIN MANAGEMENT MAIN RIVER WATER POLICY INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT OPERATION OF DAMS HYDROPOWER SEDIMENT MANAGEMENT BASIN COMMITTEES DECISION MAKING RIVERS ANNUAL FLOW WATER RESOURCES PLANNING SURFACE WATER IRRIGATION CLIMATE CHANGES WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT SURFACE WATER FOR IRRIGATION LOW FLOWS DOWNSTREAM ECOSYSTEMS FLOWS FOR IRRIGATION DAM INTERNATIONAL RIVERS WATER AVAILABILITY MAJOR RIVERS FLOW AUGMENTATION MAIN RIVER SYSTEM RIVER BASIN ORGANIZATION FLOOD PLAINS ENGINEERING IRRIGATION WATERSHED RIVER FLOWS DOWNSTREAM AGRICULTURE GROUNDWATER METERS REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT BASIN SCALE FLOOD CONTROL HYDROPOWER GENERATION AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY RIVER SYSTEMS WATER INFRASTRUCTURE BASIN ORGANIZATION DOWNSTREAM COUNTRIES GROUNDWATER RESOURCES NEW DAMS GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT EVAPORATION WATERS UPSTREAM DAM BASIN COUNTRIES UPSTREAM STORAGE SURFACE WATER STORAGE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS RIPARIAN AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFALL TRIBUTARY EMBANKMENT HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES REMOTE SENSING RIVER This paper summarizes the results of the Ganges Strategic Basin Assessment (SBA), a 3-year, multi-disciplinary effort undertaken by a World Bank team in cooperation with several leading regional research institutions in South Asia. It begins to fill a crucial knowledge gap, providing an initial integrated systems perspective on the major water resources planning issues facing the Ganges basin today, including some of the most important infrastructure options that have been proposed for future development. The SBA developed a set of hydrological and economic models for the Ganges system, using modern data sources and modeling techniques to assess the impact of existing and potential new hydraulic structures on flooding, hydropower, low flows, water quality and irrigation supplies at the basin scale. It also involved repeated exchanges with policymakers and opinion makers in the basin, during which perceptions of the basin could be discussed and examined. The study’s findings highlight the scale and complexity of the Ganges basin. In particular, they refute the broadly held view that upstream water storage, such as reservoirs in Nepal, can fully control basin wide flooding. In addition, the findings suggest that such dams could potentially double low flows in the dry months. The value of doing so, however, is surprisingly unclear and similar storage volumes could likely be attained through better groundwater management. Hydropower development and trade are confirmed to hold real promise (subject to rigorous project level assessment with particular attention to sediment and seismic risks) and, in the near to medium term, create few significant tradeoffs among competing water uses. Significant uncertainties, including climate change, persist, and better data would allow the models and their results to be further refined. 2016-04-25T16:48:53Z 2016-04-25T16:48:53Z 2013-03 Journal Article http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2016/03/26048535/ten-fundamental-questions-water-resources-development-ganges-myths-realities Water Policy http://hdl.handle.net/10986/24120 English en_US CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo/ IWA Publishing IWA Publishing Publications & Research Publications & Research :: Journal Article South Asia South Asia Bangladesh India Nepal |