Lower Damodar River, India (eBook)

Foreword 1 7
Foreword 2 9
Foreword 3 11
Preface 13
Acknowledgments 17
Conversion Factors 20
Abbreviations 21
Contents 22
1 Purpose and Perspectives 27
1.1 Purpose 27
1.2 Perspectives 42
References 43
Personal Communication 48
2 Introduction 49
2.1 Geography of the Damodar River 49
2.2 Geological Set Up 51
2.3 Physiographic Divisions 51
2.4 Soil 52
2.5 Factors Behind Selection of the Lower Damodar as a Specific Studied Section 52
2.6 Locational Reference of the Study Area 55
2.6.1 Problem of Area Demarcation 56
2.7 Review of Studies on the Damodar River 57
2.8 Conceptual Background 60
2.8.1 Controlled River 60
2.8.2 Geomorphic Space and Landscape 61
2.8.3 Geomorphic Environment 61
2.8.4 Empiricism 62
2.8.5 Environmental Determinism and Possibilism 63
2.8.6 Culture 63
2.8.7 Perception 64
2.8.8 Social Space 65
2.8.9 Land, Land Resources and Land Use 66
2.8.10 Hazard 67
2.8.11 Human Ecology 69
2.8.12 Refugee 70
2.9 Objectives 71
2.10 Research Paradigm 72
2.11 Applied Geomorphological and Human-Environment Issues 74
2.12 Models and Methods 75
2.13 Spatial Scale and Time Scale 76
2.14 Technique and Tools 76
2.14.1 Perception Survey 77
2.14.2 Tools Used 77
2.14.3 Detailed Mapping for 5 Years (1993--1997) and Updated During 2000 and 2001, 2007 and 2008 77
2.15 Selection of Variables and Indicators 78
2.16 Data Base and Data Constraint 79
2.17 Chapter Organization 79
2.18 Working Steps 79
References 80
3 Flood and Water Resource Management in the Controlled Tropical River Damodar 88
3.1 Tropicality of the Lower Damodar Environment 88
3.2 Background of the Population Group 92
3.3 The Damodar -- A Flood-Prone River 92
3.4 Changing Courses of the Lower Damodar 94
3.5 Flood History of the Lower Damodar River 95
3.6 Policy Recommendation by National Commission on Floods 98
3.7 Phases of Controlling the Lower Damodar 98
3.7.1 Embankments 99
3.7.1.1 Zamindary Period 99
3.7.1.2 British Period 99
3.8 Weirs, Sluices and Canals 104
3.9 Post-British Period 105
3.9.1 Damodar Flood Enquiry of 1944: Conception of the DVC 106
3.10 Post-Independence Period 107
3.10.1 Lower Damodar Scheme 110
3.11 Impacts of Lateral Control Structures 111
3.12 Impacts of Embankments 112
3.12.1 Rising Riverbed 112
3.12.2 Changes in Soil Composition in the Adjacent Riparian Tracts 113
3.13 Consequences of the Removal of the Right Bank Embankment 113
3.13.1 Changes in Fertility Status on the Right Bank 114
3.13.2 Changing Cross Profile 114
3.13.3 An Increase in Cross Section 114
3.13.4 Opening Up of Hana or Spill Channels on the Right Bank 114
3.13.4.1 Origin of the Begua and the Muchi Hana and Deterioration of the Amta Channel 117
3.14 Impact of the Left Bank Embankment 119
3.14.1 Drainage Congestion 119
3.14.2 Reversal of Slope 119
3.15 Summary 122
References 124
Personal Communication 127
4 The Reservoired Lower Damodar River: A Hydro-Geomorphic Perspective 128
4.1 Damodar: A ``Reservoir Channel'' 128
4.2 Impacts of Dams: Changing Flow Regime 129
4.2.1 Daily, Monthly Mean, and Annual Flow Characteristics 129
4.2.2 Changes in Peak Flow Characteristics 135
4.2.3 Modification of Hydrographs in the Post-dam Period 138
4.2.4 Flood Hydrology 138
4.3 Changing Flood Behavior in the Lower Part of the Lower Damodar River 144
4.4 Relationship Between Discharge and Rainfall in Pre-dam and Post-dam Periods 146
4.5 Changes in Suspended Sediment Concentration 149
4.6 Silting of the Reservoirs 153
4.6.1 The Construction of an Upstream Dam 155
4.7 Changing Channel Morphology 155
4.7.1 Increases in the Sinuosity Index 156
4.7.2 Planform Configuration 158
4.7.3 Changes in Riverbed Slope 160
4.8 Stabilization of Bars 161
4.9 An Example of the Rate of Changes to the Channel Sandbars 162
4.10 Shifting Bank Lines and Bank Erosion 163
4.11 Present Condition of the Jamalpur Regulator 163
4.12 Present Condition of Jujuti Sluice and Eden Canal 163
4.13 Present Condition of the Ulughata Sluice 164
4.14 Summary 165
References 166
Personal Communication 170
5 Colonization Processes on the Lower Damodar Riverbed 171
5.1 History of Colonization 171
5.2 Background of Refugee Influx 172
5.3 Phases of Colonization in the Lower Damodar Riverbed 173
5.3.1 The First Phase of Colonization 173
5.3.2 The Second Phase of Colonization 175
5.3.3 The Third Phase of Colonization 176
5.3.4 The Fourth Phase of Colonization 176
5.4 Summary 177
References 177
6 The Controlled Lower Damodar River: A Social Perspective 178
6.1 Understanding Human Role in Changing Riverine Environment 179
6.2 Contemporary Riverbed Characteristics Between the Maithon Panchet Reservoirs and Barsul-Chanchai 182
6.3 Land Use Planning in the Riverbed: Maithon Panchet Reservoirs to Barsul Chanchai 183
6.3.1 Gangtikali 183
6.3.2 Vivekanandapalli Squatters' Colony 185
6.3.3 Damodar Char Mohana 188
6.3.4 Ramakrishna Palli, Pallishri and Sitarampur Mana 190
6.3.5 Bara Mana 194
6.3.5.1 Land Use Characteristics and Flood Zoning in the Riverbed 196
6.3.6 Rangamatia-Kenety Mana 210
6.3.7 Fatehpur and Kasba Mana 214
6.3.8 The Stretch Between Chhita Mana and Laksmipur Colony 218
6.3.9 Majher Mana 220
6.3.10 Satyanandapur--Kalimohanpur Sandbar 221
6.3.11 Gaitanpur 222
6.3.12 Fakirpur Sandbar 225
6.3.13 Shrirampur to Chaitpur 226
6.3.14 Chaitpur to Kalinagar 226
6.4 Human Perception, Adaptability and Resource Evaluation in the Riverbed 228
6.5 Disaster Reduction Measures and Survival Strategies 232
6.6 Flood Zoning in the Charlands/Sandbars 233
6.7 Contemporary Riverbed Characteristics: Barsul Chanchai to Paikpara Settlement 235
6.8 Land Use Planning: Barsul Chanchai to Paikpara Settlement 237
6.9 Changing Resource Status from Flow Resource to Fund Resource 241
6.10 River Bed Characteristics: The Amta Channel 241
6.11 General Land Use in the Amta Channel 242
6.11.1 Bahir Aima 246
6.12 Summary of Land Use in the Amta Channel 246
References 247
7 The Controlled Lower Damodar River: A Product of Hydro-Geomorphic and Anthropogenic Processes 249
7.1 The Lower Damodar, a Product of Human Activity 249
7.2 Forms, Processes, and Materials in Controlled Section Are Quasi-Natural in Character 250
7.3 Concept of Culture in Resource Appraisal 251
7.4 Significance of Social Space in Colonization Processes and Land Use Practices 251
7.5 Strong Linkages Between Changing Geomorphic Space and Perceived Environment 253
7.6 Public Policy and Land Ownership Rights 254
7.7 A Modified Concept of Human Ecology Helps to Explain Land Use 255
7.8 Human-Environment Interactions Depending on Personal Experience 256
7.9 The Reservoired Lower Damodar, a Product of Hydro-Geomorphic and Anthropogenic Processes 257
References 257
8 Towards Better Human--Environment Interactions 260
8.1 Discussions and Suggestions 260
8.2 The Need for Integrating Watershed Science and Management 267
References 268
Personal Communication 272
Appendix A List of Reference Maps 273
List of Mouza (A Land -- Settlement Division of an Area) Maps 273
Topographic Sheets (SOI Maps) and Images 274
Appendix B Hydrological Observation 276
Damodar River Streamflow Data 276
Inflow and Out Flow Data 277
Suspended Sediment Concentration Data 277
Measured Cross Section 277
Rainfal 277
Appendix C Streamflow of the Lower Damodar River at Rhondia (Monthly and Average Annual Streamflow Total in m3/s) 278
Appendix D Streamflow of the Lower Damodar River at Damodar Bridge Site 281
Appendix E Inflow into Durgapur Barrage and Canal Consumption (M.Cu.m) 283
Appendix F Peak Flow of the Lower Damodar River at Raniganj and at Rhondia (from 1933) during Pre-dam and Post-dam Periods 285
Appendix G Combined Moderation by Maithon and Panchet Dams of the Damodar River 288
Appendix H Model Questionnaire for Perception Survey 290
Personal Communication 291
Color Plates 292
River Communities 294
Facets of Riverbed Utilization 296
Index 309