Hydrological Study Of Tapi Basin

Introduction

Tapti is one of the two large rivers in central India which flows west-ward (the other one being river Narmada) and discharge into the Arabian Sea.

The Sanskrit name of Multai is Multapi, meaning origin of Tapi Mata or the Tapti River.

Hydrology Of Tapi River

The River Tapti drains a vast catchment of 62200 km2, of which 27600 km2 are situated in Madhya Pradesh, 32100 km2 in Maharashtra, and 2500 km2 in Gujarat. The average annual rainfall over the catchment is 78.8 cm, the maximum being 203 cm. More than 95% of the annual rainfall occurs during the south-west monsoon from mid-June to mid-October.

Actions to Prevent Future Floods

The present system of Ukai management Authority in operating the reservoir has failed in 1998, 2006 to,

a) Ensure URL below 345’ FRL (= MWL),

b) Protect the promised 1057 sq.mile from floods by outflow not more than 7 L cusecs.

c) Construct complete Pala yojana inaugurated in 1971 and ensure safety by maintenance and inspections every monsoon.

The revised procedure with transparency and flexibility, coupled with specific responsibility, is possible by delegating powers to a Valley Authority with team of advisors on Video conference.

The team shall include Hydrologist, IMD expert on rain-forecast based on settelite images, CWC – gauging & discharge data collector or with better auto non-power dependent quick communication system, disaster and warning management authority at Surat, Socio-economic experts to assess financial impact etc.

If the trend of reduction in flood drainage capacity is uncontrolled, it could, over years, make flood moderation to impossible stage. Valley authority will have to freeze flood plane and develop schemes of diversion, conserve for desalinization of coast-lands and future sweet water requirements.

The dredging of mined river for sand and raising of flood bank for partial flood protection downstream are illusions. Back water & breaches of raised bunds in alluvial deposits by piping cannot be prevented economically.

Tapi River as A Lifeline Of Surat

Surat, the Gem city of India in Gujarat state, is situated on the banks of the river Tapi, the city’s lifeline and also an economic resource to diverse groups of stakeholders.

References

1). http://knol.google.com/k/feasibility-of-tapti-basin-floods-moderation-with-updated-technology-and-Management-a-knol-by-Mahesh-Desai(25 ‎August ‎2011, ‏‎15:26:59)

2).http://www.indianetzone.com/14/tapti_river.html(‎25 ‎August ‎2011, ‏‎15:18:46)

3).http://reference.findtarget.com/search/TaptiRiver/Reference.html(25 ‎August ‎2011, ‏‎17:09:55)

4). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Volume 1, No7, 2011-Research article-ISSN 0976 – 4402-Integrated source water protection plan for an urban water body – A case study of Tapi river, India=EIJES2103.pdf(‎25 ‎August ‎2011, ‏‎16:55:43)

5). HYD1-1.PM5=001253.pdf(25 ‎August ‎2011, ‏‎15:12:55)

6). Ministry of Water Resource http://wrmin.nic.in/index3.asp?subsublinkid=819&langid=1&sslid=328