India 2018

Water Resources 527
Hydrological Observations
Central Water Commission is operating a network of 954 hydro-meteorological
observation stations throughout the country on all major river basins to observe
(i) water level (gauge), (ii) discharge, (iii) water quality, (iv) silt besides (v)
selected meteorological parameters including snow observations at key stations.
The data so collected is utilized for planning and development of water resources
projects, climate change studies, water availability studies, flood/inflow
forecasting, examination of international and inter-state issues, river
morphological studies, inland waterway development, reservoir siltation studies
and research related activities, etc.
Water Quality Monitoring
Central Water Commission is monitoring water quality at 396 key locations
covering all the major river basins of India. It is maintaining a three tier laboratory
system for analysis of the physico-chemical parameters of the water. The
level- I laboratories are located at 370 field water quality monitoring stations
on major rivers of India where physical parameters such as temperature, colour,
odour specific conductivity, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, pH
and dissolved oxygen of river water are observed. There are 18 level-II
laboratories located at selected division offices throughout India to analyze 25
nos. physico-chemical characteristics and bacteriological parameters of water.
5 level-III / II+ laboratories are functioning at Varanasi, Delhi, Hyderabad,
Coimbatore and Guwahati where 41 parameters including heavy metals / toxic
parameters and pesticides are analyzed. The water quality data is used by
different agencies for planning of water resources project, research purposes,
etc. The water quality data being so collected are put in various uses related to
planning and development of water resources projects.
Flood Forecasting
There are 187 flood forecasting stations, of which 150 are level forecasting and
37 are inflow forecasting stations on major dams/barrages. It covers 11 major
river systems in the country including 72 river sub-basins. They pertain to 20
states viz., Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chattisgarh,
Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu,Telengana, Tripura,
Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal and one Union Territory Dadra
and Nagar Haveli and National Capital Territory of Delhi. On an average, about
6000 forecasts are being issued during flood season every year. Normally, these
forecasts are issued 12 to 48 hours in advance, depending upon the river terrain,
the locations of the flood forecasting sites and base stations.
Project Appraisal
One of the important activities assigned to Central Water Commission is technoeconomic
appraisal of irrigation, flood control and multipurpose projects
proposed by State Governments. Besides these, the hydro-power projects
proposed by state power corporations/electricity boards/private sector