Course Details

Subject {L-T-P / C} : CE6435 : Integrated River Basin Management { 3-0-0 / 3}

Subject Nature : Theory

Coordinator : Dr. Ratnakar Swain

Syllabus

Module 1: Fundamentals of Watershed Management
Watershed and Its Management: Concept of Watershed, Definition and characteristics, Objectives and principles, Stakeholders and Decision Making, Identifying stakeholders and their roles, Policies, governance, and decision-making processes in watershed management.
Problems and Prospects in Watershed Management: Environmental, social, and economic challenges, Issues related to sustainability and ecosystem health, Prospects and Solutions, Innovations and advancements, and Best practices for sustainable watershed management.

Module 2: Integrated Approach to Watershed Management
Integrated Watershed Management: Principles and concepts, balancing competing water uses and needs, Conjunctive Use of Water Resources, optimizing surface and groundwater interactions, Strategies for efficient water resource utilization.
Land Capability and Watershed-Based Land Use Planning: Understanding Land Capability, Classification systems and assessment methodologies, Planning principles and methods, Integrating land capability assessments into planning frameworks.
Social Aspects of Watershed Management: Role of communities in sustainable watershed management, Involvement of private entities in watershed management, Institutional frameworks and challenges in implementation, Socio-Economic Considerations and Water Legislation, Legal frameworks, regulations, and their implications.

Module 3: Watershed Characteristics
Physical and Geomorphologic Factors affecting Watershed Management: Classification and Measurement of Watershed Characteristics, Topography, geology, soil, and vegetation, Tools and methods for measurement and analysis, Relationship between characteristics and management strategies.
Watershed Delineation and Prioritization: Methods and tools for delineating watershed boundaries, Digital mapping and modelling approaches, Prioritization of Watersheds, Decision criteria and strategies for effective prioritization.
Watershed Management in Arid and Semiarid Regions: Challenges in Arid and Semiarid Regions, Strategies for Sustainable Management, Case Studies and Strategic Planning.

Module 4: Watershed Conservation and Drought Management
Water Yield Assessment: Water Yield Assessment, Methods for estimating water yield from watersheds, Implications for water resource planning.
Soil Erosion Control and Sediment Yield Estimation: Types of Water and Wind-Induced Soil Erosion, understanding erosion processes, Control measures and erosion prevention techniques, Estimation and Modelling of Sediment Yield, Methods for measuring and estimating sediment yield, Application of models in predicting sediment movement.
Rainwater Conservation Technologies and Water Harvesting Structures: Rainwater Conservation Technologies, Structural considerations and design methodologies, Rooftop Rain Water Harvesting, Benefits and Challenges in Implementation.
Hydrologic and Hydraulic Design of Watershed Structures: Design of Recharge Structures, Earthen Embankments and Diversion Structures, Functions and applications in watershed management.
Drought Management: Drought Assessment and Mitigation, Classification and analysis techniques, Planning strategies for mitigating drought impacts

Course Objectives

Course Outcomes

At the end of the course, students must be in a position to <br />CO1: Define watershed concepts and principles while analyzing the historical evolution of watershed management practices. <br />CO2: Apply integrated water resources management principles and incorporate land capability assessments into watershed-based land use planning. <br />CO3: Evaluate physical factors influencing watershed management and prioritize watersheds based on their specific characteristics and needs. <br />CO4: Apply techniques for water yield assessment, soil erosion control, and design effective rainwater conservation and harvesting structures. <br />CO5: Apply strategies to mitigate drought impacts on watersheds, designing resilient hydrological and hydraulic structures to enhance water availability during drought periods.

Essential Reading

Supplementary Reading