CHAPTER
WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT
INTRODUCTION
Development of water resources for a region or for a country is very important from the point
of view of its economic and cultural development. There is a need for a National Water
Policy in India that would be uniformly applicable to conditions throughout the country,
prevent waste, reduce pollution, control floods, recharge aquifers, make desert bloom, etc.
Water is local, a shortage of water in Calcutta can not be cured by restricting use of water in
Bombay. From the stand point of mankind there is a crude balance in nature as regards water
resources. The upstream areas may have inadequate water supplies, but flood protection is
not a problem. Conversely floods may be a problem in the downstream areas, but the water
supply is reliable and inexpensive. These factors are very much useful in developing a water
resources system.
The main elements in Water Resources Development are:
1. that which is intended to protect against damaging waters (flood control), and
2. that which is intended primarily to regulate and distribute water for the benefit of
mankind (conservation).
Water resources projects may range from a single project meeting a single – purpose need to
a regional system in a multiunit, multipurpose, and multiobjective framework. Water
resources planning techniques are used to determine what measures (structural or non-
structural) should be employed to meet water needs, take opportunities for water resources
development, and preserve and enhance natural water resources and related land resources.
Sometimes mathematical modeling and other approaches may also be used for formulating
projects that are optimal. The hydrological study of a project should of necessity precede
structural and other detailed design study.
PURPOSES OF WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT
Water resources are developed or managed for the following purposes and functions:
• Water supply for municipal and industrial uses
• Water supply for rural uses
• Water supply for thermal electric power plant cooling
• Irrigation, including water supply
• Flood control and damage prevention
• Hydroelectric power
• Navigation
• Water quality management including waste water treatment and disposal and flow
augmentation.
• Recreation
• Commercial fishing and trapping
• Drainage, sedimentation control, land stabilization, erosion control, and other
measures for management of urban and rural lands and watersheds
In addition to the foregoing purposes and functions, for which economic benefits can usually
be estimated, the growing “environmental movement” has encouraged policies to plan and
manage water resources for the preservation and enhancement on
• Natural water and related land areas, including aesthetic values
• Archeological, historical, biological and geological resources
• Ecological systems
• Water, land, and air quality
Planning, development, and management of water resources may also be used to further the
general welfare, including:
• Regional economic development
• Income distribution
• Health and safety
• Educational and cultural opportunities
• Emergency preparedness
• Other measures to improve the “quality of life”
APPLICATION OF HYDROLOGY IN WATER RESOURCES PROJECTS
Hydrology finds its greatest application in design and operation of water resources
engineering projects. Projects vary in the types of water needs they meet or the water –
related problems they solve. The physical, environmental, and social setting in which
planning takes place also differs from one location to another. Thus, the planner in adopting
a general approach and detailed methodologies, should recognize that a diversity of issues
and constraints exist for different projects.
In all these projects hydrological investigations for the proper assessment of the following
factors are necessary:
1. The capacity of storage structures such as reservoirs.
2. The magnitude of flood flows to enable safe disposal of the excess flow.
3. The minimum flow and the quantity of flow available at various seasons.
4. The interaction of the flood wave and hydraulic structures, such as leaves, reservoirs,
barrages and bridges.
DEVELOPMENT MEASURES, HYDROLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AND
ANALYSIS
The nature of water resources development is closely allied to the degree and nature of
economic and cultural developments in a region. The regional developments can be
classified into three categories.
1. the early stages of regional development,
2. development of population centres, and
3. further developed regions with large population centres.
The various development measures, hydrological investigations, (data required), and
studies (analysis) required for water resources development at various stages are presented in
Table-1.
Table-1 Development measures, hydrological investigations and analysis for water
resources development
Element of Development Measures, Hydrological Investigations (Data Required), and
W.R. Studies (Analysis)
Development
Stage of Flood Control Conservation Purposes
Development
Early Stages i. Minor channel improvements i. No low-flow regulation needed
of Regional & occasional low levees
Development ii. Peak-flow frequency ii. Water diversion for water supply by
estimates required for the a low structure, and runoff river
location plants
iii. Drainage of areas by gravity iii. A flow-duration curve required for
the location
Development i. Usually major channel i. Reservoir for low-flow regulation for
of Population improvements and levee ensured supplies of water and energy
Centres structures
ii. Reliable estimates of flow ii. Reservoir to regulate only seasonal
frequency required runoff variation (within-year carry-
over storage, designed to fill each
year)
iii. Drainage by major gravity iii. Service requirements fairly uniform
drains and pumping plants
iv. Low-flow volume frequency
determination for duration less than
1 year required
v. Detailed simulation study of
proposed project operation required
Development i. Major channel, and levee i. Reservoir storage for saving water
of Regions improvements, and reservoirs from years of high runoff to supply
with Large needs during drought years required
Population (over-year carry-over storage)
Centres ii. Runoff volume potential ii. Detailed simulation study of project
w.r.t. various frequencies & operation required (stochastic runoff
duration for finding size of characteristics considerations)
reservoir required
iii. Runoff estimates of iii. Integrated use of surface and
extremely rare occasions for groundwater (conjunctive use)
spillway design required
iv. Sedimentation studies required
v. Need of multi-objective analysis
vi. Need of inter-basin water transfers
vii. Need of resolving river water
disputes
viii. Need of optimal integrated river
basin development
REFERENCES
Kuiper, E., 1971, ‘Water Resources Project Economics’, Butterworth, Kent, England.
Kuiper, E., 1965. ‘Water Resources Development’, Butterworth, Kent, England.
Linsley, R.K., and Joseph, B. Franzini, 1979. ‘Water Resources Engineering’, 3rd ed., Mc-
Graw Hill, New York.
James, L. Douglas, and Robert E.L., 1971. ‘Economics of Water Resources Planning’, Mc-
Graw Hill.
Goodman, Alvin, S., 1984. ‘Principles of Water Resources Planning’, Prentice Hall Inc.,
New Jersey.
