Design and Feasibility Study of River Interlinking in Odisha

Abstract

The regional and temporal differences in rainfall throughout India have resulted in the designation of water "surplus" and "scarce" river basins in the country. The Indian River interlinking project intends to transport water from "surplus" basins to "scarce" basins. The study briefly mentions the interlinking proposal that was made to lessen water scarcity in the rain-scarce regions of western and southern sections of India, but it also raises concerns about whether this massive project is the best way to accomplish that goal. Before giving final clearance to the interconnection project, it is recommended that a completely transparent techno-economic and environmental feasibility analysis and comparison with other viable choices be conducted. Periodic flooding affects an area of the nation covering more than 40 million hectares. Floods harm around 7.5 million hectares of land in India each year, with crop land accounting for approximately 3.5 million hectares. Odisha, with its long coastal stretch and vast number of rivers, is especially vulnerable to floods caused by both frequent cyclonic storms and unpredictable rainfall, both of which have significant economic consequences. We have presented a proposal to create an outlet lined canal for the river Mahanadi-BrahmaniBaitarani using Google Earth in order to minimize flood disaster and send the surplus water to the drought prone areas in our state Odisha. This is due to the urgency for an assured supply of water for both people and animals in terms of environmental sustainability, regional justice, and economic viability. Rating curves are used to compute the normal discharge of rivers, and the surplus discharge of rivers is determined by subtracting the maximum discharge from the normal discharge of rivers.