Environmental issues and application aspects of water projects

Water is among the most precious natural resource. Management of water resource is a complex issue especially in countries like India where instantaneous flow is less than demand. Environmental concerns of water projects are multi-disciplinary and debatable. The consumptive as well as non-consumptive uses of water for various purposes is the need of the hour but may pose threat to bio-physical and human environment. Endangered species of flora and fauna, cultural heritage, minority rights shouldn't be under weighed either after economic attractiveness of the project. Security for food, drinking water and electricity is equally important for the national development. Long term benefits from the hydro projects shouldn't be ignored for the sake of intangible parameters of EIA.

Environmental impacts of a water project can be categorized on the basis of severity and their vulnerability to the nature. Emotional and socio-cultural impacts are generally non-quantifiable; however, experiences from completed projects favours implementation of the project as people realize the benefits and advocate such development. Ecological Impact Assessment primarily focus on direct negative impact from project but often neglects the benefits to the stakeholders and countrymen living outside the resource area. Excessive heed towards environmental concern as well as lacunae in water management of water resources has made it difficult to go on hydro schemes. Valuation of environmental impacts of the projects needs to be estimated with the concept of Total Economic Value and demand-supply alternatives. A well defined Terms of Reference should be in place before field survey. Baseline information of EIA should include all aspects of environmental impacts including benefits from the project.

Environmental flow requirement need to be addressed in light of spatial and temporal distribution of water and culturally appropriate solution. The scientific knowledge required to establish environmental flow is very limited and debatable. Inclusion of abundant factors to the concept of EFR is diluting the scientific base of EFR. Release of environmental flow as percent of different hydrological runoff is difficult to comprehend for non-hydrologist and is difficult to apply where hydrological data is poor. For effective implementation and monitoring of environmental release, volume units need to be specified according to specific requirement of the project.

Mitigation measures to environmental effects remain unaddressed due to cost underestimation for EMP, lack of comprehensive guidelines and clear regulation on downstream release of water as well as its management. Strengthening of monitoring agencies and enforcement of law can eliminate majority of negative impacts. In order to get continuous release of downstream flow essentially all the time, a micro/mini hydel scheme, if possible, could be constructed just downstream of dam/barrage. Development approach of water project should be able to clearly define available alternatives, environmental problems, mitigation measures and positive impacts on stakeholders from project area as well as outside.