Transforming Sediment into a Resource: SWAT-Based Modelling for Sediment Deposition, Climate Change Impacts, and Strategies for Reuse and Water Storage Restoration at Bisalpur Dam

In this era, when resources are reduced while consumption increases manifold, Circular Economy for Water (CEW) principles must be adopted. In the water cycle, sediment is transported to the reservoir along with runoff, causing reservoirs to have reduced water storage capacity. This hinders the area's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) by affecting the drinking water supply in large cities and irrigation in the agriculture sector. Sediment inflow assessment in the reservoir may help time-bound desilting and restoration of storage capacity, contributing to multiple SDGs. These activities aim to improve water resource management, enhance water security, and sustain ecosystem services. The relevant SDGs are SDG 2: Zero Hunger, and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. In the present study, it was attempted to estimate the sedimentation rate in the Bisalpur dam, a large dam located in the semi-arid regions of the Chambal basin of India, its impact on the storage capacity of the reservoir, and the benefits of reuse by employing the SWAT model. Thereafter, Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 8.5 scenario data used for five models ACCESS 1.3, BCC-CSM 1-1, CNRM-CM5, MPI-ESM-LR and MPI-ESM-MR for data from year 2014 to year 2100. The results indicate that the sediment deposition will increase due to climate change and need to be taken care for the enhanced life of the reservoir and sustainable water storage and water supply.