Narmada River Basin is home to some of the largest reservoirs in India. The river basin is spread out over four states that manage its waters through the Narmada Control Authority (NCA), an agency that was jointly established for this purpose. Water release from various Narmada reservoir serve municipal and rural population, industrial users and irrigation, while hydro power is produced at all major dams as a by-product of flow releases made for other purposes.

In April of 2018, Narmada Control Authority (NCA) and NHP wing of MoWR, RD & GR embarked on a study to determine the Water Account of Narmada and sought suitable model selection. TAMC consultants proposed that a test problem be created and used as part of the selection process. This proposal was accepted by NCA, which joined their effort with NPMU-NHP/TAMC consultants to create the input data for the mutually agreed test problem. Tender for model selection was posted at the beginning of March 2019, and the results have been received and evaluated by the TAMC consultants after April 30, 2019. A meeting of Evaluation committee on May 14, 2019 will be the next step in making a decision which model and which consultants to select.

The vendors were asked to solve a particular technical problem and provide a solution as part of their offer - likely to be the first time, such approach has been adopted for any studies in India or World Bank supported project. The purpose of the test problem is to help develop a common reference for model comparison and select the best model based on its ability to find the best solution. The results of this tender will be insightful for all other future projects in India and where ever river basin modelling is a significant part of the project. NHP management and TAMC consultants believe that the results of this test run should eventually be published in a major technical journal to help shed more light on the capabilities of various models that are frequently used river basin studies.

Objective of audit is to pursue and attain project objective. Evaluation of effectiveness of the internal controls is a wok performed in audit. There are ways to maintain effective system of internal control which is vital for achieving project’s objectives. This also includes obtaining reliable financial reporting, prevention of deception and misappropriation of its assets etc. Keeping these in mind, ‘Audit Report’ section is introduced in MIS of NHP under finance section. Various stakeholders can now view and use the information regarding CAG/Statutory audit from the start of audit till the closure of audit on one click.

A new module has been launched in MIS by TAMC for monitoring, and tracking of Procurement Documents from the draft stage to finalisation stage. This is workflow-based system, which facilitates review and updation of procurement document at various levels by various stakeholders. The system is linked with existing Procurement Module and Tender Publishing System. NHP plans to make it mandatory to submit all the procurement documents through MIS with effect from 1st June, 2019. For this purpose, Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling procurement documents under NHP has been developed and circulated.

Last month under NHP several important meetings have been organized...

• Upscaling flood forecasting activities including inundation forecast

  A meeting for upscaling flood forecasting activities including inundation forecast in Brahmaputra basin was held on 1st April 2019 at Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi under the chairmanship of Joint Secretary (IC&GW). The meeting was attended by officials from NESAC and Central Water Commission and NPMU, MoWR, RD & GR. The salient features of the proposed collaboration were discussed in detail.

• Issue of proposed studies in association with Punjab Agriculture University

  On 1st April 2019 a meeting was held with Punjab Water Resource Department on the issue of proposed studies to be undertaken by them in association with Punjab Agriculture University along with the proposal of drilling deep piezometers and supply and installation of DWLR.

• Review the PIP of Odisha SW & GW

  A meeting has been organized to review the PIP of Odisha SW & GW on 12th April, 2019 in New Delhi. JS (IC&GW), SJC-I, SJC-III and other officials from NPMU, Principal Secretary, WRD, Odisha; Project Director and other officials from SPMU Odisha and experts from TAMC have participated in this meeting.

• Discuss the upcoming 2nd International Conference in Nashik

  On 15th April Maharashtra SPMU Team met NPMU Officials at NHP Office in New Delhi to discuss on the upcoming 2nd International Conference in Nashik. The significant discussion points of this meeting were:- Selection of Venue, Event Coordination, setting up of CBIP Technical Support team, Selection of International Speakers for Invitation, Branding & Promotions of the event, decide the subjects of Technical Sessions, selection of Partner Organization, Approval of invitees to be controlled through the conference website, etc.

• Development of a Decision Support System for Groundwater Recharge in Over-exploited Blocks of Punjab

  A joint meeting of the Officers of National Project Monitoring Unit, NHP, MOWR, RD & GR, Irrigation Department, Punjab, and Department of Soil and Water Engineering, PAU, Ludhiana was held on 18th April 2019. In this meeting, Technical Proposal regarding development of a Decision Support System for Groundwater Recharge in Over-exploited Blocks of Punjab & Inventorization of Pesticide Residues and Heavy Metals in Surface and Ground Waters of South-western and Central Districts of Punjab were discussed.

• Punjab for firming up the details of the proposed Decision Support System

  On 22nd April, 2019 a meeting was held with the Project authorities of Ranjit Sagar Dam, Punjab for firming up the details of the proposed Decision Support System.

The three days training program was conducted under NHP by Ground Water and Water Audit Department, Andhra Pradesh in collaboration with ESRI and Vassar labs. It was organized in Farmers Training Center, Vijayawada. About 40 officers from Ground Water and Water Audit Department, Andhra Pradesh and Office of the CE, Hydrology (AP SW) took part in this training. The first two days have been dedicated to basics of ArcGIS, various modules & its applications. Experts from ESRI imparted valuable knowledge that followed by hands-on exercises on watershed delineation and zoning of various parameters in ArcGIS. On third day, Vassar labs team explained various components of APWRIMS website and newly introduced Geoportal that including village wise ground water assessment.

Damodar Valley Corporation is one of the oldest water management agencies in India. DVC is in charge of managing four large reservoirs with multi-purpose water use, including municipal and industrial water supply, irrigation and generation of hydropower. Two years back a reservoir operation study has been conducted by the Danish Hydraulic Institute. TAMC consultants Dr.NesaIlich (River Basin Modeling Expert) and Dr.AshokeBasistha visited the Damodar Valley Corporation’s (DVC) headquarters in Maithon from April 24th to April 25th to make a presentation on the latest developments and available methodologies in reservoir operation to Mr. Satyabrata Banerjee (Chief Engineer and the Director of DVC) and his technical staff, which was followed by a question-answer session and open discussion.

To that end, The DVC leadership has decided to go for an alternate study in association with TAMC, with the aim to examine the benefits of proposed technology modification and its potential benefits.

DVC leadership has expressed the interest of working together and made their input data available for the forthcoming reservoir operation study which will be conducted by the TAMC consultants over the second half of 2019. Since DVC has many years of historical hydrological data that are readily available, we hope that the results of this study will be beneficial for DVC’s future reservoir operation.

SURVEY OF INDIA

Survey of India (SOI) finalised the bid bidding process for‘Acquisition, processing and delivery of DEM and digital Orthophoto data’ and issued letter of Acceptance to the successful firms. Through these contracts Survey of India would be delivering high resolution Digital Terrain Model for around 58000 sd. Km flood prone area in Ganga Basin. The vertical accuracy of the DTM would be better than 0.5 m.

Survey of India has also finalised the bidding process for ‘Providing Services for Generation of GIS ready database for river basins/deltas covering area of approximately 835742 sq. km’and would shortly issue letter of acceptance to the successful bidder. Through this endeavour, SOI would provide geodata base and mediumresolution DEM/DTM with vertical accuracy of 3-5 m flood prone area of about 8.27 lakh sq km.

GROUND WATER DEPARTMENT, GOVT OF TELANGANA

Visit by TAMC WQ expert: The TAMC Water Quality expert Dr.SrikanthRaghavacharry, visited the water quality laboratories at Hyderabad and Karimnagar on 15th & 16th April 2019. These laboratories can analyse up to 71 parameters. During his visit, the Director Dr.PandithMadhnure explained about the type of instruments available, different parameters that are tested and the process of analytical report generation. The expert verified the frequency of data sampling, the number of parameters analysed, reporting & data dissemination methods, maintenance of Lab documents, Historical Data and registers, Infrastructure, Space availability and Working conditions of the equipment in the laboratories. The TAMC Expert has expressed satisfaction for prevailing conditions in the laboratories and suggested for procurement of advanced laboratory equipment and supporting requirements. He also explained to the laboratories staffs about preparation of advanced scientific reports on groundwater quality trends, organization of training programmes on advanced methods on Microbiology analysis, quality control & documentation under NHP.

Visit by TAMC WQ expert: The TAMC Water Quality expert Dr.SrikanthRaghavacharry, visited the water quality laboratories at Hyderabad and Karimnagar on 15th & 16th April 2019. These laboratories can analyse up to 71 parameters. During his visit, the Director Dr.PandithMadhnure explained about the type of instruments available, different parameters that are tested and the process of analytical report generation. The expert verified the frequency of data sampling, the number of parameters analysed, reporting & data dissemination methods, maintenance of Lab documents, Historical Data and registers, Infrastructure, Space availability and Working conditions of the equipment in the laboratories. The TAMC Expert has expressed satisfaction for prevailing conditions in the laboratories and suggested for procurement of advanced laboratory equipment and supporting requirements. He also explained to the laboratories staffs about preparation of advanced scientific reports on groundwater quality trends, organization of training programmes on advanced methods on Microbiology analysis, quality control & documentation under NHP.

ANDHRA PRADESH, GROUND WATER

A study tour under National Hydrology Project has been organised for a 13 member team from Ground Water Surveys and Development Agency, Government of Maharashtra. They have visited Andhra Pradesh from 29th April to 3rd May-2019. In past 4-5 years, the Ground Water and Water Audit Department of Andhra Pradesh has adopted several best practices with an overarching objective to promote conjunctive use of surface and groundwater in the state. Establishment of Real-Time Groundwater Monitoring Network System with 1254 Piezometers fitted with Digital Water Level Recorders and Telemetry, collecting and disseminating the groundwater status along with rainfall on a real-time basis, geo-tagging of all the 15.03 lakh agriculture bore wells in the state by collecting the spatial information of the bore wells along with certain attributes, using historical data to identify feasible sites for the construction of 1.24 lakh bore wells with solar power under a programme ‘NTR Jalasiri’, development of a single stop solution for all water-related data at “Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Information and Management System” (APWRIMS) with Geoport, development of web-based Groundwater Resource Estimation software, AP GRACE, Water conservation activity in a big way under a flagship programme “Neeru- Chettu (Water and Tree) to name a few. The Maharashtra GSDA team visited Andhra Pradesh to study these best practices, interact with the department and explore the scope of implement in Maharashtra. The Team visited Real-Time Governance Centre, Piezometer sites and Data centre to study the data flow from piezometer to the central server to data dissemination system (CM Core Dashboard, APWRIMS etc). They also visited Polavaram Multipurpose Irrigation project (National Project) and Pavithra Sangamam where River Godavari joins with River Krishna under Interlinking of Rivers initiative. The visiting team also explored Drilling site and Automated Weather Station site too.

KERALA , WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT

A World Bank funded Capacity Building Program on Applied Hydrology was organized from 25th April to 9th May 2019 at Trivandrum, for the officials of the Irrigation Department, the Kerala State Electricity Board and the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management, Government of Kerala. This has been a tailor made programme primarily focussing on the requirements of Water Resources professionals of Kerala. Since the contents of this training programmeare relevant to a no. of other IAs of NHP, in order to replicate such programme, experts from NWA Pune and NIH, Roorkee also participated in the event. Two water resources professionals from Odisha were also participants of this programme.

Overall 38 middle level and junior level Engineers participated in this program. It was planned to mix lecture & theory methodology followed by interactive labs for thoughts and memory development. The training module included exposure to Google Earth Engine, Introduction to Python Notebooks, DSS Vue, HEC-HMS, Geo-HMS, Reach & Reservoir Routing, etc. The training was imparted by Mr. Jonathan A Quebbeman, Ms. Diane Buzzard, Mr.Lalit Mohan, and Dr. J Pandit from RTI International.

“CYCLONE AND MONSOON”

One comes with a bang
Winds uproot everything
Feared, looked in bated breath
Until rotating eye pass.

Much roar and light flash
Intrude inland
Before mellowed and retreat
Raining over off shore.

Monsoons brew long
Land hots up
Moist laden winds overseas
Begins journey landwards.

Brings life on barren
Brown turn green
Rivulets sing
Melody rent the air

Rivers flow all along
Not in bits as cyclone
Lasts half year
People praying for monsoon

Sources By
Dr.Venugopal Director , AP GW

• Training programme on BASIC HYDROLOGYfrom 14th May to 18thMay and 19th May to 23rd May at MNIT JAIPUR.
• National conference on FLOOD EARLY WARNING FOR DISASTERS RISK REDUCTION from 30th to 31st may 2019 at Hyderabad.
• Three Days training programme on MIKE HYDRO BASIN SOFTWARE from 6th to 8thJune 2019 at Gandhinagar, Gujrat.