Water resources planning involves collecting data on water availability, future needs, and environmental impacts to formulate alternative development projects at local, regional, state, national, and international levels. Projects are evaluated based on their ability to meet single or multiple purposes like irrigation, water supply, power generation, flood control, and navigation in an economically efficient manner while minimizing environmental damage. Careful projection of future water demands and consideration of all relevant social, economic, legal, and environmental factors is needed to develop successful water resources projects.

1. MODULE- V
Water resources planning
and development
Prepared by
Bibhabasu Mohanty
Dept. of Civil Engineering
SALITER, Ahmedabad

2. Content
Levels in planning, Functional requirements of
water resources projects, steps in water
resources planning, Environmental aspects in
water resources planning.

3. Introduction
Water available in atmosphere, oceans, on land
and with in soil.
Hydrological cycle main responsible for this.
water resources engineering concerned with
utilization, control and quality management of
water.

4. Development of water resources involve
conception, planning, design, construction and
operation facilities to control and utilize water.
Development of water resources a function of
civil engineers.

5. Levels of planning
1. Local level
2. Regional level
3. State level
4. National level
5. International level

6. Local level
Planned for a small area or village.
Watershed development plan for village.
Rain water harvesting technique.
Check dams, village tanks constructed.

7. Regional level
Comparatively large area with several villages.
Construction of irrigation schemes.

8. State level
When regional level planning covers several
districts of state.
Narmada water supply pipe network in
Saurashtra region.

9. National level
Water resources planning carried for major river
basin of a river.
Sardar Sarovar dam over river Narmada
beneficiary for Gujarat, Maharashtra,
Madhyapradesh, Rajasthan.

10. International level
River running across neighboring nations
planning need at international level.
River Kosi, rises in Nepal- Himalayas and flows
in Bihar and finally meets river Ganga.

11. Water resources project
Single purpose project
Multipurpose project

12. Single purpose project
• Designed and operate to serve only one
purpose.
Irrigation project
Water supply project
Navigation project
Fishing project

13. Multi purpose project
Multi purpose project designed to operate two
or more purpose.

14. Functional requirements of water resources projects
Water requirements for various functions are:
Irrigation
Water supply
Hydroelectric power
Flood control
Navigation
Recreation
Fish and wild life

15. Water resources planning
 Statement of objectives
 Collection of data
 Projections for future
 Project formulation
 Project evaluation

16. Statement of objectives
Objective would be based on need of the region.
For national govt. it may for achieving
maximum economic and social benefits.
For state govt. it may be to reduce flood
damage.
For village panchayats, it may be for water
supply or irrigation purpose.

17. Collection of data
(A)General data
 Physical data- location, size, climate, history,
population, etc.
 Hydrological data- precipitation, evaporation,
transpiration, stream flow, sediment, water
quality, etc.
 Geological data- explorations, geological
formations, rock and soil type, ground water
availability, minerals, erosion, etc.

18. Cartographic data- topographic and other maps
of the area.
Ecological data- vegetation, fish and wild life.
Economical data- industry, transportation,
market, tourism, recreation, land, etc.
Legal data - water rights, pollution control, land
zoning, land ownership, administrative pattern,
etc.
Public opinion data – opinions of public and
politicians

19. (B) Special data
Agricultural data- crop water requirements,
climatic data, types of crops, etc.
Municipal water supply data- drinking water
needs, industrial water needs, quality of water,
etc.
Hydroelectric power data- existing and required
capacities, alternative source of power, etc.
Flood control data- record of past floods, extent
of past flooding and damages, storm drainage
requirements, etc.

20. Navigation data- present water traffic patterns,
alternative means of transportation, etc.
Recreation data- present recreational facilities,
natural attraction, scenic data, etc.
Fish and wild life data- types of fishes and wild
life, biological data in respect of species and
their habits, protection requirements, etc.
Pollution control data- existing waste discharge
methods, location, time and character of waste,
water pollution regulation, quality standards, etc.

21. Projection of future
Water resources project usually planned to meet
future needs.
Projections include future population growth,
land use, water requirements for various uses,
etc.
Projection should be worked out with great care
and caution, because unrealistic higher values
may lead to over design and excessive
investments.

22. Lower value may fail to fulfill the purpose of
project, lead to shortage of water.
So evaluation of future water demands should
be based on realistic projections.

23. Project formulation
• It needs a lot of imagination and skill, only done
by experienced planner.
• First step, to define boundary conditions which
restrict water resource project.
Physical limitation, e.g, no navigation in
torrential mountain river.
Limitations on available water
Limited land areas
Legal problems

24. • Next step to define alternative land use plans for
each possible project units.
• Project units which serve no useful purpose
should not included.
• Next is cataloging of possible project units.
• Project units along with alternatives indicated in
catalouge.

25. Project evaluation
Evaluation carried out to select alternative which
is economically suitable.
Best alternative consists of unit or combination
of units which are economically most efficient.
For economic evaluation benefits and cost data
are collected.

26. For selecting most efficient unit, fist step is to
find out whether individual units are physically
and economically independent or not.
For single purpose, independent project
evaluation is relatively simple.
Multipurpose independent unit more difficult.

27. Environmental aspects in water
resources planning
Negative impacts
Damage to fish and wild life.
Due to extinction of species of flora and fauna
change in ecology.
Loss of forest land.
Damage to vegetation on river bank.
Loss of agricultural land.

28. Loss of geological, historical, archaeological or
scenic sites.
Displacement and rehabilitation of people.
Water borne disease.
Reservoir induced seismicity

29. Positive impacts
Land use improvement by irrigation.
Flood protection.
Improved water supplies for domestic and
municipal uses.
Power supplies without consumption of fuel.
Water quality improvement.

30. Fishery improvement.
Recreational improvement.
Health improvement.
Improvement in climate of surrounding area.
Development of sanctuaries and wild life.

31. ASSIGNMENT

32. 1. What are the environmental issues in water
resources project?
2. Discuss briefly the various steps involved in
planning of water resources project.
3. Discuss various levels of planning.
4. Discuss the functional requirements of water
resources projects.