The document discusses the unique characteristics of rivers in Kerala, India that originate from the Western Ghats mountain range. It notes that the rivers have short lengths but support a high population density and biodiversity. Six major threats to the rivers are identified: catchment deforestation, dams and diversions, sand mining, incorrect land use, pollution, and encroachments. Three rivers are highlighted as either on the brink of dying (Chalakudy River) or already dying/dead (Periyar and Bharathapuzha Rivers) due to these threats and flow modifications from dams. The document calls for plans to restore rivers to more "living" states through ecological restoration, improved dam management, and strengthened

1. Western Ghats and Kerala
Rivers
Dr.A.Latha
River Research Centre
Thrissur – 680306
rrckerala@gmail.com

2. What could have been a living river in
the Western Ghats ?
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Good forested catchment
Habitat continuity
Flowing from source to sea
Carrying freshwater upto the coast
Intact river banks with continuous riparian stretch
Fertile flood plains and deltas enabling agriculture to
thrive
• Rich biodiversity
• River dependent communities and livelihoods with a
sense of belongingness and ownership to their river
• River culture and aesthetics moulded by landscape,
people and livelihoods

3. Home for hornbills and the fishing eagle

5. Aesthetics

8. What is unique about Kerala Rivers ?
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All the rivers originate from the Western Ghats – ‘Hotspot’ among 34
Global Biodiversity Hotspots
The most biodiversity rich region in the entire 1600 km Western
Ghats supporting 30 + million population
Short torrential monsoon fed rivers with steep gradient from east to
west
Very high fish diversity ( 260 – 312 sp ) and very high endemism
( 109 – 129 sp )
Supports very high population for such small rivers
Connect diverse ecosystems – forests to sea
The well being of the rivers – inextricably linked to the well being of
the Western Ghats

10. Kerala Western Ghats rivers at a glance
• 44 river basins – 41 west flowing and 3 east flowing
• No major rivers – four medium and rest are streams
• East flowing Kabini, Pambar and Bhavani – tributaries of
Kavery
• Total catchment just 43,000 sq.km - less than half of
Kavery
• Mainstay of more than 30 million people living in 38,000
+ sq.km small strip of land
• Just 11 rivers more than 100 km in length
• 10 rivers are interstate
• Total annual utilisable yield – 49000 + MCM

11. Important rivers
Name
Leng Catch
th ment
(km) (sq.km)
Annual
utilisable
Yield
( MCM)
Origin in the
Western Ghats
Periyar
244
5398
8230
Sivagiri
Bharatha
puzha
209
6186
4146
Anamalais
Pamba
176
2235
3164
Pulachimalai
Chaliyar
169
2923
3160
Ilambalari
Chalakudy
144
1704
2033
Anamalais

12. Six major interventions contributing to
dying rivers
• Catchment deforestation and habitat
fragmentation in the Western Ghats
• Dams and Diversions
• Sand Mining
• Incorrect land use
• Pollution
• Encroachments into rivers

16. Korava swamps in Kabini basin

20. Believe me or not - this is a stream

21. Most rivers hover between
Living and Dying !
• No untouched
pristine river in
Kerala
• Three rivers
• Chalakudy – on the
brink
• Periyar – Dying
• Bharathapuzha – A
dead river

22. Dams and Diversions

23. Direct modifiers of flow
• Daily and Seasonal changes in flows – time,
duration, frequency – Chalakudy river
• Modify river channel and flood plain habitats
• Disconnect rivers from flood plains Bharathapuzha
• Sediment flow changes impact downstream
aquatic life - Bharathapuzha
• Life cycles and flow adaptations change
• Flood recession agriculture – Kole and Kuttanad
• Diversions kill the flows and river life –
Mullperiyar

24. Flow fragmentation – Chalakudy basin
Sl.no
Name of the Project
River Stretch below dam with no
river flow
1
Parambikulam dam
5 km
2
Peruvaripallam dam
2 km
3
Thunakadavu dam
3 km
4
T N Sholayar
4 km
5
Kerala Sholayar
12 km
6
Poringalkuthu
3 km
TOTAL
28 km

27. Flow Fluctuations
– CRB
With 6 dams upstream
1: 4
Proposal for seventh
dam
Future flow fluctuation
1 : 17

32. Disconnected flows – Periyar
• 17 dams
• Mullaperiyar to Idukki – river stretch dries up during
summer
• Below Idukki group of dams for 25 km river dries up –
1440 MCM water annually diverted to Muvattupuzha
river after power generation
• Nirar tributary diverted to Tamil Nadu through
Parambikulam dams part of PAP treaty
• IWMI study – High score for sensitivity along with high
scores for ecological condition indicate that ecological
aspects of river are important and high environmental
flows are required

33. Where is the river ?

34. Disconnected flows :
Bharathapuzha basin
•
11 dams out of which three
are part of the
Parambikulam Aliyar
interstate water sharing
Treaty.
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All the irrigation projects
divert river through canals
for irrigation – river flow lost
for considerable distance

35. Chalakudy river basin – on the brink
+ Maximum catchment under jurisdiction of Forest
Department
+ Athirappilly waterfalls – the gift of nature
+ Very few industries and large townships
+ High fish diversity and endemism – 104 fish sp
and 54 % endemism
+ Flowing through four altitudinal niches –
enabling rich habitats and biodiversity
+ Supports 10 lakh population in three districts
+ Major irrigation project serving 15 Local self
governments

36. What a fall !

37. Periyar – life line of Kerala - Dying
+ Main single source of drinking water to
maximum populace in Kerala – 30 lakh
+ Kochi Metro survives on Periyar
+ Main contributor to electricity production –
Idukki HEP
+ Supports the maximum area under tea in
South India
+ Supports the largest industrial area in
Kerala – 250 odd industries

39. Bharathapuzha - The dead river
+ The most revered, romanticised and written
river in Kerala – in literature and movies
+ Main source of drinking water for three districts –
175 panchayaths – 8 lakhs population
+ Supports the rice bowl of Kerala – Palakkad
+ Maximum cultural and religious places along
this river
+ Present flow in the downstream owing to Kunti
catchment saved from the Silent Valley HEP

41. Time to plan for Living Rivers

42. The river also has a right to flow !
• Ecological values of
rivers need to be
recognized and
respected by planners,
policy makers and
implementing agencies
and integrated into the
planning process
• Plan for development of
river basin within
ecological limits and not
hydrological potential

43. Can we have Indicators of river
health ?
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Extent of intact Catchment
Aquatic diversity
Protected Areas in the River Basin
Degree of flow regulation and fragmentation
Extent of Sand Mining
Human dependence – Use and misuse
Water quality
Extent of saline ingress

44. From Dying to Living…………
• Eco – restoration of catchments – protection of
sources
• Reservoir Operations Management Strategies
for dammed and regulated rivers for improving
flows – Chalakudy river
• Sand audit based regulation and Sand Mining
‘holidays’ to be declared in heavily mined
stretches
• River Bank Protection – Vegetative
• Decentralised water management options in
place of river dependent centralised options Mullaperiyar

45. A stream starts here

47. ………. Long Way ahead
• Ensure minimum and acceptable water quality
• Policy changes integrating ecosystem needs and
services into planning – eg. land use planning for an
LSG in a river basin
• Policy support and enforcement to ensure flow regime is
worked out, water is released for the ecosystem needs/
abstraction is limited to meet ecosystem needs in heavily
utilised rivers – e flows implementation
• Dam decommissioning as a means to improve the flows
– Mullaperiyar dam

48. For our rivers to flow