Droughts and Floods

Featured Articles
December 12, 2022 Study looks at behavioral biases in crop insurance adoption
Adoption rate of crop insurance low in India despite government efforts (Image: PxHere, CC0 Public Domain)
October 30, 2022 This book by Dr. Mitul Baruah presents a fascinating, ethnographic account of the challenges faced by communities living in Majuli, India, one of the largest river islands in the world, which has experienced immense socio-environmental transformations over the years, processes that are emblematic of the Brahmaputra Valley as a whole. This is an excerpt from the book.
Floods are recurrent phenomena in Assam (Image: Mitul Baruah)
September 13, 2022 Heavy rains and floods have battered Bengaluru yet again. Uncontrolled and unregulated development and concretisation of the city that pays no heed to the ecology and hydrology of the region needs to stop!
Urban flooding in Bangalore (Image Source: Thejas via Wikimedia Commons)
August 21, 2022 Floods are not feared, but rather welcomed by the Mishing communities from Majuli island in Assam as they bring bountiful fish- a rich source of food, nutrition and livelihood for the community.
The Majuli island, a haven for fish (Image Source: Usha Dewani, India Water Portal)
August 10, 2022 The irrigation at all costs mindset and narrow policies for drought protection during the colonial rule ignored rainfed agriculture and local practices that sustained agriculture in the Bombay Deccan. This continues even today.
Recurrent droughts and the struggle for survival (Image Source: Gaurav Bhosale via Wikimedia Commons):
August 2, 2022 The frequency and intensity of floods is on the rise in Assam spelling doom for fish biodiversity.
Life during floods in Assam (Image Source: Kausika Bordoloi via Wikimedia Commons)
Almost half of the country reels under drought: Study
News this week Posted on 04 Apr, 2019 07:00 AM

Study reveals that nearly 42 percent of India’s land area is facing drought

India will see more droughts in the future. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
UN World Water Development Report out
News this week Posted on 21 Mar, 2019 07:48 PM

UN releases the World Water Development Report 2019

UN report suggests better management of water resources to ensure equity of water. (Image source: IWP Flickr photos)
Indore tops in Swachh Survekshan 2019
News this week Posted on 13 Mar, 2019 03:03 PM

Once again, Indore tops in Swachh Survekshan

Clean road near Pardesipura, Indore (Source: India Water Portal)
Pollution affects Ganga's riverbed sediment: Study
News this week Posted on 06 Mar, 2019 08:45 AM

Not just surface water, pollution leads to deficit in dissolved oxygen in Ganga's riverbed sediment: Study

The Ganga river (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
World Bank approves Rs 11,000 crore for dam safety
News this week Posted on 19 Feb, 2019 05:37 PM

World Bank to provide Rs 11,000 crore for dam safety

Hirakud dam, the oldest dam in India (Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Income support: Budget 2019 showstopper
Will direct income support boost agriculture and shift focus from country’s food security to farmers’ income security? Posted on 11 Feb, 2019 07:04 PM

The decline in public, as well as private investment, has led to a slowdown in the growth of agriculture and allied sectors in the last five years. The crisis in the agrarian sector had intensified over the last few years. It is now the political talking point with many farmers' rallies, marches and protests being held all over the country.

For doubling farmers’ incomes by 2022, the slew of measures proposed under the budget is inadequate. (Image: Azhar Feder, Wikimedia Commons-CC-BY-SA-3.0)
Can we gain from changing rains?
While changing rainfall patterns, increased frequency of cyclones, droughts and floods threaten food and water security in India, adaptation strategies to cope with these changes are crucial. Posted on 07 Feb, 2019 12:30 PM

India is undergoing a major transition with changes in rainfall patterns leading to increased frequency of droughts, floods, heat waves amidst fear of a major water crisis in the years to come. Why are these threats increasing?

Changing rainfall patterns in India (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
Extreme rainfall events need not lead to floods
Many hydraulic factors such as physiography, drainage, catchment size and vegetation cover are critical for peak flood conditions. Posted on 21 Jan, 2019 06:36 PM

It has been reported that extreme rainfall events are increasing over India and widespread floods have increased threefold over the last several decades from an average of two events per year to six events per year. But the link between extreme rainfall events and rising incidence of floods remains tenuous.  

Many hydraulic factors influence occurrence of floods. (Pic: IWP flickr photos)
Irrigation scheme inconsistent: CAG audit
News this week Posted on 15 Jan, 2019 10:59 AM

Inconsistencies in Centre's flagship irrigation scheme, reveals CAG audit

Irrigation canal from the Bhima dam. (Source: Nvvchar on Wikipedia)
When water kills
What are waterborne diseases and why are they important? Here is all the information that you need to know waterborne diseases better. Posted on 09 Jan, 2019 03:54 PM

Waterborne diseases are diseases transmitted through

Waterborne diseases is a serious health problem in India. (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos)
×