Rivers

Featured Articles
November 25, 2022
Categorising watersheds for freshwater ecosystem conservation in India
These maps at the watershed scales have been made to not only ensure inclusion of different freshwater ecosystems, their connectivity and hydrological processes, but can also provide a spatial context for conservation decisions.
A stream at Anini, Arunachal Pradesh (Image Source: Roshni Arora)
October 30, 2022
Slow disaster: Political ecology of hazards and everyday life in the Brahmaputra valley, Assam
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)
October 11, 2022
Visualizing the Vrishabhavathi river to keep it alive
In an effort to inform the general public, especially citizen activists, policymakers, researchers, and students, about the current status of the Vrishabhavathi river, Paani.Earth has created the necessary maps, data, analysis, and information to drive conservation awareness and action around the river.
Vrishabhavathi river (Image Source: Paani.Earth)
October 6, 2022
Deteriorating landscapes and threatened ecosystems of Jammu and Kashmir
Rapid urbanisation and faulty land use policies are rapidly destroying forests, grasslands and wetlands in Jammu and Kashmir, India and the ecosystem value services they provide. Can these valuable ecosystems be saved?
Deteriorating ecosystems of Jammu and Kashmir, India (Image Source: tkohli at Flickr via Wikimedia Commons)
September 5, 2022
Rivers of Bengaluru: A map-infographic reflects the rivers’ state
In an attempt to present a perspective on how rivers are used and abused, a map of the Bengaluru rivers illustrate how waste flows through natural river corridors, polluting the rivers and altering their status.
Vrishabhavathi river flow at Thagachguppe Bridge, Kumbalgodu (Image Source: Paani.Earth)
August 11, 2022
India’s rivers in trouble due to high fertilizer load and heavy monsoons
This could lead to water quality crisis reinforcing the need for basin-specific management strategies
Around the world, more than a fifth of nitrogen released by human activity ends up in aquatic ecosystems (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
River Sharavathi - under siege from microplastics
A study finds that microplastic pollution in the river Sharavathi originating in the Western Ghats is growing. Urgent efforts to protect this biodiversity hotspot are needed.
Kaniyambadi Amrutha
Sachin Shajikumar
Anish Kumar Warrier
Joju George Sebastian
Yamuna Adichinalniravel Sali
Thara Chandran
Sanitha Sivadas
Ravidas Naik
Vadakkeveedu Narayan Amrish
Arun Kumar
Vishnu Unnikrishnan
Posted on 16 Dec, 2022 01:32 PM

Rivers worldover are choking on plastic and transferring more than two million tonnes per year of microplastics (MPs) into the marine environment informs this paper titled 'Assessment of pollution and risks associated with microplastics in the riverine sediments of the Western Ghats: a heritage site in southern I
The pristine river Sharavathi (Image Source: Ashwin Kumar via Wikimedia Commons)
Water storage in river basins dips in 2021, drier than normal conditions to blame: WMO
News this fortnight
Swati Bansal
Posted on 15 Dec, 2022 05:57 PM

Significant drop in the volume of Ganga river water and groundwater in the river basin, reveals WMO report
Ganga river in Uttarakhand (Source: IWP Flickr album)
Classifying rivers for setting up stone crushers is illegal: NGT to Uttarakhand government
Policy matters this fortnight
Swati Bansal
Posted on 14 Dec, 2022 02:14 PM

Uttarakhand’s classification of rivers to set up stone crushers violates NGT Act
A river in Uttarakhand (Image source: IWP Flickr photos)
Assessing the health of river Ganga
How are dams affecting the river Ganga? What are phytoplankton and how can they help assess health of rivers? What is the connection between dams, barrages, river flows and phytoplankton growth? Read this recent study to know more.
Aarti Kelkar Khambete
Posted on 08 Dec, 2022 07:07 PM

Dams can bind and gag rivers 

Structures such as locks, dams, barrages, and weirs are known to drastically reduce the longitudinal connectivity of rivers, impact downstream flow, and alter riverine ecosystems.
The polluted Ganges (Image Source: Lane Rasberry via Wikimedia Commons)
Categorising watersheds for freshwater ecosystem conservation in India
These maps at the watershed scales have been made to not only ensure inclusion of different freshwater ecosystems, their connectivity and hydrological processes, but can also provide a spatial context for conservation decisions.
Roshni Arora
Mike Heiner
Balachander T
Ranjan Panda
Deepti Gupṭa
Ishan Agarwal
Posted on 25 Nov, 2022 04:20 PM

We invite your feedback and contributions to this article. Please view the maps by clicking the link at the end of the article.
A stream at Anini, Arunachal Pradesh (Image Source: Roshni Arora)
Green nod granted to Centre’s ambitious Rs 72,000 crore project in Greater Nicobar Island
Policy matters this fortnight
Swati Bansal
Posted on 17 Nov, 2022 06:02 PM

MoEF grants green clearance to multi-development projects in Greater Nicobar Island
Havelock, Andaman Island. Photo for representation only (Source: Vikramjit Kakati from Pixabay)
Slow disaster: Political ecology of hazards and everyday life in the Brahmaputra valley, Assam
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.
Mitul Baruah
Posted on 30 Oct, 2022 07:19 PM

The accumulation of capital and misery go hand in hand, concentrated in space.

― David Harvey, The Limits to Capital, 2006 [1982]: 418

Floods are recurrent phenomena in Assam (Image: Mitul Baruah)
Visualizing the Vrishabhavathi river to keep it alive
In an effort to inform the general public, especially citizen activists, policymakers, researchers, and students, about the current status of the Vrishabhavathi river, Paani.Earth has created the necessary maps, data, analysis, and information to drive conservation awareness and action around the river.
Paani.Earth
Posted on 11 Oct, 2022 04:00 PM

A river or a cesspool of waste?
Vrishabhavathi river (Image Source: Paani.Earth)
No construction allowed on reclaimed land near Mahanadi river: NGT
Policy matters this fortnight
Swati Bansal
Posted on 09 Oct, 2022 07:17 PM

Mahanadi riverfront development plan: NGT refuses allowing construction on reclaimed land
River Mahanadi in Chhattisgarh (Image source: IWP Flickr photos)
Deteriorating landscapes and threatened ecosystems of Jammu and Kashmir
Rapid urbanisation and faulty land use policies are rapidly destroying forests, grasslands and wetlands in Jammu and Kashmir, India and the ecosystem value services they provide. Can these valuable ecosystems be saved?
Bhat, I.F
Shaheen, F.A
Kirmani, N.A
Gautam, K
Lone, F.A
Afroza, B.
Baghishree, D
Posted on 06 Oct, 2022 09:34 PM

Landscapes are important features and shape the economy and survival of a region. However, developmental activities in recent years are not only threatening landscape features, but also affecting landscape ecosystems and livelihoods of people who depend on it.
Deteriorating ecosystems of Jammu and Kashmir, India (Image Source: tkohli at Flickr via Wikimedia Commons)
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