Environmental Impact Assessment on Surface Water

Environment
For evaluating the environmental impacts of various
human activities on surface water bodies the following
step models are proposed : Step-1 : Identification of
Surface Water Quantity or Quality Impacts : 1. The type of
project and how it functions or operates in a technical
context, particularly with regard to water usage and waste
water generation, or the creation of changes in water
quality or quantity. 2. The proposed location of the project.
3. The time period required for project construction. 4. The
potential environmental outputs from the project during its
operational phase, including information relative to water
usage and water pollutant emissions, and waste-generation
and disposal needs.

Step-2 : Description of Existing SurfaceWater Resource Conditions

Step-2 involves describing existing conditions of the
surface water resources potentially impacted by the
project.
Pertinent activities include assembling information on
water quantity and quality, identifying unique pollution
problems, key climatologically information, conducting
baseline monitoring, and summarizing information on
point- and non-point- pollution sources and on water
users and uses.

Step-3 : Procurement of Relevant SurfaceWater Quantity- Quality Standards

1. To determine the severity of the impact that may result from a
project, it is necessary to make use of institutional measures for
determining the impact significance.
2. Surface water quantity and quality standards, regulations, or
policies are examples of these measures. Thus determination of the
specific requirements for a given surface water will require contacting
governing agencies in one or several regions.
3. Effluent limitations regulating the permissible quality of discharged
waste water from domestic and industrial sources may also be
pertinent, along with regulations concerning non-point discharges
from industrial areas. In some cases, there may be limitations on the
amount and timing of water usage from a given body of water.

Step-4 : Impact Prediction

Impact prediction refers to the quantification,
where possible, of the anticipated impacts of
the proposed project on various surface water
environment factors.
Depending
upon
the
particular
impact,
technically demanding mathematical models
might be required for prediction.
Other approaches include the conduction of
laboratory testing, such as, leach ate testing for
degraded material, and for solid or hazardous
waste materials or sludges.

 The environmental effects on surface water are given

below : 1. Shoreline : The shoreline and the river bank
have special economic, ecological, aesthetic and
recreational importance. Project development in the
vicinity of shoreline may affect these uses.
2. Bottom interface : The river bed, lake bed and the sea
floor provide habitats, determine flow regimes, influence
water quality and be a source of minerals. Then
disturbance may cause shore-line erosion some distance
away, create turbidity and destroy habitats.

 Flow variation : Flow regulations can affect transport

capacity and water quality and can have a direct effect on
economic, recreational and ecological characteristics of
the system and adjacent land.
Water Quality : Water quality is important for economic,
ecological, aesthetic and recreational purposes.
Flooding : Reclamation of natural flood plains or swamps
may result in flooding and siltation of other areas during
peak flow.

Step-5 : Interpretation of Impact Significance

For protection and assessment of a significant impact by
public opinion collection there are a number of specific
numerical standards or criteria. For e.g., a number
efficient discharge standards are prescribed for
discharging into lakes or land with professional judgment.
The application of the professional judgment in the
context of assessing impacts related to the biological
environment; for e.g., the biological scientist in the study
team would render judgments as to the applicability of
various laws and the potential significance of the loss of
particular habitats.

Step-6 : Identification and Incorporation of

Mitigation Measures
The specific mitigation measures will be dependent upon
the particular project type and location; however of
certain actions, things which could be considered
mitigation or control measures, depending on the type of
project, are listed below: 1. Decrease surface water
usage and waste water generation through the promotion
of water conservation and waste water treatment and reuse. Pre-treat waste waters prior to discharge into
receptor. 2. Minimize erosion during the construction and
operational phases of the project; this could be facilitated
by the use of on-site sediment-retention basins and by
planting rapidly growing vegetation.

 Use constructed wetlands to control non-point source

pollution involving nutrients, pesticides and sediments.
Use techniques such as sediment removal and macrophyte
harvesting for restoring lakes and reservoirs from water
quality deterioration and eutrophication.