FLOODS

AND
FLASH FLOODS
M.P.Singh
Superintending Engineer
Hydrological Observation Circle
Central Water Commission, Guwahati
 FLOODS

FLOODS ARE NATURAL PHENOMENA.

 FLOODS

FLOODS ARE WATER RELATED DISASTER

WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

INCLUDES MANAGEMENT OF THESE
DISASTERS
 CAUSES OF FLOODS

PRECIPITATION
INADEQUATE CAPACITY (WITHIN BANKS)
BANK EROSION AND SILTING
LAND SLIDES
TIDAL AND BACK WATER EFFECTS
POOR DRAINAGE
SNOW MELT AND GLACIAL OUT BURSTS
 INDIA
FLOOD MANAGEMENT
AREA (M. Ha)
GEOGRAPHICAL 328
FLOOD PRONE 40 12%
PROTECTABLE 32 80%
PROTECTED 16.4 45%
FLOOD AFFECTED
AVERAGE 7.7
MAXIMUM 17.5 (1978)
MINIMUM 1.5 (1965)
 INDIA
FLOOD MANAGEMENT
FLOOD PRONE AREA - 40 M.Ha.
ASSAM WEST BENGAL
BIHAR 9.40% 7.91%
ORISSA
12.71% 4.18%

UTTAR PRADESH
21.90%

OTHER
STATES
43.9%
 AREA IN M.Ha.

1953 2.29
7.49
9.44
1956 9.24
4.86
6.26
1959 5.77
7.53
6.56
1962 6.12
3.49
4.9
1965 1.46
4.74
7.12
1968 7.15
6.2
6.46
1971 13.25
4.1
11.79
1974 6.7
6.17

YEAR
11.91
1977 11.46
17.5
INDIA

3.99
1980 11.46
6.12
8.87
1983 9.02
10.71
8.38
1986 8.81
8.89
16.29
1989 4.63
9.3
6.17
FLOOD MANAGEMENT

1992 2.09
4.63
2.75
1995 6.11
7.4
3.85
1998 7.18
2.55
1999
AREA AFFECTED BY FLOODS - 1953-99
 RUPEES IN CRORE

1953 52.4
57.23
1955 102.73
53.63
1957 23.37
43.97
1959 86.2
63.17
1961 31.37
94.89
1963 36.61
66.61
1965 7.14
88.43
1967 155.43
211.1
1969 404.43
287.83
1971 632.48
158.19
1973 569
569.02

YEAR
1975 471.64
888.69
1977 1201.85
1454.76
1979 614.2
840.5
1981 1196.5
1644.88
1983 2491.61
1905.56
1985 4059.27
3748.53
1987 2569.72
1989 2405.33 4630.3
1708.92
1991 1488.33
1993 3344.53
2536.79
1794.59
1995 3702.31
2952.78
FLOOD DAMAGE IN INDIA DURING 1953-2000

1997 2831.18
1999 2107.86 5845.98
1415.88
 INCREASED VULNERABILITY
CAUSES
INDISCRIMINATE ENCROACHMENT
INCREASING ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENTAL
ACTIVITIES IN FLOOD PLAINS
LACK OF REGULATIONS
INADEQUATE DRAINAGE SYSTEM
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE
LACK OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
 FLOOD MANAGEMENT
APPROACH

FLOODS CAN NOT BE ABSOLUTELY

CONTROLLED

FLOODS CAN ONLY BE MANAGED TO

REDUCE FLOOD LOSSES
 FLOOD MANAGEMENT
STRATEGIES

MODIFY THE FLOODS

MODIFY THE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO FLOOD

DAMAGE

MODIFY THE LOSS BURDEN

BEAR THE LOSS

 FLOOD MANAGEMENT

ORGANISATIONS
STATE FLOOD CONTROL DEPARTMENTS

CENTRAL WATER COMMISSION

GANGA FLOOD CONTROL COMMISSION

BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD

MHA - NDM DIVISION

 FLOOD MANAGEMENTMEASURES

STRUCTURAL : PHYSICAL WORKS FOR MEASURES

MODIFYING FLOOD MAGNITUDE

( TO KEEP FLOODS AWAY FROM PEOPLE )

NON-STRUCTURAL : PLANNED ACTIVITY TO MODIFY

MEASURES SUSCEPTIBILITY TO FLOOD DAMAGE

( TO KEEP PEOPLE AWAY FROM

FLOODS )
 FLOOD MANAGEMENT

STRUCTURAL MEASURES
DAMS & RESERVOIRS
EMBANKMENT
CHANNEL IMPROVEMENT
RIVER DIVERSION
INTER BASIN TRANSFER
ANTI EROSION WORKS
 FLOOD MANAGEMENT
NON STRUCTURAL MEASURES
FLOOD FORECASTING & WARNING

FLOOD PLAIN ZONING

FLOOD FIGHTING

FLOOD PROOFING

FLOOD INSURANCE

RELIEF & REHABILITATION

 FLOOD PLAIN ZONING
WATER SUPPLY
III III II I
II
I
FACTORY

HOSPITAL
GOVT. OFFICE POWER HOUSE
PARK

RESIDENTIAL AREA UNIVERSITY

FREQUENT FLOOD
FLOOD ONCE IN 25 YEARS NORMAL CHANNEL
FLOOD ONCE IN 100 YEARS
 FLOOD PLAIN ZONING

WARNING RESTRICTIVE PROHIBITIVE RESTRICTIVE WARNING

I II III II I

RIVER CHANNEL
 INDIA
FLOOD FORECASTING

BEGINNING
STARTED BY CENTRAL WATER COMMISSION

YEAR 1958

RIVER YAMUNA

FORECASTING STATION DELHI RAILWAY BRIDGE

FLOOD FORECASTING AND WARNING
STEPS

DATA COLLECTION

DATA TRANSMISSION

DATA ANALYSIS & FORECAST FORMULATION

DISSEMINATION OF FORECAST
 FLOOD FORECASTING
DATA COLLECTION
HYDROLOGICAL
RIVER WATER LEVEL
RIVER DISCHARGE

HYDROMETEOROLGICAL
RAINFALL
OTHER RECIPITATION
eg. SNOW, HAIL ETC.
 FLOOD FORECASTING

DATA TRANSMISSION

WIRELESS SATELLITE

TELEPHONE TELEGRAPH

FAX TELEX
 FLOOD FORECASTING
DATA ANALYSIS & FORECAST FORMULATION

CORRELATION

MATHEMATICAL MODELS
 FLOOD FORECASTING
DISSEMINATION

CIVIL AUTHORITY

FORECAST OTHER AGENCIES

PRESS, A I R
DOORDARSHAN

OTHER USERS
LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES
 FLOOD FORECASTING AND WARNING
PRESENT SYSTEM - SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM
RIVER
RIVER STAGE
STAGE && RIVER
RIVER STAGE
STAGE &
&
DISCHARGE
DISCHARGE ATAT DISCHARGE
DISCHARGE AT
AT
WEATHER
WEATHER FORECASTS
FORECASTS BASE
BASE STATION
STATION FORECASTING
FORECASTING STATIONS
STATIONS RAINFALL
RAINFALL

REGIONAL
REGIONAL OFFICES
OFFICES REGIONAL
REGIONAL OFFICES
OFFICES
OF
OF I.M.D.
I.M.D. OF
OF I.M.D.
I.M.D.

F.M.O
F.M.O OF
OF I.M.D
I.M.D FLOOD F.M.
F.M. O.
O. OF
OF I.M.D
I.M.D
FLOOD FORECASTING
FORECASTING
CENTRES
CENTRES & CONTROL ROOMS
& CONTROL ROOMS

FORMULATION
FORMULATION OF
OF
C.E.,
C.E., S.E.
S.E. CWC
CWC HQ
HQ MINISTRY
MINISTRY OF
OF WR
WR
FORECAST
FORECAST

CIVIL
CIVIL AUTHORITIES
AUTHORITIES
PRESS
PRESS RADIO STATE
RADIO STATE GOVT.
GOVT. ENGG.
CONTROL
CONTROL ROOM
ROOM ENGG. AUTHORITIES
AUTHORITIES
PP &
& TT DOORDARSHAN
DOORDARSHAN
DEFENCE
DEFENCE INDUSTRIES
INDUSTRIES
POLICE
POLICE FLOOD
FLOOD COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE
RAILWAYS
RAILWAYS
 FLOOD MANAGEMENT

scope

Use of Remote Sensing and GIS

Research and Development
Weather / Rainfall Forecasting
FF Modelling
Capacity Building
International Cooperation
 INDIA

FLOOD FORECASTING NETWORK

COVERS MAJOR AND INTER STATE RIVER

BASINS.

166 STATIONS :- INFLOW 27 & STAGE 139

 INDIA

FLOOD FORECASTING STATIONS

85

27

17 15
9 8
3 2

GANGA BPUTRA GODAVARI WEST EASTERN KRISHNA MAHANADI BARAK

FLOWING RIVERS
 INDIA

FLOOD FORECASTING STATIONS

35
32

23

15 14
11 11

6
4 4 3 2 2 2 1

R .
UP SA D

A
A
KA
AM .B T
HA

DE CT
AP N

CH R
R

MP
A

NH

AN
AL

LH
I S
AR T HA
AN TTA
S W RI
TA
B H

N
AS J

RY
S K

&
O
GU
A

A AR U

D
RN

HA
R H
M J
KA
 FLOOD MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

During flood

Pre flood Post flood

 FLOOD PLAIN ZONING

CONCEPT
AN IMPORTANT NON-STRUCTURAL MEASURE.
REGULATES LAND USE IN FLOOD PLAINS TO
RESTRICT DAMAGE BY FLOODS.
INVOLVES DEMARCATION OF ZONES IN FLOOD
PLAINS COMPATIBLE WITH FLOOD RISKS
INVOLVED.
 FLOOD PLAIN ZONING

ZONE REGULATION
PRIORITY - I

ACTIVITY LIMITED TO WATER LEVELS

CORRESPONDING TO 100 YEARS FLOOD
FREQUENCY AND DRAINAGE CONGESTION FOR
50 YEARS RAINFALL.
 FLOOD PLAIN ZONING

ZONE REGULATION
PRIORITY - II

ACTIVITY LIMITED TO LEVELS CORRESPONDING TO

25 YEARS FLOOD FREQUENCY AND DRAINAGE

CONGESTION FOR 10 YEARS RAINFALL
FREQUENCY.
 FLOOD PLAIN ZONING

ZONE REGULATION

PRIORITY - III

LESS ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITY IN

AREAS VULNERABLE TO FREQUENT FLOODS.
 FLOOD MANAGEMENT

FUTURE STRATEGIES
Focused Approach
Basin Wise Action Plan
Flood Plain Zoning
Role of Central Government
Funding of Planned Flood Management Works
Adequacy of Flood Cushion in Reservoirs
THANK YOU