Problem
Water deprivation of downstream locations
Other Names:
Water shortages due to dammingUpstream overexploitation of river water
Disruptive upstream water regulation
Incidence:
Indian damming of the Ganges by the Farakka Barrage has resulted in the largest irrigation network in Bangladesh being unable to supply enough water to the land. The dam was constructed in 1974, some 11 miles inside the border, partly to improve navigability of the Hooghly River feeding Calcutta. When the dry season peaked in April 1993, pumps in Bangladesh could not be operated because of the drastic fall in the volume of water traditionally expected from the Ganges. The diversion amounted to approximately 70% of the dry season flow. Decreasing flows have also resulted in a rise in salinity over large areas. No agreement between India and Bangladesh on water share has been in force since 1982.
Broader Problems:
Water-related hazards and dangersUncoordinated international river basin development Narrower Problems:
Environmental degradation due to creation of dams Aggravates:
Soil salinizationWater salinizationVariable river channelUnreliable water sourceLimited irrigation waterConflicting uses of water resourcesPremature drying of plantsLong-term shortage of waterWater flow obstructions in watercoursesEnvironmentally destructive redirection of water flows Strategies:
Opposing development of riversInstituting integrated management of water catchmentsUsing water as a weaponUsing water as a weapon Subject(s):
Economics → Resource utilizationHydrology → Rivers and lakes
Hydrology → Water
Law → Regulation
Societal Problems → Deprivation
Societal Problems → Scarcity
Transportation, Telecommunications → Storage
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
E: Emanations of other problems Date of last update
30.09.2019 – 16:56 CEST