Ganga River Floodplain Management Strategies

The chapter discusses the importance of restored floodplains in managing the Ganga River's ecosystem, highlighting their role in flood control and biodiversity support. It emphasizes the negative impacts of human activities on these wetlands and the necessity for sustainable management practices. Recommendations include land-use regulations, sustainable agriculture, and community involvement to ensure the conservation of these vital ecosystems.

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Ganga River Floodplain Management Strategies

Uploaded by

Ankit Modi

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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

1/16/25, 6:33 PM Managing streams through restored floodplains: a case of Ganga River in the middle Ganga plain - ScienceDirect

Hydrosystem Restoration Handbook

Volume 1: Streamflow Recharge (SFR) and Lake Rehabilitation (LR)

2025, Pages 57-72

Chapter 4 - Managing streams through restored

floodplains: a case of Ganga River in the middle
Ganga plain
Ankit Modi 1, Saeid Eslamian 2, Vishal Kapoor 3

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Abstract

In India, the increasing demand for food and energy has led to drastic alterations in land use and
land cover coupled with declining water availability across various river basins. Major changes have
occurred in the floodplain-wetland within a river system, which plays a critical role in maintaining
the functioning of the system under different conditions. Floodplain-wetlands offer two important
functions for a river system. First, they act as natural sponges during periods of heavy rainfall or
flooding. By absorbing and slowing down the percolation of rainfall into the soil, floodplain-
wetlands reduce the speed and volume of runoff entering streams and rivers, thereby mitigating the
risk of destructive floods downstream. This flood control function is particularly important in the
face of climate change, where extreme weather events, including heavy rainfall and flooding, are
becoming more frequent and severe. Second, floodplain-wetlands serve as sustainable habitats for a
diverse range of flora and fauna, especially during low-flow periods. These wetlands provide vital
breeding and feeding grounds for aquatic and terrestrial species, supporting biodiversity and
promoting ecological balance within the river system. Human interventions such as encroachments,
construction, and intensive agriculture in these areas has led to irreversible damage to the riverine
ecosystem, disruption of wildlife habitats, and degradation of water quality and poses risks to crops
and human lives situated in flood-prone regions. Hence, it is imperative to implement wise
management strategies for these ecosystems. This would involve measures such as strict land-use
regulations, sustainable agricultural practices, and restoration initiatives to preserve and protect
floodplain-wetlands. Moreover, community participation and awareness are essential in ensuring
the long-term conservation of these areas.

Ganga River Floodplain Management Strategies

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Ganga River Floodplain Management Strategies

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1/16/25, 6:33 PM Managing streams through restored floodplains: a case of Ganga River in the middle Ganga plain - ScienceDirect

Hydrosystem Restoration Handbook

2025, Pages 57-72

Chapter 4 - Managing streams through restored

Outline Share Cite

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