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Large Dams, Upstream Responses, and Riverbank Erosion: Experience from the Farakka Barrage Operation in India

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Applied Geomorphology and Contemporary Issues

Part of the book series: Geography of the Physical Environment ((GEOPHY))

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Abstract

Dams are built on rivers for diverse purposes, where the most are associated with Multi-purpose river valley projects. The river water is blocked to use it for domestic purposes, irrigation, industries, navigation, and hydroelectricity. Above all, most of these projects set a common “welfare” target of managing soil erosion. However, the effort of stagnating the natural flow of alluvial channels sets ample examples where adjustment of upstream channels and consequent lateral shifting exacerbates massive threats of riverbank erosion. This chapter discusses this particular phenomenon experienced in the different parts of Indian landmasses in its first part. The latter part is specific instead. The study has been carried out to examine the channel adjustment of river Ganga upstream of Farakka Barrage up to Sahebganj with the spatial extension between 24° 45′ N and 25° 30′ N latitudes and 87° 30′ E—88° 30′ E longitudes. River Ganga, the principal stream of the great Ganga basin at the Himalayan foreland, carries a substantial sedimentary load to the lower deltaic plain in Bengal. Near Rajmahal Hills, after crossing Sahebganj, the natural downstream adjustment in terms of channel slope, channel planform, and cross-section morphology of the river exhibits a drastic change in response to the modification of the channel gradient as a consequence of the human-induced changes in hydrology and sedimentary modification as well as a degree of base-level modification with the construction of the Farakka Barrage in Malda. The plateau basalt province of lower Cretaceous to the Jurassic age at the western margin and the old alluvium Barind tract in the eastern margin of the Ganga valley has a typical role. The tectonic tilting and geological settings of Rajmahal traps, which have long been a potential force of a rapid eastbound shift of the channel, are further stimulated by the Farakka Barrage. The geostrategic decision to select sites for a large Dam overrides the geomorphic and geologic realities that crave out the left bank erosion of the river Ganga in the Malda District, bringing a massive threat to human life and resources.

The content of this chapter are based on the paper entitled ‘Channel Adjustment of River Ganga in Response to Human-induced Changes: Some Observations at Upstream of Farakka Barrage’, presented by the authors in Two Day International Seminar on “Fluvial Processes and Anthropogenic Footprint” on 11–16 March 2016, organized by the Department of Geography, University of Gour Banga, Malda in West Bengal, India.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Inquisitive readers might be interested to witness the grimed scenario of the bank erosion through the photographs by Tanmoy Bhaduri, in his photography blog ‘MONGABAY’ with the theme entitled ‘Erosion along Ganga’s riverbanks in West Bengal finds new victims’ (See here: https://india.mongabay.com/2020/11/photos-erosion-along-gangas-riverbanks-in-west-bengal-finds-new-victims/).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Gazole Mahavidyalay, Gazole, Malda, West Bengal, India

    Tanmoy Sarkar

  2. Meghnad Saha College, Itahar, Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal, India

    Mukunda Mishra

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Diamond Harbour Women’s University, Diamond Harbour, West Bengal, India

    Sujit Mandal

  2. Department of Geography and Environment Management, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, India

    Ramkrishna Maiti

  3. Department of Hydrology and Hydrodynamics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

    Michael Nones

  4. Department of Geography, Environment of Science and Planning, University of Swaziland, Swaziland, Eswatini

    Heinz R. Beckedahl

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Sarkar, T., Mishra, M. (2022). Large Dams, Upstream Responses, and Riverbank Erosion: Experience from the Farakka Barrage Operation in India. In: Mandal, S., Maiti, R., Nones, M., Beckedahl, H.R. (eds) Applied Geomorphology and Contemporary Issues. Geography of the Physical Environment. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04532-5_23

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