Role of Inland Dredging for Integrated Water Management

Abstract

Water is one of the prime components for existence and continuation of life on earth. For increasing demands of population, undesired planning and activities, the world is facing a severe water crisis, both in quantity and quality. A proper ‘Water Management’ is necessary to improve the situation. ‘Water Management’ includes two aspects—(i) Supply of utility water at different levels of purifications, to different kinds of end users, and (ii) disposal of storm/used/contaminated water. Elements of utility water supply include, (i) sources of water, (ii) transport the water from source to end users and (iii) supply and control mechanism. Similarly, the elements for disposal of excess and/or wastewater are—(i) collection and control system and (ii) convey the water from the control zone to an ecological system where acceptable, for final disposal or further processing. Usefulness of inland dredging process is discussed here, to restore or enhance the storage or flowing capacity of the surface utility water and storm or wastewater source or disposal reservoirs. Efficacy of dredging to improve transport or conveyance systems (canals, rivers, or channels) for both the above applications is also narrated. To avoid pollutant entry in the food chain, environmental dredging of contaminated sediments in the streams or reservoirs is also mentioned briefly. Dredging equipment, matching with the existing technical, economic, social, and environmental scenario is described, which are developed, designed, built, and operated successfully for decades. No detail research was found about the removal strategy of uncontaminated and contaminated sediment from inland lotic and lentic water sources. This issue is also addressed briefly in this paper.