Reviving Dying Springs: Climate Change Adaptation Experiments From the Sikkim Himalaya

Tambe, Sandeep; Kharel, Ghanashyam; Arrawatia, M. L.; Kulkarni, Himanshu; Mahamuni, Kaustubh; Ganeriwala, Anil K.; Bhawan, Gram Vikas

doi:10.1659/mrd-journal-d-11-00079.1

Cited by 148 publications

(100 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Treatment measures include a combination of tree plantation, staggered trenches, brush wood check dams, etc. which reduce surface run off and increase infiltration leading to spring recharge [57].…”

Section: Decentralizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-Linking Governance of Energy with Livelihoods and Irrigation in Uttarakhand, India

Buechler

Sen²,

Khandekar

et al. 2016

Water

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Abstract:Hydropower is often termed "green energy" and proffered as an alternative to polluting coal-generated electricity for burgeoning cities and energy-insecure rural areas. India is the third largest coal producer in the world; it is projected to be the largest coal consumer by 2050. In the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, India, over 450 hydroelectric power schemes are proposed or are under development. Hydropower projects ranging from micro hydro (run-of-the-river systems with generating capacity up to 100 kW) to large reservoirs (storage systems up to 2000 MW) such as the Tehri Dam are in various stages of planning, construction or implementation. Run-of-the-river hydropower projects are being developed in Uttarakhand in order to avoid some of the costs to local communities created by large dams. Stakeholders in this rapid hydropower expansion include multiple actors with often diverging sets of interests. The resulting governance challenges are centered on tradeoffs between local electricity and revenue from the sale of hydropower, on the one hand, and the impacts on small-scale irrigation systems, riparian-corridor ecosystem services, and other natural resource-based livelihoods, on the other. We focus on the Bhilangana river basin, where water dependent livelihoods differentiated by gender include farming, fishing, livestock rearing and fodder collection. We examine the contradictions inherent in hydropower governance based on the interests of local residents and other stakeholders including hydropower developers, urban and other regional electricity users, and state-level policymakers. We use a social justice approach applied to hydropower projects to examine some of the negative impacts, especially by location and gender, of these projects on local communities and then identify strategies that can safeguard or enhance livelihoods of women, youth, and men in areas with hydropower projects, while also maintaining critical ecosystem services. By assessing the Bhilangana basin case, we also offer hydropower-livelihoods-irrigation nexus lessons for headwater regions across the Himalayas and globally.

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Section: Decentralizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-Linking Governance of Energy with Livelihoods and Irrigation in Uttarakhand, India

Buechler

Sen²,

Khandekar

et al. 2016

Water

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“…The temporal patterns of the runoff affect the local or regional carbon balance by affecting the (i) nature of soil water balance that regulates the ecophysiological factors that controls photosynthesis; and biogeochemical processes that govern ecosystem respiration and also (ii) the export-import of dissolved organic carbon, which can be a significant form of carbon flux in this type of Lesser Himalayan ecosystems where coniferous litter prevails. The dynamics of the run-off variability may also affect: (1) the local biodiversity such as grasses, herbs, shrubs and trees, and wildlife and fish population in these watersheds in the downstream regions; (2) means of drinking water from natural springs -locally known as 'Naulas' and 'Dharas', gravity flow and lift schemes 15 , and (3) means of irrigation and thus the agricultural productivity. Further studies that combine measurements and process-based modelling are warranted to better understand the ecohydrological complexities associated with climate change-induced run-off changes in this watershed.…”

Section: Ecohydrological Implications Of Increasing Zdd Under Climatementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent studies have shown that many climate changeinduced ecohydrological phenomena in the Northwestern Himalaya are already active 15,16 . Most of these phenomena are directly or indirectly related to perturbations in the local hydrological cycle 15,17 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most of these phenomena are directly or indirectly related to perturbations in the local hydrological cycle 15,17 . These effects include increasing monsoon rainfall 18 ; increasing temperature 19,20 , changes in rainfall pattern 11,21 , increased frequency of extreme events 15,22,23 , steady recession of glaciers [24][25][26] , rapid depletion of tributary glaciers 27 , shrinking of snow cover 17 , decreased contribution of glacier-melt water to river discharge 27 , shifting of natural vegetation and fruit belts to higher elevation 28 , changes in agricultural patterns 10,29,30 , emergence of new pests 31 , decrease in the length of perennial river network and summer run-off due to depletion of ground water 2,32 , etc. In this article, based on historical records of hydrometeorological data, we demonstrate how a perennial stream in the rainfed (i.e.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Perennial to Ephemeral Transformation of a Lesser Himalayan Watershed

Rawat¹,

Govind²,

Rawat³

et al. 2016

Current Science

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Under a changing climate, the Sub-Himalayan ecosystems are likely to experience marked transformations in hydrological, biogeochemical and biophysical processes. To explore this, we have been observing various hydrometeorological parameters in a completely rain-fed sub-Himalayan watershed (Salla Rauetella Watershed) since 1991. We noted a changing trend for some of the hydrometeorological parameters over the 22-yr period. While the annual air temperature has increased significantly, the annual rainfall also shows an increasing trend with a higher probability of increased rainfall intensity. The run-off data show a peculiar trend that the watershed has been transforming itself from a perennial to an ephemeral system, despite an increasing trend of rainfall magnitudes. This is primarily attributed to the increasing trends of rainfall intensities exceeding the infiltration capacities of the soil which trigger large but high-intensity run-off events with dry spells in other periods, which makes the river ephemeral. We infer a likely dynamic change in the run-off-generation mechanism which warrants the need for a more precise and rigorous observationcum-measurement strategy of ecohydrological processes in Himalayan ecosystems, supported with modelling and remote sensing approaches. This will help identify the optimal headwater treatment measures for augmenting groundwater to sustain the rainfed streams of the Himalaya under a changing climate.

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“…In a similar way, a hydrological study carried out in an agrarian watershed in Sikkim recommended that dense mixed forest cover should be maintained in the higher-elevation catchment areas to regulate and ensure stream flows downstream (Rai & Sharma, 1998). More recently, application of geohydrological techniques for identifying recharge areas of unconfined aquifers in mountain areas has been suggested to support watershed management in the context of changing precipitation patterns (Tambe et al, 2012). Some watershed development programmes in India have started to focus on water harvesting and improving soil health in rainfed areas, rather than the traditional focus on simple soil and water conservation (Rockstrom et al, 2010).…”

Section: Role Of the Governmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Governance and management of local water storage in the Hindu Kush Himalayas

Vaidya

2015

International Journal of Water Resources Development

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The people of the Hindu Kush Himalayan region face severe seasonal water shortages due to the high variability in rainfall, and the problem is likely to be exacerbated under climate change. Small-scale local water storage options offer a means of collecting monsoon precipitation to provide for agricultural and household needs over the entire year, and they help build community resilience. Proper watershed management, with due consideration of upstream -downstream linkages, and appropriate institutional arrangements are vital for this adaptation measure to work. Active participation of local users in decisions related to water allocation and community services is essential. Planned interventions should preserve the institutional arrangements of reciprocity and cooperation among community members.

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Reviving Dying Springs: Climate Change Adaptation Experiments From the Sikkim Himalaya

Cited by 148 publications

References 9 publications

Re-Linking Governance of Energy with Livelihoods and Irrigation in Uttarakhand, India

Re-Linking Governance of Energy with Livelihoods and Irrigation in Uttarakhand, India

Perennial to Ephemeral Transformation of a Lesser Himalayan Watershed

Governance and management of local water storage in the Hindu Kush Himalayas

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