A Seminar Report

On
FLOOD MANAGEMENT IN INDIA

Submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of degree

Of
Bachelor of Technology

IN
Civil Engineering

Submitted by:
BHEEM RAO (1528400024)

Under the supervision of:

Mrs. Sanchit Mishra
Assistant Professor Department of Civil Engineering
UIT, ALLAHABAD

UNITED INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

DR. A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

AUGUST,2018

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 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Mr. BHEEM RAO College Roll No. 1528400024 has submitted
the seminar report entitled “FLOOD MANAGEMENT IN INDIA” in partial fulfillment
for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Technology (Civil Engineering). The report
has been prepared as per the prescribed format and is approved for submission and
presentation.

Signature of Head Signature of Guide

NAME Bheem Rao (1528400024)

Professor & Head Professor
Dept. of Civil Engg. Dept. of Civil Engg.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This is to acknowledge my gratitude towards my guide Mrs. Sanchit Mishra Professor

Dept. of Civil Engineering for his guidance and suggestions in preparing this seminar
report. His suggestion and way of summarizing the things make me to go for independent
studying and trying my best to get the maximum in my topic this made my circle of
knowledge very vast. I am highly thankful by getting guidance from you on this seminar.

I take this opportunity to record my sincere thanks to all the faculty members of
the Department of civil Engineering for their help and encouragement. I also thank my
friends for their unceasing encouragement and support.

I also place on record, my sense of gratitude to one and all who, directly or indirectly,
have lent their helping hand in the seminar report.

Date- Bheem Rao (1528400024)

B. Tech (Civil)

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 CONTENTS
PAGE
TITLE NO.
LIST OF FIGURES 5
LIST OF TABLES 5
ABSTRACT 6
1. INTRODUCTION 7
2. CAUSES OF FLOODS 9
3. FLOOD IMPACTS 11
4. SELECTION OF DESIGN FLOOD 12
4.1. Probable maximum flood (PMF) 12
4.2. Standard project flood 12
4.3. Flood corresponding to a certain desired frequency 12
4.4. Estimation of design flood 12
5. METHOD OF FLOOD CONTROL 15
5.1 Reservoirs 15
5.2 Levees 19
5.3 Flood walls 20
5.4 Improvement of river channel 22
5.5 Diversion of flood water to flood ways 22
5.6 Watershed management for flood control 23
5.7 Construction of cut-off 23
5.8 Flood plain management 24
5.9 Afforestation 26
5.10 Flood forecasting 26
6. PROCEDURE FOR DESIGN OF FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT 28
7. NATIONAL POLICY ON FLOOD CONTROL 29
8. CASE STUDY 31
8.1 India flood prone areas 31
8.2 Major floods in the history of India 34
9. CONCLUSIONS 37
10. REFRENCES 38

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 LIST OF FIGURES

FIG. TITL PAGE

NO. E NO.

Fig. 1.1 Flood 7

Fig. 5.1 Storage reservoir 15

Fig. 5.2 Detention reservoir 16

Fig. 5.3 Retarding reservoir 17

Fig. 5.4 Levees 20

Fig. 5.5 Flood walls 21

Fig. 5.6 Flood ways 22

Fig. 5.7 Construction of cut off 23

Fig. 5.8 Flood plain zoning 24

Fig. 5.9 Flood proofing 25

Fig. 8.1 Flood prone areas 33

LIST OF TABLES

TAB.
NO. TITLE PAGE NO.

Tab. 8.1 State wise flood prone areas 31

Tab. 8.2 Flood data 32

Tab. 8.3 Avg. annual flood damage 32

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 ABSTRACT

Flood damages property and endangers the lives of humans and other species. Rapid

water runoff causes soil erosion and concomitant sediment deposition elsewhere (such as

further downstream or down a coast) The spawning grounds for fish and other wildlife

habitats can become polluted or completely destroyed. Some prolonged high floods can

delay traffic in areas which lack elevated roadways. Floods can interfere with drainage

and economical use of lands, such as interfering with farming. Flood control structures

are necessary to diminish the effects of excess water in streams. They can be

distinguished in structures that provoke a reduction of peak flows and in structures that

divert floodwaters through flood bypasses. Sometimes levees can also be used to control

flood events. Flood control refers to all methods used to reduce or prevent the detrimental

effects of flood waters. Flood relief refers to methods used to reduce the effects of flood

waters or high water levels.

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 Chapter-1

INTRODUCTION

A flood is a relatively high stage of the river which is usually accompanied by

overtopping of the natural banks of the river in a particular reach. The food occurs due to
heavy rains, or melting of snow or both when the discharge in river is so high that its
natural cross-section is unable to contain it.

Consequently, the river banks are overtopped, and the flood water spreads over the flood
plains. The flood causes damage to crop and property, a lot of inconvenience to the people
and some time also loss of life.

FIGURE 1.1: Flood

Flood control is required to reduce damage. However, it is not economically feasible to

have an absolute control over the floods. The aim while planning the flood control works,
should be to adopt measures which reduce flood damages consistent with cost involved.
In fact ,the measures are adopted for the flood mitigation and not for the flood control. It
is not to prevent floods but it is possible to prevent or reduce the damage due to floods
by controlling the floods. Thus flood control is defined as prevention of the flood damage.

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 In India about 40 Mha of land is flood prone, which is 12% of the total geographical
area of 328 Mha. About 12Mha of the flood prone land has been provided with some
reasonable protection against floods by providing flood embankments, drainage
channels, etc. Although various flood-control programmes have been under taken in the
past,the protection achieved so far is not adequate. In 1976 Rashtriya Barh Ayog, or
National Flood Commission, was set up by Government of India to study the flood
problem, to review the effectiveness of the measures already adopted and to
recommended suitable measures to reduce further flood damage. In 1980, the RBA
submitted its comprehensive report which is considered as a landmark in the history of
flood control in India. Its recommendations are being implemented for the formulation
of a national policy of flood control.

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 Chapter-2

CAUSES OF FLOODS

Floods are caused by many factors (or a combination of any of these): heavy rainfall,
highly accelerated snowmelt, severe winds over water, unusual high tides, tsunamis, or
failure of dams, levees, retention ponds, or other structures that retained the water.
Flooding can be exacerbated by increased amounts of impervious surface or by other
natural hazards such as wildfires, which reduce the supply of vegetation that can absorb
rainfall.

Periodic floods occur on many rivers, forming a surrounding region known as the flood
plain. During times of rain, some of the water is retained in ponds or soil, some is
absorbed by grass and vegetation, some evaporates, and the rest travels over the land as
surface runoff. Floods occur when ponds, lakes, riverbeds, soil, and vegetation cannot
absorb all the water. Water then runs off the land in quantities that cannot be carried
within stream channels or retained in natural ponds, lakes, and man-made reservoirs.
About 30 percent of all precipitation becomes runoff and that amount might be increased
by water from melting snow. River flooding is often caused by heavy rain, sometimes
increased by melting snow. A flood that rises rapidly, with little or no warning, is called
a flash flood. Flash floods usually result from intense rainfall over a relatively small area,
or if the area was already saturated from previous precipitation.

The main causes of flooding are below

1. High rainfall
Heavy rainfall raises the water level. When the water level is higher than the
river bank or the dams, the water comes out from the river, there will be
flooding.

2. Snowmelt
Because of global warming, the temperature of this year is higher than the
temperature of many years ago. The ice caps melt in spring, and the water goes
into the sea. The water raises the sea level, and makes the river level rise. When
river level rises, flooding may occur.

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3. Relief
Flooding often occurs in lowlands. This is because rivers flow more slowly in
low-lying areas. If the water volume increases suddenly, floods occur.
4. Coastal flooding

Flooding always occurs in coastal areas. High tides or storms cause the water level
to rise. If the water level is higher than the level of the coastal lowland, flooding
will occur.

5. Deforestation
Large areas of forests near the rivers have been cleared. The lands are used to
make room for settlement, roads and farmland. Less vegetation protects the soil,
the soil is quickly lost to rivers and the sea. This raises the river bed, so the river
overflows its banks easily.

6. Poor farming

Some farming practices can damage the vegetation cover, so the soil will be
washed into the river easily.

7. Overgrazing
People want more food and money. They graze too many animals on the land and
the pasture is eaten away quickly. Less vegetation cover results in soil washed into
the rivers easily.

8. Over cultivation
When a piece of land has been used for farming for a long period of time, the soil
may become so infertile that no vegetation can grow on it. The land is less fertile
than before so the soil washed into the rivers more easily

9. Poor water management

When the dams are poorly constructed or maintained, they can easily collapse and
this results in flooding. In China, many lakes along the major rivers have been
heavily silted and reclaimed.

10. Population pressure

Because of large amounts of people, everything needs more, like wood, land and
food. Soil erosion happens more often and increases the risk of flooding.

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 Chapter-3

FLOOD IMPACTS

Flooding has many impacts. It damages property and endangers the lives of humans and
other species. Rapid water runoff causes soil erosion and concomitant sediment
deposition elsewhere (such as further downstream or down a coast). The spawning
grounds for fish and other wildlife habitats can become polluted or completely destroyed.
Some prolonged high floods can delay traffic in areas which lack elevated roadways.
Floods can interfere with drainage and economical use of lands, such as interfering with
farming. Structural damage can occur in bridge abutments, bank lines, sewer lines, and
other structures within floodways. Waterway navigation and hydroelectric power are
often impaired. Financial losses due to floods are typically millions of dollars each year,
with the worst floods in recent U.S. history having cost billions of dollars.
Two types of losses due to flood disaster:-

1. Tangible loss
2. Intangible loss

1. Tangible loss: Loss can be estimated in terms of money value.

i. Personal properties like building, materials etc.

ii. Loss of crops
iii. Loss due to disruption of business
iv. Loss due to disruption of road and railways

2. Intangible loss: Loss can't be estimated in money values.

i. Human loss
ii. Disruption of Air / Train / Bus services
iii. Spread of Water-borne Communicable Diseases
iv. Communication Breakdown
v. Electricity Supply Cut off
vi. Social Disruption
vii. Increase in Air / Water Pollution

Chapter-4
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 SELECTION OF DESIGN FLOOD

4.1 PROBABLE MAXIMUM FLOOD (PMF)

The PMF is the largest flood that could conceivably occur at a particular location, usually
estimated from probable maximum precipitation, and where applicable, snow melt,
coupled with the worst flood producing catchment conditions. Generally, it is not
physically or economically possible to provide complete protection against this event.
The PMF defines the extent of flood prone land, that is, the floodplain. The extent, nature
and potential consequences of flooding associated with a range of events rarer than the
flood used for designing mitigation works and controlling development, up to and
including the PMF event should be addressed in a floodplain risk management study.

4.2 STANDARD PROJECT FLOOD

The volume of streamflow expected to result from the most severe combination of
meteorological and hydrologic conditions which are reasonably characteristic of the
geographic region involved, excluding extremely rare combinations.

4.3 FLOOD CORRESPONDING TO A CERTAIN DESIRED FREQUENCY

The design flood is sometimes taken as a flood corresponding to a certain desired
frequency of occurrence depending upon economic factors and other practical
consideration.

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4.4 ESTIMATION OF DESIGN FLOOD
1. Maximum observed flood method
2. Empirical flood formula method
3. Enveloping curves method
4. Unit hydrograph method
5. Frequency analysis method
1. Maximum observed flood method- The design flood is obtained by applying a
suitable multiplying factor to the maximum observed flood at the project site or at some
nearby site on the same stream. The value of multiplying factor is selected by applying
judgement after considering various hydrological conditions. This method of estimation
of design flood is not reliable because of highly subjective selection of the multiplying
factor. Moreover, the available period of record of the stream flow may not be adequate.
The method is rarely used in practice.
2. Empirical flood formula method – Sometimes empirical formulae are used for
estimation of the design flood. Some of the more commonly used formulae are Dicken
formula, Ryve formula and inglis formula. These formulae do not give reliable flood
discharge because of subjective selection of coefficients used in formulae. The values of
coefficients very over wide limits. These formulae should be used judiciously and only
when more accurate methods can not be applied due to lack of adequate hydrological
data.
3. Enveloping curve methods- The enveloping curves between the flood discharge and
the area of the catchment are obtained from all the maximum observed floods for a
number of catchments which are meteorologically homogenous. The maximum observed
floods discharges are plotted as ordinates and the areas of catchment as abscissa and curve
is drawn to envelop all the observed floods. Kanwar Sain and Karpov curves are
commonly used in India. The design flood is selected after considering the enveloping
curves of the regions.
4. Unit hydrograph method- The unit hydrograph method is more rational than methods
discussed above. The methods give quite reliable results for drainage basins with an area
not more than 5000 km square. However, the method can be used even for larger areas
by dividing the catchment into smaller sub areas and by using channel routing to obtain
flood hydrograph.
The methods involve following steps-

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 i. Derivation of the unit hydrograph- It is usually obtained from the observed
flood hydrograph. If the observed flood hydrographs are not available, synder
method of
synthetic hydrograph is used.
ii. Maximization of unit hydrograph peak- The peak of derived unit hydrograph
is suitably increase up to a limit of 150%, depending upon the judgement. It has
been observed that the peak of the unit hydrograph obtained from the heavier
storms is
about 25 to 50 % higher than the lighter storms. Therefore, the required increase
in peak for unit hydrograph obtained from the low flood is more.
iii. Derivation of the rainfall excess- The analysis of rainfall data and runoff data is
done to derive the rainfall excess occurs when the losses are minimum.
iv. Selection of design storm- A suitable design storm is selected from the past
record of the storms.
v. Derivation of the design flood- The design flood is obtained by using the
increments of the rainfall excess of the design storm and the ordinates of the unit
hydrograph.

5. Frequency analysis method- The method involves the statistical of the observed
floods over a fairly long period. At least 20-25 years’ record should be available for
carrying out the analysis. The method is based purely on statistical approach. The greater
the period of record, the more accurate is the analysis. The design for a very long
recurrence interval obtained from the analysis of data of limited record may not be
accurate. The method is commonly used for large catchments.

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 Chapter-5

METHOD OF FLOOD CONTROL

5.1. RESERVOIRS
A water supply scheme drawing water directly from a river or a stream may fail to satisfy
the consumers demands during extremely low flows while during high flows it may
become difficult to carry out its operation due to devastating floods a barrier in the form
of dam is , therefore , constructed across the river, so as to form a pool of water on the
upstream side of the dam is known as a reservoirs.”
5.1.1. TYPES OF RESERVOIRS
5.1.1.1. STORAGE / CONSERVATION RESERVOIR
A storage or a conservation reservoir can retain such excess supplies during periods
of peak flows,and can release them gradually during low flows as and when the
need arises.

FIGURE 5.1: storage reservoir

management advantages of conserving water-
i. Controlling flood
ii. Reduce flood damage below the reservoir

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5.1.1.2. FLOOD CONTROL RESERVOIR
“A flood control reservoir, generally called a flood-mitigation reservoir, stores a
portions of the flood flows in such a way as to minimize the flood peaks at the areas to
be protected downstream.”
The entire inflow entering the reservoir is discharged till the out flow reaches the safe
capacity of the channel downstream. The inflow in excess of this rate is stored in the
reservoir, which is then gradually released, so as to recover the storage capacity for the
next flood. A flood control reservoir differs from a conservation reservoir only in its need
for a large sluiceway capacity to permit rapid drawdown before or after a flood.
TYPES OF FLOOD CONTROL RESERVOIRS
There are two basic types of flood mitigation reservoirs;
(1). Detention reservoir
(2). Retarding reservoir
(1). Detention reservoir:
‘A reservoir having gates and valves installation at its spillway and at its sluice outlets is
known as detention reservoir.’

FIGURE 5.2: detention reservoir

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(2). Retarding reservoir
‘A reservoir with uncontrolled and ungated outlets is known as a retarding basin or
retarding reservoirs.’

FIGURE 5.3: retarding reservoir

5.1.2. INVESTIGATION FOR RESERVOIR PLANNING:

1. Engineering surveys: The area of the dam site and reservoir basin should be
surveyed to prepare topographical map and contour map. From the contoured plan
the storage capacity and the water spread area of the reservoir at the various
elevations are determined. The reservoir capacity or the volume of storage,
corresponding to a given water level in the reservoir may be determined either by
trapezoidal formula or by prismoidal formula.

17
 2. Geological surveys: geological investigations of the dam and reservoir site are
required to determine the following items:
I. Suitability of foundation for the dam,
II. Water tightness of the reservoir basin,
III. Location of the quarry sites for the construction materials
3. Hydrological investigations:
study of runoff pattern of the river at the proposed dam site to determine the
storage capacity of the reservoir corresponding to a given demand. Determination
of the hydrograph of the worst flood to determine the spillway capacity and
design.
5.1.3. SELECTION OF SITE FOR A RESERVOIR:
i. The topography,
ii. At the site river valley should be narrow so the length of the dam to be constructed is
less,
iii. Basin should be watertight and free from fissures, cracks, so that there is no loss
of water due to percolation.
iv. The site should be such that as far as possible minimum land and property is
submerged in the reservoir,
v. It should be such that it avoids water from the tributaries which carry usually high
content of sediment,
vi. The site must be such that adequate reservoir capacity is available for the desired
purpose,
vii. The site should be such that a deep reservoir may be formed so that the land costs
per unit of capacity are low, evaporation loss is less and there is less likelihood of
weed growth,
viii. The soil and mass at the reservoir site should not contain any objectionable
soluble minerals and salts which may get dissolved in water and deteriorate
water quality.
ix. The quality of water stored in the reservoir must be satisfactory available for its
intended use,
x. The site should be easily accessible by road or railway,
xi. The construction materials for the dam should be available in the vicinity of the site.
xii. The site should be such that the costs of associated works such as roads, rails,
housing colonies for workers and staff, etc. Should be low.

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5.2. LEVEES
Levees are man-made structures, usually an earthen embankment, designed and
constructed with sound engineering practices to contain, control or divert the flow of
water in order to provide protection from temporary flooding. A levee is built parallel to
a body of water (most often a river) to protect the lives and properties behind it. There
are currently thousands of miles of levees across the country providing some level of
protection for millions of people, so it is important for individuals to understand the risks
associated with living behind levees. No levee provides full protection from flooding
even the best flood-control structure cannot completely eliminate the risk of flooding.
But there are constant efforts being made by a variety of organizations to reduce that risk
and keep levees operating efficiently. Levees are one of the oldest forms of river flood
control used to protect people and their property.
The elevation of the levee crest is determined through careful consideration of
many factors: -
i. Cost risk analysis of the cost to build the larger levee versus the risk of damage
brought on by a larger flood.
ii. Political, social, military, and environmental reasons will all play a part in
determining a levee’s design height.
iii. The cost to double the size of a levee is most often correlated to the square of the
material needed. This means the cost can be quite high and often prohibit
increased levee design elevations.
iv. Freeboard should be taken into account when sizing a
levee: 2 ft. For agricultural levees
3ft. For urban levees
v. Other methods to increase the effectiveness of levees
include: Borrow pits and drainage trenches
vi. Culverts with flood gates and pumping plants
vii. Levees have been and will continue to be one of the most effective forms of
flood control.
5.2.1. LOCATION OF LEVEES
Located on both the banks such that sufficient area of flow is provided between them. If
flood plain between levees is shallow and flat, channel width is large, therefore height of

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levee is low. A deep and narrow flood plain will necessitate high levees. When a city or
agricultural districts is to protect a ring levee may be provided.

FIGURE 5.4: levee

5.3. FLOOD WALLS

A flood wall is an engineered structure designed to prevent the encroachment of
water onto residential, commercial, or government property. Designs for flood protection
walls can be relatively simple and short-term, such as vertical piles of sand bags, or they
can be long-term permanent structures where steel beams and foundation piles are driven
into the ground and strong concrete barriers are built atop them. A flood wall is often
referred to as a dike, and may also be a ditch dug below the normal level of ground to act
as a barrier and method of channeling off water that is surging from a river, lake, or
excessive rainfall runoff towards buildings.
An emergency flood wall is often built by volunteers who fill sandbags and stack them
in a vertical and horizontal line around buildings and other structures that rising water
threatens. These types of flood walls offer the advantage that they are relatively easy to
assemble and disassemble, and are made of readily available materials in many locations.
Compact sand acts as an effective water barrier, as it is heavy enough to withstand wind
and water pressure, and composed largely of quartz which does not absorb water like clay
or dirt will. The drawback to a sandbag-built flood wall is that it requires a lot of work to

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construct and is not practical for cordoning off large areas long-term. Usually constructed
in which enough land is not available for levees. If land is costly or limited, it is more
economical to construct flood wall. It is constructed on river bank. Proper foundation
should be provided and precaution should be taken against scouring. A flood wall (or
floodwall) is a primarily vertical artificial barrier designed to temporarily contain the
waters of a river or other waterway which may rise to unusual levels during seasonal or
extreme weather events. Flood walls are mainly used on locations where space is scarce,
such as cities or where building levees or dikes (dykes) would interfere with other
interests, such as existing buildings, historical architecture or commercial use of
embankments.
Flood walls are nowadays mainly constructed from pre-fabricated concrete elements.
Flood walls often have floodgates which are large openings to provide passage except
during periods of flooding, when they are closed. As a flood wall mostly consist of
relatively short elements compared to dikes, the connections between the elements are
critical to prevent the failure of the flood wall

FIGURE 5.5: flood wall

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5.4 IMPROVEMENT OF RIVER CHANNEL
a. Increase the discharge or velocity of stream or to decrease the stage and duration of
flood.
b. Increase in size of cross section by widening and excavating stream bed.
c. Increasing velocity by smoothing river bed.
d. Realignment of the river.

5.5 DIVERSION OF FLOOD WATER TO FLOOD WAYS

Diversion channels or flood ways are man-made channels built to offer a different route
for excess water to flow further mitigating the effects of flooding and restoring rivers to
their natural water level. Typically, diversion channels are built around communities or
economic centers to prevent extensive flood damage. Diversion channels mitigate the
impacts of a flood by offering an alternative route for excess water. Normally, diversion
channels are built around major cities and towns to mitigate the effects of flooding in
communities and urban centers.

FIGURE 5.6: flood ways

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5.6. WATERSHED MANEGEMENT FOR FLOOD CONTROL
The watershed management measures include developing and conserving the vegetative
and soil covers and also to undertake structural works like check-dams, detention basins,
diversion channels, etc. In the watershed management of upper catchment, land treatment
through afforestation and grass land development practices should be supplemented by
structural works for retarding the water velocity and arresting silt.
i. Providing vegetal cover.
ii. Conservation of water in agriculture.
iii. Creation of farm ponds.
iv. Use of cover crops.
5.7. CONSTRUCTION OF CUT-OFF:
During heavy rainfall when large flood discharge approaches the sharp bend of the
river, it overflows its bank and submerges the surrounding area. So cut-off constructed
to reduce travel time and water flow with high velocity along a straight path.

FIGURE 5.7: construction of cut-off

5.8. FLOOD PLAIN MANAGEMENT

The flood plain of a river is formed by deposition of sediments which usually
occurs due to intermittent overflows of the stream above its banks. Such overflows
usually occur every two or three years when the stream occupies some part of the flood
plain. Because the flood plains are usually level surface.

23
The flood plain management usually consists of following methods: -
i. Flood hazards surveys
ii. Flood plain zoning
iii. Flood proofing
iv. Flood insurance
5.8.1. Flood plain zoning
Flood-plain zoning is a concept central to flood plain management. This concept
recognizes the basic fact that the flood plain of a river is essentially its domain and any
intrusion into or developmental activity therein must recognize the river’s ‘right of way’.
Flood-plain zoning measures aim at demarcating zones or areas likely to be affected by
floods of different magnitudes or frequencies and probability levels, and specify the types
of permissible developments in these zones, so that whenever floods actually occur, the
damage can be minimized, if not avoided. Unfortunately, while all generally endorse this
approach in principle, scant attention is given to it in actual practice, leading to increased
flood damages

FIGURE 5.8: flood plain zoning

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5.8.2. Flood proofing
Flood proofing is any combination of structural or non-structural changes or adjustments
incorporated in the design, construction, or alteration of individual buildings or properties
that will reduce flood damages.
Some examples of flood proofing include the placement of walls or levees around
individual buildings; elevation of buildings on fill, posts, piers, walls, or pilings;
anchorage of buildings to resist floatation and lateral movement; watertight closures for
doors and windows; reinforcement of walls to resist water pressure and floating debris;
use of paints, membranes, and other sealants to reduce seepage of water; installation of
check valves to prevent entrance of floodwaters at utility and sewer wall penetrations;
and location of electrical equipment and circuits above expected flood levels

FIGURE 5.9: flood proofing

5.8.3. Flood insurance
The National Flood Insurance Program aims to reduce the impact of flooding on private
and public structures. It does so by providing affordable insurance to property owners
and by encouraging communities to adopt and enforce floodplain management
regulations. These efforts help mitigate the effects of flooding on new and improved
structures. Overall, the program reduces the socio-economic impact of disasters by
promoting the purchase and retention of general risk insurance, but also of flood
insurance, specifically.

25
 5.9. AFFORESTATION
Most of the tree and shrub species that are typical of river banks and levees ("riparian
vegetation") do absorb a lot of water (they are called hydrophilic species) and their roots
strengthen the shores. In particular, in ‘flash floods’ trees, and vegetation in general, can
have a very important role:
They hold the shores and keep the river bed in place and in shape. This helps the water
flush away reducing the length of the flood. They serve as a "filter" for floating objects
(such as rocks, trees and derbies), that are a major threat during floods because they crush
on house and infrastructure or they create"lids"under bridges. When pressure builds up,
these lids either crush creating a second flood wave or they tear the bridge down. They
slow down the water reducing flood energy and therefore, the threat for people and
buildings.
Forest soils typically have a relatively open, organic rich upper layer, which facilitates
the rapid entry and storage of rain water.
Forests are known to use more water than shorter types of vegetation. This is mainly due
to the interception of rainwater by their aerodynamically rougher canopies. Interception
can reduce the amount of rainfall reaching the ground by as much as 45% or more for
some types of forests. A reduction of even half of this amount could therefore make a
major contribution to flood control.
5.10. FLOOD FORECASTING
Flood forecasting is the use of real-time precipitation and stream flow data in rainfall-
runoff and stream flow routing models to forecast flow rates and water levels for periods
ranging from a few hours to days ahead, depending on the size of the watershed or river
basin. Flood forecasting can also make use of forecasts of precipitation in an attempt to
extend the lead-time available.
Sophisticated flood forecasting
Flood forecasting is an important component of flood warning, where the distinction
between the two is that the outcome of flood forecasting is a set of forecast time-profiles
of channel flows or river levels at various locations, while "flood warning" is the task of
making use of these forecasts to tell decisions on warnings of floods.
Anticipating floods before they occur allows for precautions to be taken and people to be
warned so that they can be prepared in advance for flooding conditions. For example, Farmers
can remove animals from low-lying areas and utility services can put in place emergency
provisions to re-route services if needed. Emergency services can also make provisions to

26
have enough resources available ahead of time to respond to emergencies as they occur. In
order to make the most accurate flood forecasts for waterways, it is best to have a long time-
series of historical data that relates stream flows to measured past rainfall events. Radar
estimates of rainfall and general weather forecasting techniques are also important
components of good flood forecasting

27
 Chapter-6

PROCEDURE FOR DESIGN OF FLOOD CONTROL PROJECT

Various methods for the flood control have been discussed in this chapter. The
procedure for the design of a flood control project may be summarised as follows:
i. Estimate the project design flood and determine the flood characteristics of the
area.
ii. Identify the areas to be protected by the project.
iii. Conduct a field survey to determine the flood damages which are likely to
occur corresponding to different stages of flood.
iv. Identify suitable methods of flood control. Select suitable sites for different
works and determine the physical characteristics and topography of these
sites.
v. Design the flood control works for different alternatives of flood control
measures so that the cost estimates may be made and their effects on the flood
discharge
may be estimated.
vi. Select the flood control measures or a combination of measures, which offer the
desired protection at a minimum cost.
vii. Perform the economic analysis of the benefits and costs to determine whether the
selected project is economically viable.
viii. Write the project report giving the details of the possibilities explored, the
recommended measures and the expected degree of protection.

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 Chapter-7

NATIONAL POLICY ON FLOOD CONTROL

The National Flood Control Programme was launched in 1954 for the first time, in
the country. Since then, sizeable progress has been made in the flood protection
measures. Nearly one third of the flood prone area had been afforded reasonable
protection by 1976. During the period of two decades, considerable experience had
also been gained in planning, implementation and performance of the flood protection
and control measures. Advancement in technology had taken place not only in Indias
approach and programmes of flood control measures and formulation of a flood
control policy. It required detailed study of various problems concerned with flood
control measures and aspects like soil conservation and afforestation. The
Government of India, therefore, decided to set up the Rashtriya Barh Ayog (National
Flood Commission) in 1976 to evolve a coordinated, integrated and scientific
approach to the flood control problems in the country and to draw out a national plan
fixing priorities for implementation in the future. The composition of the Commission
was as follows:

The terms of reference of the Commission was as follows:-

1. To review the flood protection measures undertaken since 1954 and to make an
evaluation of the benefits and effectiveness of the measures undertaken so far with
special reference to embankments in reducing the damage
2. To identify the areas where a large number of Zamindari and/or unauthorized
embankments, bunds and spurs etc., exist; to assess the effect of such constructions
on the flood problem; and suggest remedial measures
3. To identify the areas where construction of roads, highways, railways etc., and other
encroachments into drains have aggravated flood problems and to suggest measures
for improvements including legislative action, if any
4. To analyze the damage caused by floods in recent years and to identify areas
requiring immediate flood protection measures
5. To evolve a comprehensive approach to the problem of floods in the country keeping
in view the need for optimum and multi-purpose utilization of water resources as also
the role of soil conservation and afforestation in flood control
6. To make an analysis of the cost and benefits of flood protection measures

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7. To suggest criteria for taking up flood protection measures and means of mobilizing
resources therefore
8. To recommend proper land use in the flood plains with a view to minimize damage
and to ensure overall increase in agriculture production
9. To examine the existing arrangements for maintenance of flood protection works
and recommend measures for improving the same
10. To review the existing administrative and organizational set up for flood control at
the Centre and in the States and suggest improvements where necessary, flood control
to include flood forecasting and warning, flood fighting, formulation and
implementation of flood protection measures
11. To examine the present procedure of assessing flood damage and suggest
improvements
12. To examine any other matter related to floods and flood control and make suitable
recommendations.

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 Chapter-8

CASE STUDY

8.1. INDIA FLOOD PRONE AREAS

India, being a peninsular country and surrounded by the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and
the Bay of Bengal, is quite prone to flood. As per the Geological Survey of India (GSI),
the major flood prone areas of India cover almost 12.5% area of the country. The states
falling within the periphery of "India Flood Prone Areas" are West Bengal, Orissa,
Andhra Pradesh, Kerala,
Assam, Bihar, Gujrat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab. The
intense monsoon rains from southwest causes rivers like Ganga, Yamuna
Brahmaputra, etc.
to swell their banks, which in turn floods the adjacent areas.
Over the past few decades, central India has become familiar with precipitation events
like torrential rains and flash floods. The major flood prone areas in India are the river
banks and deltas of Ravi, Yamuna-Sahibi, Gandak, Sutlej, Ganga, Ghaggar, Kosi, Teesta,
Brahmaputra, Mahanadi, Mahananda, Damodar, Godavari, Mayurakshi, Sabarmati and
their tributaries.

TABLE 8.1:State wise flood prone areas

State Area liable to Floods (million Ha.)

Uttar Pradesh 7.336

Bihar 4.26

Punjab 3.7

Rajasthan 3.26

Assam 3.15

West Bengal 2.65

Haryana 2.35

Orissa 1.4

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Andhra Pradesh 1.39

Gujarat 1.39

Kerala 0.87

Tamil Nadu 0.45

Tripura 0.33

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 TABLE 8.2: flood data

State Area(in mha)

Flood Prone Area 40 mha

Area which can be given reasonable

protection 32 mha

Area protected prior to 1954 3 mha

Area Protected till 2004 15.8 mha

TABLE 8.3: Average annual flood damage(1953-1999)

Area liable to
State Floods
(million Ha.)
Total Damage
Rs.13,400 million
Area Affected
8.11 million hectare
Crop Area Affected
3.57 million hectare
Human Lives Lost
1579 Nos.
Cattle Lost
95,000 Nos.

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 FIGURE 8.1: Flood prone areas

8.1.1.BRAHMAPUTRAANDBARAKBASINS
Surplus water is found in the basins of Brahmaputra and Barak Rivers and their tributaries
cover the northeastern states, northern West Bengal, and Sikkim, Assam. In North West
Bengal, the Teesta, Torsa and Jaldakha rivers frequently inundate large areas. The rivers
in Manipur frequently spill over their banks.
8.1.2. GANGA BASIN
In the Ganga basin, the flood problem is mostly in the areas on the northern bank of the
Ganga River caused by the northern tributaries of Ganga. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West
Bengal are the worst affected states in the Ganga basin. In eastern Uttar Pradesh, the
rivers that cause flooding include the Sarada, the Ghagra, the Rapti, and the Gandak
besides the main Ganga River. In Haryana, flooding may take place along the Yamuna
and the problem of poor drainage exists in some of the southwestern districts. In Delhi,
the area along the banks of the Yamuna is flood prone. North Bihar suffers from floods
almost every year due to spillage of rivers. The rivers, such as the Burhi

34
Gandak, the Baghmati, the Kamla and other small rivers, the Kosi in the lower reaches,
and the Mahananda, spill over their banks causing considerable damage to crops and
dislocation of life. High floods occur in the Ganga in some years, causing considerable
inundation in Bihar large scale devastation took place in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar due to
high floods in the Ghaghara, the Rapti, the Gandak, the Kosi, the Mahananda, the
Bagmati & Adhwara Group leading to loss of lives, dwellings, properties, installations,
communication, and infrastructure facilities. In south and central West Bengal, the
Mahananda, the Bhagirathi, the Ajay, the Damodar, etc., cause flooding due to the
inadequate capacity of river channels and tidal effect. In Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh,
the problem is not serious but these states have also experienced some isolated incidents
of heavy floods in recent years.
Ghaggar River carries a huge quantum of flow during the monsoon period; about
150MCM of this can be utilized for recharge. Presently this water gets collected and
retained in 19 natural depressions causing water logging problems in the adjoining low
lying areas like Baropal, where water levels have risen from 50m below ground level to
less than 5m below ground level. Judicious management of Ghaggar flood water would
provide significant quantity of water for recharge.
8.1.3. CENTRAL INDIA AND DECCAN RIVERS BASIN
In Orissa, damage due to floods is caused by the Mahanadi, the Brahmani and the Baitarni
which have a common delta. When these rivers area in spate simultaneously, they cause
considerable havoc. The deltaic districts are densely populated. The small rivers of
Kerala, when in high floods, occasionally cause damage. Also there is the problem of
mud flow from the hills, leading to severe damages.
In the central and southern parts of the country, floods are observed in the Narmada, the
Tapi, the Godavari, the Mahanadi and the Krishna. There have been instances of floods
in these rivers due to very heavy rainfall in their catchments, e.g., flooding of
Hoshangabad (Narmada) in 1999. The Tapi and the Narmada occasionally carry high
flows which affect areas in the lower reaches in Gujarat.
The delta areas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari and the Krishna on the east coast in
particular and the coastal regions of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in general
also periodically face flood problems in the wake of cyclonic storms.
8.2. MAJOR FLOODS IN THE HISTORY OF INDIA
8.2.1. CHENNAI FLOOD 2015

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The 2015 South Indian floods resulted from heavy rainfall generated by the annual
northeast monsoon in November–December 2015. They affected the Coromandel Coast
region of the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, and the union
territory of Puducherry, with Tamil Nadu and the city of Chennai particularly hard-hit
More than 500 people were killed and over 18 lakh (1.8 million) people were displaced
With estimates to ₹100000 crore (US$15 billion), the floods were the costliest to have
occurred in 2015, and were among the costliest natural disasters of the year.
8.2.2. UTTARAKHAND FLOODS 2013
The 9 districts of Uttarakhand received massive Landslides and heavy rainfall, which
caused flashfloods in the whole state. The Kedarnath Temple one of the famous temples
of Lord Shiva in India and part of the Char Dham yatra, was damaged and around 1000
people have died. It is one of the most disastrous floods in the history of India.
8.2.3. HIMALAYAN FLASH FLOODS 2012
2012 Himalayan flash floods occurred on the midnight of August 3, 2012 in the
Himalayan states of India. The cloudburst was left 31 people dead and triggered
landslides and flash floods.
8.2.4. BRAHMAPUTRA FLOODS 2012
The unprecedented flood was some of the worst floods in India, in the Brahmaputra river
and its tributaries due to significant monsoon rains. 124 people have been killed and worst
hit area was Kaziranga National Park,13 great India rhinos and around 500 animals have
died.
8.2.5. LADAKH FLOODS 2010
The 6 August 2010 Ladakh floods occurred across the most part of Ladakh, damaging 71
towns and villages in Leh and at least 255 people have died. A major cloudburst and
heavy rainfall all night triggered mudslides, flash floods and debris flows.
8.2.6. BIHAR FLOOD 2008
2008 Bihar Flood was one of the most disastrous flood in the history of Bihar, affected
over 2.3 million people. The Kosi River, one of the largest tributaries of the Ganges is
known as Sorrow of Bihar. It is one of the worst natural disaster and disastrous flood in
the living memory of state of Bihar.
8.2.7. GUJARAT FLOOD 2005

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The 2005 Gujarat flood was caused by heavy monsoon rains in June affecting many parts
of the state. The death toll was about 123 people state wide and more than 250,000
evacuated.
8.2.8. MAHARASHTRA FLOODS 2005
The 2005 Maharashtra floods was one of the most deadliest floods in India, at least 5,000
people died. Metropolis Mumbai was the worst hit by the monsoon and its the day when
the city of Mumbai came to a standstill.
8.2.9. CHENNAI FLOODS 2005
The North-East monsoon season shower the highest rainfall during the month of
November-December in Chennai. It was one of the worst floods to hit the city of Chennai,
50 people were killed due to flood and stampede.
8.2.10. BIHAR FLOOD 2004
The 2004 Bihar flood was the worst floods in the state, 885 people and 3272 animals died
and nearly 21 million people were affected in 20 districts of Bihar. Ganges river has
crossed the danger mark for the first time at Farakka Barrage.

8.2.11 ERLA FLOOD 2018

• Beginning in July 2018, severe floods affected the south Indian state of Kerala, due to
unusually high rainfall during the monsoon season. It was the worst flooding in Kerala
in nearly a century. Thirty-five out of the fifty-four dams within the state were opened
for the first time in history. All five overflow gates of the Idukki Dam were opened at
the same time, for the first time in 26 years.
• Kerala received heavy monsoon rainfall which is about 257% more than the usual rain
falling in Kerala, on the mid evening of August 8 resulting in dams filling to capacity;
in the first 24 hours of rainfall the state received 310 mm (12 in) of rain.
• The Government of Kerala argued in the Supreme Court that the sudden release of
water from the Mullaperiyar Dam by the Tamil Nadu government was one of the
reasons for the devastating flood in Kerala.

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 Chapter-9

CONCLUSIONS
i. Flood controls are not meant to prevent a flood of any size. Their design is meant to
attenuate floodwaters and flood waves of a certain return period based on a cost risk
analysis (oftentimes 100-yr events).
ii. An increase in channel conveyance provides flood control by allowing flood waves to
pass
more freely downstream.
iii. Levees create a physical barrier to contain floodwaters and protect the floodplain
from being flooded.
iv. Reservoirs attenuate flood waves through providing floodwater storage.
v. Flood ways provide flood wave attenuation through diversion away from the river.
vi. With the increasing trend in fatalities and damage costs from floods, it becomes more
important to appropriately manage the aging flood control infrastructure and even
consider implementing new controls in some areas.
vii. With rising construction cost and governmental budget constraints, identifying
critical infrastructure to receive limited funding is an increasingly difficult task for
water resource management.

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 Chapter-10

REFERENCES

1. http://www.hdrinc.com/sites/all/files/content/projects/
2. http://www.wisegeek.com/
3. http://www.slideshare.net/
4. http://search.sidecubes.com/
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
6. http://www.climatetechwiki.org/sites/climatetechwiki.org/
7. http://generalawarenessinfo.blogspot.in/2013/06/national-flood-
commission-of-india.html
8. Maps Of India
9. Wikipedia
10. Google Images
11. WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING by Dr. K.R. Arora published by
Standard Publishers Distributors.

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