Flood Reduction and Prevention Possibilities in the Flood Plains: A Case study of the Varuna River Basin in the Flood Plain of the Ganga River, Uttar Pradesh, India

Abstract Floods are a recurring phenomenon in the floodplain region of the Ganga River largely caused by several floodplain tributaries. One such tributary of the Ganga in its floodplain is the 225kmlong monsoon-fed Varuna River. Using high-resolution Google earth satellite images, 662 tals(local word for large natural ponds),and 15383 other smaller ponds/tanks(natural andman-made),were identified and delineated. The tals and ponds/tanksoccupy 430 km2 and 93 km2 respectively,within the 3141 km2area of the Varuna River basin. Based on the areas and approximate water depths that were averaged from field measurements at selected tals and ponds/tanks, the total water-holding capacity of all these water bodies is estimated to be as much as 57% (1140 million cubic metres) of the total surface water runoff of the basin.In spite of such a large water-holding capacity within these tals and ponds/tanks, floods are still an almost annual phenomenon in the Varuna basin because (i) water is not allowed to accumulate in the talsand (ii)the ponds/tanks haveshrunk and/or silted up,reducing their volume. Deepeningby desiltingof tals and ponds/tanks can be taken upby engaging the locallabourersthrough the government-funded rural employment guarantee schemes. The majority of the village tals and ponds/tanks can be used for pisciculturein order to generatedevelopment funds.