The Check-Dam Route to Mitigate India's Water Shortages

Abstract

An interstate water conflict is emerging in southern India's Cauvery River delta.Despite an estimated per capita annual average freshwater availability of 87,015 cubic feet per person, many of India's nearly one billion people suffer occasional water shortages due to uneven availability.Precipitation is concentrated mainly during the monsoon season.Although some areas of India receive heavy rainfall during the summer monsoon, most of the water cannot be harvested for later use due to inadequate storage facilities.In this paper, we present data about how check dams constructed across India's rivers can mitigate future conflicts involving irrigation water shortages in rural areas.