An Overview of the Research of Hydrological Trends in Various Rivers in West Bengal

An Overview of the Research of Hydrological Trends in Various Rivers in West Bengal

Sumit Kumar Banerjee1, Himanish De2, Suvendu Kar3

1,2,3Assistant Professor, Abacus Institute of Engineering & Management, MAKAUT

E-mail: sumitkrbanerjee.aiem@jisgroup.org

Abstract

An important factor in sustaining socioeconomic activity is the Ganges River, which is essential to Bangladesh as well as India. It is maintained by snowmelt from the Himalayas and monsoon rains, spanning 1.25 million km2 over India and Nepal. Its hydrology has been affected by human activities like urbanization, hydropower, and agriculture since the 1980s. The Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is employed in this work to evaluate water yield and simulate hydrological changes at the Farakka Barrage (1975–1995). The results show an overall decline in flow during both the monsoon and dry seasons. Furthermore, predictions suggest that climate change will have an impact on water output because snowfall is a major factor in the flow of the Brahmaputra River. Similar research Bangladesh's Teesta River Basin emphasizes the need for upstream actions by examining future water supply in the context of changing climatic circumstances. The findings emphasize that in order to address upcoming concerns with water security in these river basins, comprehensive water management is essential.

Keywords: Hydrological trend analysis, discharge, Water yield, Water Management, Hydrology