Study calls for urgent conservation of Doon Valley rivers to check flood risks
The Asan watershed, spanning 701.1 sq km with a westward flow, and the Song watershed, covering 1,040.5 sq km with an eastward flow, are the two key watersheds in the valley.
The study titled 'Watershed Prioritisation with Respect to Flood Susceptibility in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) Using Geospatial Techniques for Sustainable Water Resource Management', compared the valley's watersheds and found sharp differences in drainage patterns and erosion risks.
It flagged the Suswa watershed, that runs through Dehradun's urban centre, including IT Park, Raipur, Kanwali Road and Dudhli, as the most at risk.
The study was carried out by a team of researchers, scientists and professors from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and Amity University.
They used a "Compound Factor Value" (CFV) method to assess the watershed vulnerability. This approach combines slope, drainage density and other terrain factors into a single index.
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A lower CFV signals higher risk, meaning greater priority for conservation. "Among the selected watersheds, CFVs ranged from 1.75 to 2.17, and Suswa ranked highest priority (1.75) due to its high erosion susceptibility, and the Song watershed lowest priority (2.17)," the study stated.
This monsoon, four people lost their lives in just two weeks in rain-related incidents in Dehradun. The Suswa river, passing through the city, is under additional stress from sewage discharge, solid waste dumping, and encroachments, said the researchers.
They called for conservation measures including "vegetative buffers, improved drainage management, and stream restoration initiatives" to reduce risk.
The Song watershed is also vulnerable to flash floods because of steep slopes and high stream frequency and the researchers recommended interventions such as afforestation, check dams and slope stabilisation.
The Asan watershed, home to Uttarakhand's only Ramsar-designated wetland, was ranked medium priority.
Though more stable, the researchers warned "it could become more susceptible if left unmanaged due to development pressures and climate change." They stressed the need for "wetland protection, demarcation of buffer zones, and upstream land use control" to safeguard water inflow and quality.
The research, based on high-resolution satellite data, revealed clear differences in drainage and erosion risk across the valley.
"Its most significant contribution is the combination of geospatial data and morphometric parameters to develop a tiered watershed management framework for a data-scarce Himalayan region," said the authors.
Lead author Ashish Mani, senior researcher at WII, said, "Future efforts should focus on afforestation, soil conservation in high-risk areas, sustainable land-use planning, flood mitigation, community engagement, and long-term monitoring using remote sensing and GIS. These steps will ensure effective watershed management, minimise environmental degradation, and enhance resilience against erosion and flooding in the Himalayan region.
" He added that the findings support the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on clean water, climate action, and life on land.
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