Latest news with #DepartmentofWaterResources
New Indian Express
25-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Odisha launches Rs 1,790 crore intra-state river linking project to tackle floods, droughts
BHUBANESWAR: The state government has launched an intra-state river linking initiative to address long-standing water management challenges, including floods, water scarcity and agricultural needs. The initiative will be implemented in a phased manner from 2025-26 to 2029-30 at an estimated cost of Rs 1,790 crore. Spearheaded by the Department of Water Resources, it aims at enhancing irrigation, controlling floods and securing drinking water access across various regions of the state. Sources said, plans are afoot to connect surplus river basins with deficit regions through a network of six projects, Katra link, Hiradharbati flood flow channel, Bahuda-Rushikulya basin link, Vansadhara-Rushikulya link, Ong-Suktel garland canal and Telengiri-Upper Kolab PSP. While the Katra link project will establish a feeder channel from Kansapal integrated storage system to augment irrigation in drought-prone zones, the Hiradharbati flood flow channel will redirect part of unharnessed floodwaters to Chilika lake, connecting the en route Tampara and reducing downstream risks. The Bahuda-Rushikulya basin link will ensure drinking water security for Berhampur town and Gopalpur SEZ. The Vansadhara-Rushikulya intra-link will divert water through Nandini nullah to regions facing acute water shortages and the Ong-Suktel garland canal will rejuvenate 108 tanks and create 10,000 hectares of new irrigated land. Similarly, the Telengiri-Upper Kolab PSP will support irrigation and reservoir extension, completing the water network.
Los Angeles Times
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
State officials say federal cuts threaten California's environment
Budget cuts, staff reductions and other sweeping changes from the federal government are posing real threats to California's environment and progress against climate change, state officials said Thursday. At a gathering of the state's top leaders in wildfire response, water resources, natural lands and clean energy, they underscored the ways the Golden State has long worked together with federal agencies — and how actions by the Trump administration are putting that cooperative work in jeopardy. 'We want federal agencies to succeed, and in fact we need them to succeed,' said Wade Crowfoot, California's natural resources secretary, noting that 48% of the state's land is owned and managed by the federal government. 'Because if they fail, it impacts the prosperity and safety of Californians.' State agencies such as the Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, the Department of Water Resources and the Energy Commission are among those struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of federal cutbacks, officials said. The Trump administration has said its changes are geared toward reducing federal waste, saving taxpayers money and increasing American energy independence. Yet state officials are increasingly worried about shifting national priorities, including a 10% staffing cut at the U.S. Forest Service — the largest federal firefighting entity that often works hand in hand with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to manage forests and combat blazes. Many of the Forest Service's eliminated employees were in support roles, such as logistics and transportation, that are crucial to ensuring firefighters can do their job, according to Patrick Wright, director of the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force. 'All that knowledge is going to be lost that is so critical when we're both fighting fires and trying to prevent fires, so the whole system is going to suffer,' he said. Wright noted that the president's proposed 2026 budget would also eliminate many of the Forest Service's top scientists, which he said would negatively affect data systems, analyses and other crucial tools. And although California has made progress in its efforts to improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk through forest thinning, prescribed burns and fuel breaks, Wright said he is concerned about the impacts of the president's order to open up millions of acres of national forestland for timber production, including all 18 of California's national forests. 'Not that timber isn't important, but we can't keep our eye off of the need for fire and forest resilience in California,' he said. There is 'serious concern by Forest Service people on the ground that if we solely focus on timber, we're going to lose our focus on protecting communities, preventing wildfire, protecting habitat and other key measures of success.' It's not only wildfires that officials are worried about, however. Karla Nemeth, director of the California Department of Water Resources, said the agency is reeling from several changes to key components of its water supply system. Among them are staff reductions at the federal U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees the Central Valley Project — a vast network of dams, reservoirs and canals that delivers water supplies across the state. The Central Valley Project is the federal companion to the State Water Project, which performs a similar function. This year, the Bureau of Reclamation has lost about 1,400 staff members — or more than a quarter of its workforce — and is facing a potential budget cut of 33%, Nemeth said. 'Because a lot of our infrastructure is operated in a cooperative way, it does have an expanded effect on how our whole system is put together,' Nemeth said. The state also works closely with the Bureau of Reclamation to manage flood protection in California, where several levee and dam safety projects are now in jeopardy, Nemeth said. They include projects to enhance the system along the American River in Sacramento — one of the most flood-prone urban areas in the U.S. — and to address the devastating 2023 levee breach that flooded the community of Pajaro. Other state leaders, including Armando Quintero, director of California State Parks, shared similar fears. He said the National Park Service is facing a potential $1-billion budget cut and has lost 24% of permanent staff since January. More than 100 superintendent positions are vacant. It's resulted in canceled tours, closed campgrounds, reduced hours and other effects in California's nine national parks. Meanwhile, all 18 of California's national forests are losing staff, and its regional office is likely to be eliminated, he said. The state's roadless areas and national monuments are similarly facing the threat of lost protections and closures. Jenn Eckerle, deputy secretary for oceans and coastal policy at the California Natural Resources Agency, said the state is facing the loss of funding for coastal protection, including about $870 million previously awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Building Resilience Infrastructure and Communities grant program, which has been canceled. One such project was an $18-million BRIC grant to help the city of Imperial Beach protect infrastructure, habitat and coastal access from sea level rise through a nature-based levee, Eckerle said. 'Obviously these actions are going to hamper California's ability to predict, respond and adapt to climate impacts like sea level rise, ocean acidification, marine heat waves, and will lead to impacts for our coastal economies and ecosystems,' she said. Perhaps one of the biggest areas to suffer is California's ambitious push for clean energy. The state has committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2045 throughout its economy and has been a nationwide leader in the move toward solar and wind power and electric vehicles. Robert Chun, chief of staff to the chair of the California Energy Commission, said the Trump administration has made moves to end long-standing tax credits for clean energy. They will apply only to projects placed into service by December 2027, or that start construction by July 2026. The administration is also canceling $3.7 billion in awards managed by the Department of Energy's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations — at least $800 million of which was supposed to go to California, Chun said. That office's staff has been reduced from about 250 people to 35, he said. He added that the Trump administration has removed basic energy efficiency regulations that have existed for decades, and has made it harder for California to reduce pollution by revoking waivers it is granted under the Clean Air Act to enforce tailpipe emission standards. Chun said the result of these changes is likely to be worse air quality, higher energy costs, reduced grid reliability and limited growth for new industries such as artificial intelligence. However, he said he remains optimistic about the state and nation's progress toward clean energy, which he sees as inevitable. 'They can slow the transition to clean energy here and there, but they can't stop it,' Chun said. 'We shouldn't back down from our vision of a clean energy future, or lower our expectations for what we can achieve here in California.' Indeed, state officials said there are ways to push back. California is party to several lawsuits against the Trump administration, including one challenging its attempt to overturn the state's clean air waivers. The state is also working to hire laid-off federal employees, particularly those who were working on crucial projects. Last month, conservation groups across the state and country also came together to push back against a GOP-led proposal to sell off millions of acres of public lands in Western states, which would have made about 10 million acres in California eligible for sale. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who spearheaded the effort, ultimately nixed the proposal. 'California remains committed and focused to our priorities and our values,' said Crowfoot, the state's natural resources secretary. He encouraged residents to stay informed, voice their concerns to public officials and work to build broad-based bipartisan coalitions to amplify shared priorities when it comes to the state's environment. 'What we're talking about today,' he said, 'are things that we all care about.'
The Hindu
24-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Condition Assessment and Management Plan for Periyar in the pipeline
The Department of Water Resources, Ministry of Jal Shakti, has informed the National Green Tribunal that it has undertaken a study on preparing a Condition Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP) for six river basins, including the Periyar. Besides the Periyar, the river basins under the study included the Godavari, Narmada, Mahanadi, Cauvery, and Krishna. The project would enable preparation of an action plan for holistic development of river basins, including conservation and rejuvenation of rivers/tributaries, restoration of the river ecosystem and improvement of ecological health of the waterbodies, according to a report dated June 18, 2025 submitted by the Department of Water Resources before the Southern Bench of the tribunal. It was submitted as part of a petition seeking action against the pollution of the Periyar caused by illegal discgharge of pollutants through unauthorised drains and the impact of the industrial pollution on the Eloor-Edayar stretch on its overall ecosystem. The study was under way and the reports would be shared with the State government for further action, it said. Besides the CAMP project, the Wildlife Institute of India has been assigned with the task of conducting a biodiversity study for six rivers – Mahanadi, Godavari, Narmada, Periyar, Cauvery and Barak. The study was also progressing, according to the report. The Department of Water Resources stated that three pollution abatement projects at a total cost of ₹115.7 crore for rivers Pampa, Chitrapuzha in Ernakulam, and the Periyar had been sanctioned so far. On the issue of effluents discharged into the Periyar and illegal encroachment of the waterbody, the Department of Water Resources said that the issues raised in the petition before the tribunal were related to industrial toxic effluents and illegal encroachment, which were not under its purview. The report said that 'water' was a state subject, and it was the primary responsibility of States/Union Territories and local urban bodies to ensure required treatment of sewage and industrial effluents as per the prescribed norms before discharging them into the rivers and other waterbodies.
Los Angeles Times
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
California achieved significant groundwater recharge last year, state report says
A year of average precipitation gave California's groundwater supplies a significant boost, according to a state analysis released Tuesday. California's aquifers gained an estimated 2.2 million acre-feet of groundwater in the 12 months that ended Sept. 30, the state's 2024 water year. That's about half the storage capacity of Shasta Lake, California's largest reservoir. State officials said local agencies reported that about 1.9 million acre-feet of water went underground as a result of managed aquifer recharge projects designed to capture stormwater and replenish groundwater. The boost to underground supplies occurred while the state is implementing water-saving programs and regulations intended to help curb chronic overpumping in farming areas in the Central Valley. The amount of groundwater replenishment during the 2024 water year, while significant, was less than the 8.7 million acre-feet that percolated underground during the extremely wet 2023 water year, according to state estimates. Even as California has sought to capture more stormwater to recharge groundwater, pumping to provide for agriculture has continued drawing on underground supplies. The groundwater report, prepared by the state Department of Water Resources, said about 11.5 million acre-feet of groundwater was pumped across 98 basins, based on data from local agencies that submitted annual reports. That was up from 9.7 million acre-feet reported during the previous year. The Central Valley accounted for more than 84% of groundwater extraction statewide, and most of that water was used to supply the valley's farmlands. Gov. Gavin Newsom said California is collecting more groundwater data than it has previously, and is continuing to prioritize efforts to recharge aquifers. He said, however, that the state's water infrastructure is unprepared for the effects of climate change, and he reiterated his support for building a water tunnel beneath the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. 'We're done with barriers,' Newsom said in a statement. 'We must modernize our water infrastructure.' The proposed Delta Conveyance Project, with an estimated price tag of $20.1 billion, has generated heated debate. Supporters say the proposed project is essential to modernizing the state's water infrastructure and maintaining the reliability of supplies from the State Water Project. Opponents say it would unnecessarily harm the Delta's deteriorating ecosystem, threaten fish species and lead to significantly higher water costs for the public. As they released the figures, state officials said efforts to address groundwater overpumping have been helped by a state program called LandFlex, which has provided $23.3 million in grants to local groundwater agencies, enabling dozens of small and midsize farms to take steps to bolster groundwater levels. According to state estimates, the program has helped save more than 100,000 acre-feet of groundwater by reducing pumping. The Department of Water Resources said the program has also helped in redirecting floodwaters onto fallowed farmland to recharge groundwater. Department Director Karla Nemeth called it a 'climate-resilient solution' for local water management agencies as well as farmers.
Hans India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Odisha govt to carry out water resources census
Bhubaneswar: Odisha government will carry out a census of various water resources in the State for the first time, an official said on Monday. The census is being carried out following the instructions of the Ministry of Jalshakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. The censuses are undertaken through Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) and a web-based application comprising four census-first censuses of major and medium irrigation census and the census of springs, second census of water bodies and the 7th census of minor irrigation. 'This is a unique opportunity for the State to create a comprehensive database of all water resources from the village level to the State level. For the first time, this is being conducted in a coordinated and convergent manner by the Department of Water Resources and Planning and Convergence Department. This is a unique instance of users and producers of the statistics working together to ensure better data quality,' reads the statement. Development Commissioner Anu Garg reviewed the census programmes being carried out in the State which was also attended by senior officials of Water Resources, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, E&IT departments, Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Chief Engineer, Minor Irrigation, Odisha Lift Irrigation Corporation, Central Ground Water Board and State Groundwater Board. Besides, Superintending Engineers, Deputy Director, DPMUs from all the districts were also present during the meeting held on Monday. The focus of the meeting was on the effective implementation of the irrigation and spring censuses to capture quality data. While reviewing the census programmes, Garg emphasised on coordinated and convergent approach of all the stakeholders for quality data collection so that a comprehensive database of all water resources can be made. This will be a comprehensive database for planning water resources of the State for irrigation, industry, pisciculture, human and animal consumption. She also instructed the Superintending Engineer, Executive Engineerand Deputy Director, Planning and Statistics at the District level to work together to make these census operations a grand success.
