Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna Waters

Book excerpt: Once a prosperous region, the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) river basin—inhabited by about a tenth of the world’s population—is currently one of the poorest. Large-scale socioeconomic development is urgently needed to ensure the sustainability of the region, and the management of water resources is a crucial part of this. Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna Waters: Advances in Development and Management discusses water resource development and management issues related to the GBM river basin, including interactions, institutional set ups, and future perspectives. It also proposes several novel technologies, developed by the author, to help revolutionize the development of India’s waters. Written by an authority in water resource management studies, the book addresses the need for a holistic, integrated, basin-wide approach to improve the quality of life for people living within the region. Pointing out that water does not recognize political boundaries, the text also discusses Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan as integral parts of the GBM basin. The author suggests that the unique geophysical and hydrologic characteristics of the basin present an opportunity for technologies that can increase the available water and hydroelectric potential in the region. The proposed advances can also help generate collaborative development between India and its neighboring countries. The book emphasizes the adoption of a societal-environmental systems management approach, which treats the physical and social-environmental systems as integral components, backed by participatory transparent modeling. It also argues that technology must be considered a key part of the system. A unique contribution to water resources engineering, this book provides readers with a case study of the development and management of the world’s largest water system. It offers new perspectives and useful advice for other countries and regions developing river and irrigation plans and for policy makers involved in large-scale water resources engineering.