Water Resources Management in Bhutan

G.Karma Chhopel

India

China

Nepal

Bangladesh

Bhutan

Area

38,394km2

Population

634,982 (2005)

Introduction

Altitude range from 100m–above 7500m above msl

State of Environment

High-level political commitment60% forest cover for all timesPristine Environment

72.5% forest cover9% biological corridor~50% protected area

High bio-diversity concentration

Conservation jewel of the Eastern Himalayas

Flora and fauna 7500 vascular plants (82 are endemic)>300 medicinal plants, 50 species rhododendron,>40 species of orchids770 sps of Birds (14 IUCN)167 sps mammals (26 IUCN)

Biodiveristy - invertebrates

Rich biodiversity

Historical reasons; N-Thailand, N-Myanmar, Yunan, Assam, etc.

Rhyacophila 34 sps, 32 in Nepal

Glossosomatidae 16 sps, 14 in Nepal

Epiophlebia laidlawi

Hydraena karmai

Water Resources• Bhutan is endowed with rich perennial water

resources due to its head water source fed with permanent glaciers & associated glacier lakes, vast forest coverage & recurrence monsoon

• Four major river basins are: • Amochhu, Wangchhu, Punatsangchhu &

Manas

• Major rivers flows North to South culminating into Indian plains

• 3 transboundary rivers: Amochhu, Kurichhu & Gamri

Amochhu

Wangchhu

Punatsangchhu

Manas

Major River Systems

Water Resources • Most promising hydropower potential sites are

located deep steep river reach in narrow valleys (30,000 MW)

• All most all the hydropower projects are run-of-the-schemes except few storage schemes in the foot hills

• Natural rivers/streams water quality is reported as excellent conditions expect at localized urban areas

• Deep groundwater is virtually unused in Bhutan; hydro-geological science is still at infancy

Characteristic National Features

Value/Description

Long-term mean annual flow for entire country

2,325 m3/s=73,000 million m3/year

Per capita mean annual flow availability

109,000 m3

Per capita minimum flow availability

20,000 m3

Water Resources in Bhutan

98% urban and 88% rural population has access to safe drinking water

Middle Path: National Environment Strategy

Agriculture Intensification

Hydropower Industrialization

3 avenues to sustainable development

All the above are major users of water

Water Act : Guiding Elements

– Ensure conservation & protection & sustainable management of Water Resources

– Grant equity in water allocation and use

– Respect traditional water rights if based on equity and social justice

– Ensure licensing of water for commercial uses

– Be supported by secondary legislations

– Uphold international legal norms and conventions

7th Session of the Parliament, 31 May 2011

Water Act 20117th Session of the Parliament, 31 May 2011

• Coordinate national IWRM

• Conduct inventory on water resources

• River Basin Management Plan (River basin committees and WUAs)

• Set WQ standards

• Set minimum environmental flow

Challenges and consequences

• Unpredictable seasonality

• Accelerated melting of glaciers

• Extreme Climate: Higher incidence of flooding and dry spells

• Reduction in over all river flows & water shortages

• Drying of water sources & rivers

Challenges and consequences• Increasing demand from increasing

populations

• Unsustainable development of hydropower

• Extinction of plant and animal species

• GLOF is another

serious threat

Adaptation measures

Green Roof

• Investing in alternative sources of energy (solar, wind, biogas)

• Establish flood & weather forecasting and advance warning systems

• Build check-dams & water reservoirs using natural contours of riverbeds

• Promote rainwater harvesting & WSUD

Adaptation measures (contd..)

• Adopt drought resistant varieties of crops & livestock

• Place more areas under parks and protected areas

• Protect watersheds and wetlands

Regional & National initiatives• Bhutan Climate Summit for the Eastern

Himalayas Southern watershed• Establish strong upstream-downstream

economic linkages (cost-benefit sharing)• Establish an effective networking system for

information, data and technology– Focal institutes for glaciology, hydrology, energy, food

security etc. – Conduct inventory of water resources

Regional & National initiative• Conservation of wetlands• Improvement of irrigation systems• Promoting rational use of irrigation water• Control the spread of impervious ground cover

that impedes the recharging of ground water resources

International support• Funds and technology for mitigation and

adaptation measures

• Funds to develop sectoral rules and regulations

• Technology/ knowledge transfer from institutions such as MRC

• Support research & monitoring programmes

Conclusion• Events in HKH have global

consequences (social, economy, ecology)

• Strong evidence of climate change

• Need to act now rather

than later

• Investing for the world

བཀྲིེ�� ན་ཆེ� ་ལགས།