Effects of Riverbed Extraction on Ground Water Resources in the Vicinity of Tinau River, Rupandehi

Abstract

The study was carried out in the vicinity of the Tinau river, Rupandehi, Nepal from July 2011 to June 2012. Ten number of shallow tube wells (STWs) of depths 5.18 m to 7.62 m, four shallow tube wells (STWs) of depths 28.96 m to 36.58 m. from Amawa and Farsatikar Village Development Committees and one dug well (DW) from Butwal Municipality were selected for the purpose of this study. The depth of the STWs was different but many STWs were of 6.09 m deep. The DW was of 18.29 m. The information was collected from the owners during field visit of the sites. A standard questionnaire was prepared and asked to the affected persons. The site observation was done in the dry season as well as in the rainy seasons. It was found that the extraction of riverbed materials from the river channel and the flood plain area has adversely affected the aquatic environment of the Tinau river. Massive extraction of the riverbed materials from this river started after the enforcement of local governance act, and regulation 1999. The income generated from the riverbed materials is quite enough. This is one of the major sources of income generation of DDC Rupandehi and the VDCs attached to this river (from Butwal to Bethari). The depth of the river increased due to extraction activities as a result groundwater table lowered. The STWs having depth of 5.18 to 7.62 m stopped discharging water from the aquifer in the dry season. Similarly DW of Butwal municipality having depth of 18.29 m stopped discharging water at dry season. But the STWs of depths from 28.96 m to 36.58 m. located at the same area/site were not affected by the extraction in the Tinau river. The people, who are residing on the bank of the river Tinau, suffered from drinking water problem because they are using the water from STWs. The effect is directly facing the people of low and medium level having low income generation. The extraction activity is going on and the deficit of water availability in STWs and DW is common in the vicinity of the Tinau river especially in the upstream (from Butwal to Paschim Amawa), whereas there is less effects of riverbed extraction for STWs of depths more than 27.43 m in the same sites.

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