Water crisis in Kishtwar as Springs dry up

         Springs provide main source of fresh water for drinking and other household utilization in Himalayan region. Springs in Kishtwar hills originate from ground water aquifers and spring water are the main source of drinking water in the old city of Kishtwar. But today Kishtwar is facing acute shortage of drinking water. The water quality of springs has exhausted, a number of natural springs across Kishtwar town have dried up leading to acute crisis of drinking water. Almost 60% of all water sources have dried up, and remaining has less discharge but how can such powerful spring dry out? I decided to investigate the situation more carefully and draw some conclusions:

LOW WATER DISCHARGE FROM SANGRAM BHATA SPRING

                 

1) Deforestation

Cutting vast area of trees will have a negative impact on water patterns and amount of discharge rate of spring. Removal of tree allows the soil to heat more and the increases evaporation. The surface soil tends to become less permeable to moisture from rain or water from melted snow. Rain water tends to run off rapidly rather than replenishing ground water. Kishtwar distric is rich in forest cover. The vegetation mainly comprises coniferous, Alpine, Meadows and scrub forest like Pinus wallichiara( blue pine), pinus gerardiana, Cedrus deodara, broad leaved trees either evergreen Oaks or mix deciduous species are most common.

Oak tree leaves hold the water and slowly drop it to the ground providing sufficient time to seep in the soil. The fallen tree leaves or LITTER are act as a large sponge and help in absorbing rain water. This litter also helps in controlling soil erosion and runoff of rain water. But deforestation in Kishtwar hills are adversely affects climate change, soil erosion and spring discharge.

OAK (BASH KUL)

In last 15 years with increase in population of town, an influx of people from outside of Kishtwar, urbanization and changing food habits leads to increased in number of Bakeries shop and Dhaba walla in town. Approximately there are around 150 bakeries shops and 50 to 60 Dhaba wala running on fire wood and in winter there is high demand of fire wood for domestic purpose also.

In last 13 years large area of Oak forest had been clear by local people for fire wood from Wasser Kund, Simna, Indra Nager and around Gudrish Nag area. Oak (BASH KUL) is an important and multipurpose tree and two species of oak namely Quercus leucotrichophora ( banj) or blackjack oak and Q. floribunda (mhooru) or green oak are most exploited tree species of kishtwar town. Oak fuel wood is harvested at the individual level and sold at the rate of 350 per Khachchar (Mule) it has contributed toward deforestation. Bakeries product cost is increasing day by day, it is not because of flour is costly but because of increased in the price of fire wood due to less forest cover nearby town.

350 PER KHACHCHAR IS THE PRICE OF FIRE WOOD IN KISHTWAR

With increase in urbanization, Brick making is also put instant impact on forest. All natural springs located in upper belt of kishtwar town have vanished or quality and quantity of water discharge are affected like spring Hunpath Nag near Indra Nagar, Sangram bhata Nag, Gudrish Nag all are dying and one of the famous nag (spring) KAIN NAG was located upper side of Gudrish Nag have already dried up.  If fuel wood demand is to be met at sustainable level and hope for conservation of spring, more oak trees has to be planted on agriculture land and also in forest with the help of sustainable forestry practice.

2) Climate change and Snow fall

Due to deforestation, enhanced greenhouse effect and increase in average temperature leads to disturbed the hydraulic cycle in Kishtwar. The seasonal snow cover is receding with each year and the region is frequently experiencing snow less winters. Snow fall was very scanty as a result of which water bodies got lesser water. Reduced snowfall also means less snow in glaciers and less stream flow. Climate change led to rain, rather than snow in winter. This rain increased the melting of glacier before summer comes and it leads to drinking water shortage in town. Average rainfall in district Kishtwar has been recorded as 36.04 inches per year which is lowest as compared to other districts of J&K. Due to low average annual precipitation, whole Kishtwar district has been declared drought prone by govt of J&K.

 

DEGRADED OAK FOREST IN THE STUDY AREA

AREA AFFECTED BY DEFORESTATION

3) Earthquakes

 According to the Indian meteorological department, Kishtwar comes under seismic zone 5^th and are prone to earthquakes. Earthquakes can drying or shifted the springs. The fractures in the rocks due to earthquakes can reduce the spring discharge or even the spring can become dry. Kishtwar has had 7 earthquakes in the past 365 days and face 2 earthquakes in last 30 days. It happens more often in Kishtwar: 4.6 magnitude earthquake, 32 km from kishtwar (March 15, 2018), 4.6 magnitude earthquake ,49 km from kishtwar (October 19,2017), 4.5 magnitude earthquake, 14 km from kishtwar (may 29, 2017), 4.0 magnitude earthquake, 60km from kishtwar ( july 25,2014 ) 3 may,2013 4:12 AM ,5.2 Richter scale, epicenter of the earthquake was 12 km north-east of kishtwar. The city experiencing vertical and transverse block movement, due to the compression caused by the continued northward movement of Indian plate. During earthquake due to the movement of tectonic plates some portion of rocks get squeezed while other portion of rocks get expand, leading to change in amount of  underground water discharge and water pathways. Some research also shows that earthquake put positive impact on ground water discharge and new springs emerged but yet it not occurs in Kishtwar.

4) Head race tunnel (HRT) / Power tunnel of Dul Hasti power station (NHPC)

This runs under pressure supplying water for generation of power to the power station. It is basically a water conducting system. Dulhasti power station located in kishtwar harness 390MW (3 × 130MW) Hydropower potential of river Chenab. The length of HRT is 10.6 km and 7.7/7.46 m dia having discharge capacity of 213 cumecss. kishtwar lies in the central crystalline belt of the Great Himalyas. Rocks are composed of mainly granite and gneiss. The tunnel boring machine (TBM) tunneling through the rocks or blast induced vibration and it can damage the aquifers and the natural rocks fall down in tunnel. This led to sudden ingress (infiltrating) of water. In HRT the lining of the crown portion of concrete loses its strength with time and fall down then natural spring discharge is shifted in it. Dul hasti hydroelectric project is delayed by several years due to adverse geological condition like fault/ thrust/ shear zone. DHPS HRT is constructed in shear zone. The rock mass under shear zone is characterized by gouge material and the ratio of soft clayey gouges to rocks fragment of different size, shaped and strength. Share zone are associated with confined aquifers. If the wall of the tunnel collapse then water from aquifers is ingress in tunnel, spring water is sucked by HRT and natural spring dry up. Kain Nag, Gudrish nag spring, Shalimar (Timber hut) spring and Shalimar Nalla are affected by it.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dul_Hasti_Hydroelectric_Plant

HRT FROM DUL DAM TO HASTI POWER STATION

There is no doubt that the issue of water shortage is highly pervasive in kishtwar town. Through my entire study I have tried to explore almost all relevant aspects of the issue. My post aim to find the probable factors and there impacts on drying of springs in Kishtwar.

Date :- 05/08/2018

Place :- Kishtwar

http://kishtwar.nic.in