Aug 2025: Flood Affects Satpuli Barrage Project in Uttarakhand

August 21, 2025August 21, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Flooded machines, camps and materials of Satpuli lake project on Aug 06 morning. Credit: Chain Singh Rawat (Junyali), Satpuli)

A flood spell in Nayar river (East) on Aug 6, 2025 morning has affected the ongoing construction work of Satpuli Barrage Project in Pauri district of Uttarakhand. The flood submerged some machines, heavy vehicles, worker camps and huge amount of construction materials, leading to huge losses for the construction company. All these machines, materials and camps were in the riverbed and flood zone of the river, exposing them to flood threats in the peak monsoon.

Continue reading →

Bhagirathi · Climate Change · Disasters · Floods · Ganga · Himalayas

Dharali Disaster: Bhagirathi River Blockage Partially Removed

August 17, 2025August 22, 2025 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature Image: Formation of artificial lake in Bhagirathi river at Harshil, Uttarkashi)

After 11 days since the Dharali disaster unfolded in Bhagirathi valley Uttarakhand on August 5, 2025, an artificial lake formed on Bhagirathi river has been removed to some extent by the joint team of concerned departments on Aug 16, 2025 noon. The lake was formed after the Tel gaad partially blocked the Bhagirathi river at Harshil about 2.5 km downstream of Dharali.

Continue reading →

Chenab · Climate Change · Floods · Hydropower

Devastation at Chasoti: Underlining the vulnerability of Chenab Basin again

August 15, 2025August 15, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

Last October, we were about 15 kms from Chasoti in the Paddar valley of Jammu when we met Dular Singh jee, Priest of Machail Mata Temple, accompanied by other members of the Temple Management Board. They were on their way to Mindhal Mata Temple also on the banks of Chenab in the neighboring Pangi Valley. Theirs was a journey upstream and ours was downstream. We talked of Chenab, floods, Mindhal and Machail Mata Yatra (pilgrimage) and beautifully carved wooden temples of this region.

And today, Dular Singh jee, who is just 3kms from Chasoti, tells me in voice choked with emotion, “I have not seen such a catastrophic flashflood in my life.” The flood that started around 12 noon on Aug 14 2025, devastating Machail Mata yatra and pilgrims at Chasoti. “Mata Rani sabki raksha kare”. (May the deity protect all). He is also worried about villages like “Hangu, Hanoti, Hamori and Bhajanu Nalla”.

Continue reading →

Climate Change · Cloud Burst · Disasters · Floods · Himalayas · Monsoon

Aug 2025: Five Road Workers Missing After Flashfloods in Pauri-Uttarakhand

August 8, 2025August 8, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Search Operation on Aug 07, 2025 in Katola gaad of Bankura village in Chauthan Patti, Thaisain, Pauri. Source: Uttarakhand Police)

The Chauthan Patti under Thailisain block of Pauri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand has again been battered by excessive rainfall events on August 06 2025. Villagers have reported of 3 incidents of ‘cloudburst’ induced flashflood causing severe damages in Bankura, Mansari and Sarson villages.

Continue reading →

CWC - Central Water Commission · Highest Flood Level · River Basin

Rivers Crossing the Highest Flood Levels in July 2025

August 1, 2025October 2, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Hydrograph of Pin river at Gulling site in Lahul & Spiti on July 04, 2025)

In July 2025 during the South West Monsoon, we have found rivers crossing their respective Highest Flood Levels (HFL) at least at 12 flood monitoring sites of Central Water Commission (CWC). Of the 12 sites, 11 are in Ganga basin and 1 site is in Narmada basin. The details of all these sites are given in table below. The sixth column of the table is the information about rise in meter (m) over the old HFL, duration (hours-hrs) the river has stayed in extreme floods and number of years (yrs) after the HFL is breached. The 12 sites are spread over 5 states: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand.

Continue reading →

Climate Change · Dams · Disasters · Floods · Rivers

DRP 210725: Moving Joshimath Landslide a threat to Tapovan Vishnugad HEP in UKD?

July 21, 2025July 21, 2025 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature Image: Hydropower Tunnel project shown in the Joshimath area along with the Watershed Boundary. This figure is generated using ArcGIS software-version 10.3.1 and CorelDraw Graphics Suite 2019 https://www.coreldraw.com/. Source: Analyzing Joshimath’s sinking: causes, consequences, and future prospects with remote sensing techniques. May 2024)

A paper in scientific journal co-authored by Internationally renowned landslide expert Dave Petley (published on June 16 2025 at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108201) warns that the Joshimath landslide is moving and can threaten the under construction Tapovan Vishnugad hydropower project in Chamoli district in Uttarkhand. The paper says: “The 2023 rapid deformation at Joshimath was preceded by slow movement years ahead. Deforestation in the Joshimath region might have intensified the slope instability. Additional landslide zones were detected in Hailang, Kalpeshwar with similar pattern. Slow-moving landslides have high potential to cause often underestimated damages.”

Continue reading →

floodplains · Floods · Yamuna River

Letter: Encroachment of Yamuna floodplain near Wazirabad Barrage

July 19, 2025July 19, 2025 SANDRP1 Comment

To, July 17, 2025

1 Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena

Honorable LG, Delhi Civil Lines,

New Delhi-110054

pstolg.delhi@nic.in

Continue reading →

Climate Change · Dam Decommissioning · Floods · River Restoration

DRP 140725: Dam decommissioning spreads to China

July 14, 2025 SANDRP2 Comments

(Feature Image: Copco 2 dam removal on the Klamath River, California. Credit: Swiftwater Films, Source: American Rivers)

China decommissions hundreds of dams along Red river China has claimed to have dismantled 300 dams and decommissioned more than 90 percent of small hydropower stations along the Chishui River, also known as the Red River, a key tributary of the upper Yangtze. The move is seen as one of the largest state-led efforts to restore aquatic biodiversity in Asia’s longest river, reversing decades of hydro-infrastructure development that critically endangered native fish species, including the Yangtze sturgeon, the South China Morning Post reported.

Continue reading →

Environmental Flow · floodplains · Floods · River Pollution · Yamuna River

Yamuna Manthan July 2025: Is Delhi Ready for July 2023 like Yamuna Floods?

July 11, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: EOS-RS Flood Proxy Map: New Delhi, Floods, 12 July 2023,v0.4)

July 13 will mark two years since the Yamuna river stretch in national capital witnessed unprecedented flood spell. The river not just submerged every part of existing available floodplain by several feet but also spilled over to reclaim its lost channels. The unusual flood also breached historic 1978 flood level at Delhi railway bridge by a huge margin, setting new benchmark.

Continue reading →

Floods · Dams · Climate Change

Guadalupe River Floods: Understanding the tragedy along ‘The Most Dangerous River valley in the USA’

July 10, 2025July 16, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

“This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States, we deal with floods on a regular basis.” – Kerr County judge, Rob Kelly about Guadalupe River[i], 5^th July 2025

“If you live in the Guadalupe River Basin, you also live in one of the three most dangerous regions in the U.S.A. for flash floods!”[ii] – Opening Statement of “Staying safe: A Guide to Flooding in the Guadalupe River Basin[iii]” published by the Guadalupe River basin Authority

Flash Flood Watch Alert from National Weather Service received 3 hrs 21 minutes ahead of the devastating “30 feet high tsunami ball of water[1]”.

“If you do not want to be flooded, do not build or live in a floodplain”– Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority

And yet, several summer camp buildings built on not only floodplains, but on extremely dangerous floodways[iv]. more than 27 children lost to floods.

Continue reading →