Evaluating damming effect on eco-hydrological alteration in river and wetland using indicators of hydrological alteration

Present work successfully examined the damming impact on the eco-hydrological conditions of the river and wetland. The study found that monthly mean discharge was attenuated by 1.61 to 57% after damming. About 28.57 to 100% flow failure rate was found in the post-dam period and a moderate to the high degree of negative hydrological alteration (HA) for different IHA groups was identified. The flow failure rate in the river was >70% in most of the months while wetland water depth failure rates were 43% in pre-dam to 71% in post-dam, and a low and high negative degree of HA was observed over 20% and 9% of wetland areas respectively during post-monsoon season. The damming effect was found more intensive in the river than in wetlands. The eco-hydro deficit was recorded, which is an indication of growing ecological distress. The current result is used for river and wetland restoration planning.

Automated summary

This study successfully examined the impact of damming on the eco-hydrological conditions of the river and wetland. It found that damming led to a decrease in flow and a high flow failure rate, resulting in a negative hydrological alteration. The impact of damming was more pronounced in the river, leading to a growing eco-hydro deficit.