Report

Closing of the Krishna Basin: irrigation, streamflow depletion and macroscale hydrology

author(s) Biggs, Trent W. - Gaur, Anju - Scott, C. - Thenkabail, Prasad S. - Gangadhara Rao, Parthasaradhi - Gumma, Murali K. - Acharya, Sreedhar - Turral, Hugh
from International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
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  • Southern Asia
  • Asia
  • World
citation

Biggs, Trent; Gaur, Anju; Scott, C.; Thenkabail, Prasad; Gangadhara Rao, Parthasaradhi; Gumma, Murali Krishna; Acharya, Sreedhar; Turral, Hugh. 2007. Closing of the Krishna Basin: irrigation, streamflow depletion and macroscale hydrology. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 38p. (IWMI Research Report 111) doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3910/2009.111

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Abstract

Discharge from the Krishna River into the ocean decreased by 75 percent from 1960-2005, and was zero during a recent multi-year drought. This paper describes the physical geography and hydrology of the Krishna Basin, including runoff production and a basic water account based on hydronomic zones. More than 50 percent of the basin's irrigated area is groundwater irrigation, which is not currently included in inter-state allocation rules. Future water allocation will require inclusion of the interactions among all irrigated areas, including those irrigated by groundwater and surface water.

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