6
Physical Environmental Impact
Assessment of Flood: A Case
of Lower Darakeswar–Mundeswari
Interfluve in West Bengal
N. C. Jana and Soumen Mandal
Abstract
Flood is one of the most dreadful natural
disasters in the humid tropics especially in
India. It appears from the research studies and
government reports that the Mundeswari (the
main distributary of River Damodar) and
Lower Darakeswar are the endemic
flood-prone tropical rivers. Both natural and
anthropogenic causes are responsible for flood
of the rivers. The causes of floods of the rivers
become highly complex and their relative
importance varies from place to place. Anthropogenic activities such as building activity and
eventual urbanization, channel manipulation
through diversion of river’s course, construction of bridges, barrages and reservoirs, agricultural practices, deforestation, land-use
changes etc. induce floods in the study area.
The main objectives of the paper are: (i) to
assess the physical environmental impacts of
flood in Darakeswar–Mundeswari Interfluve
in Hugli District of West Bengal and (ii) to
suggest possible relevant measures towards
reducing the magnitude of flood impacts in the
study area.
Keywords
Flood Á Environment Á Impact Á Model Á
Assessment Á Interfluve
6.1 Introduction
Flood is undoubtedly the most dreadful natural
calamity that West Bengal has experienced over
the years. It has been estimated that 42.43% of
the total area of the state is flood prone. The
Darakeswar–Mundeswari Interfluve of Hugli
District is no exception in this regard. This
interfluve has been suffering from flood since
time immemorial. The objective of the present
paper is to assess the impact of floods on physical
environment and to suggest appropriate measures
towards controlling and management of flood.
The Lower Darakeswar–Mundeswari Interfluve in Hugli District of West Bengal is situated
in the south-western part of the district. The
study area (73 N/13 & 73 N/14 in SOI Topographical Map) lies between 22°36′15″N and 22°
57′35″N and 87°45′E and 88°58′10″E. In the
north, it is bounded by Burdwan District, in the
south by West Midnapur and Howrah Districts,
N. C. Jana (&) Á S. Mandal
Department of Geography, The University of
Burdwan, Barddhaman 713104 West Bengal, India
e-mail: jana.narayan@gmail.com
S. Mandal
e-mail: soumentumpa@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
B. W. Pandey and S. Anand (eds.), Water Science and Sustainability, Sustainable Development Goals Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57488-8_6
53
Physical Environmental Impact
Assessment of Flood: A Case
of Lower Darakeswar–Mundeswari
Interfluve in West Bengal
N. C. Jana and Soumen Mandal
Abstract
Flood is one of the most dreadful natural
disasters in the humid tropics especially in
India. It appears from the research studies and
government reports that the Mundeswari (the
main distributary of River Damodar) and
Lower Darakeswar are the endemic
flood-prone tropical rivers. Both natural and
anthropogenic causes are responsible for flood
of the rivers. The causes of floods of the rivers
become highly complex and their relative
importance varies from place to place. Anthropogenic activities such as building activity and
eventual urbanization, channel manipulation
through diversion of river’s course, construction of bridges, barrages and reservoirs, agricultural practices, deforestation, land-use
changes etc. induce floods in the study area.
The main objectives of the paper are: (i) to
assess the physical environmental impacts of
flood in Darakeswar–Mundeswari Interfluve
in Hugli District of West Bengal and (ii) to
suggest possible relevant measures towards
reducing the magnitude of flood impacts in the
study area.
Keywords
Flood Á Environment Á Impact Á Model Á
Assessment Á Interfluve
6.1 Introduction
Flood is undoubtedly the most dreadful natural
calamity that West Bengal has experienced over
the years. It has been estimated that 42.43% of
the total area of the state is flood prone. The
Darakeswar–Mundeswari Interfluve of Hugli
District is no exception in this regard. This
interfluve has been suffering from flood since
time immemorial. The objective of the present
paper is to assess the impact of floods on physical
environment and to suggest appropriate measures
towards controlling and management of flood.
The Lower Darakeswar–Mundeswari Interfluve in Hugli District of West Bengal is situated
in the south-western part of the district. The
study area (73 N/13 & 73 N/14 in SOI Topographical Map) lies between 22°36′15″N and 22°
57′35″N and 87°45′E and 88°58′10″E. In the
north, it is bounded by Burdwan District, in the
south by West Midnapur and Howrah Districts,
N. C. Jana (&) Á S. Mandal
Department of Geography, The University of
Burdwan, Barddhaman 713104 West Bengal, India
e-mail: jana.narayan@gmail.com
S. Mandal
e-mail: soumentumpa@gmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
B. W. Pandey and S. Anand (eds.), Water Science and Sustainability, Sustainable Development Goals Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57488-8_6
53