the union government. Since large parts of Indian peninsula are covered by basins
which are interstate in nature, central government through its specialized agencies,
namely Central Water Commission and Central Ground Water Board, collects and
maintains such data as is essential for planning and management of interstate river
basins and assessing the status of groundwater in various parts of country.
Precipitation is of utmost importance, and historically, India Meteorological
Department (1875 onwards) collects and processes data in addition to other climatic
and lithosphere data. Historically, the longest length of data for water resources is
available with these central agencies. Other key data like geological, soil characteristics and topographical information is collected and provided by Geological
Survey of India (1851 onwards), National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use
Planning and Survey of India (1767 onwards), respectively. Specific data on water
resources is also collected, processed and managed by National Remote Sensing
Center since 1969 onwards. Each of these agencies collect and provide extensive
data sets which are very valuable for planning and managing water resources.
Apart from the systematic long-term data collection, State Governments and
project developers and implementers especially in case of hydropower collect
short-term data specific to the project sites. This data is primarily collected for the
immediate project report preparation basis and is correlated with the other
long-term data for planning.
3.1 Surface Water Data
3.1.1 Data Collected by CWC
1. Following hydrological data related to surface water is collected at CWC
Hydrological Observation (HO) sites:
(i) River water level (Gauge, G),
(ii) River discharge (Discharge, D),
(iii) Sediment flow (Silt, S) and
(iv) Water quality (Quality, Q).
2. Besides hydrological observation, CWC also observes some selected sites,
selected meteorological parameters such as rainfall, maximum–minimum temperature, humidity, pan-evaporation, solar radiation and wind velocity on some
specific sites.
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A. B. Pandya
which are interstate in nature, central government through its specialized agencies,
namely Central Water Commission and Central Ground Water Board, collects and
maintains such data as is essential for planning and management of interstate river
basins and assessing the status of groundwater in various parts of country.
Precipitation is of utmost importance, and historically, India Meteorological
Department (1875 onwards) collects and processes data in addition to other climatic
and lithosphere data. Historically, the longest length of data for water resources is
available with these central agencies. Other key data like geological, soil characteristics and topographical information is collected and provided by Geological
Survey of India (1851 onwards), National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use
Planning and Survey of India (1767 onwards), respectively. Specific data on water
resources is also collected, processed and managed by National Remote Sensing
Center since 1969 onwards. Each of these agencies collect and provide extensive
data sets which are very valuable for planning and managing water resources.
Apart from the systematic long-term data collection, State Governments and
project developers and implementers especially in case of hydropower collect
short-term data specific to the project sites. This data is primarily collected for the
immediate project report preparation basis and is correlated with the other
long-term data for planning.
3.1 Surface Water Data
3.1.1 Data Collected by CWC
1. Following hydrological data related to surface water is collected at CWC
Hydrological Observation (HO) sites:
(i) River water level (Gauge, G),
(ii) River discharge (Discharge, D),
(iii) Sediment flow (Silt, S) and
(iv) Water quality (Quality, Q).
2. Besides hydrological observation, CWC also observes some selected sites,
selected meteorological parameters such as rainfall, maximum–minimum temperature, humidity, pan-evaporation, solar radiation and wind velocity on some
specific sites.
142
A. B. Pandya