Dams and barrages disrupt natural river dynamics, trapping heavy sediment loads and causing riverbed aggradation that dramatically increases flood risks for upstream and surrounding settlements even during moderate rainfall. Sustainable hydropower planning must mandate comprehensive catchment-wide sediment budget analyses and dynamic flood impact assessments to mitigate dangerous riverbed rising.
Riverbed Aggradation
The River in the Raised Bed
Poor debris management, large infrastructure projects and dams are resulting in riverbed aggradation in Himalayan rivers resulting in increased flood vulnerability of river side habitations.