MERI to start survey of dams across country

NASHIK: City-based Maharashtra Engineering Research Institute (MERI), which has over nine branches and is venturing in over 13 researches ranging from sedimentation to hydronamics, is preparing to carry out reservoir sedimentation across 30 dams in 15 states.
MERI has been undertaking the reservoir sedimentation survey using the remote sensing technology and the global information system (GIS) for carrying out reservoir sedimentation survey in Maharashtra and carrying out similar activities in several states.It had bagged the new order from the central government, a senior in MERI told TOI.
"The survey is expected to bring in a revenue of Rs 60 lakh for MERI and is aimed at getting the exact storage of water in dams and the percentage of silt there. The survey will be carried out in some of the northern states of the country, besides a few of in the East and South," the official said. The institute has been shortlisted and all necessary enquiries have been done, the official added.
MERI is the only government organisation in the country to be equipped with manpower and machinery to carry out projects on a par with any private organization and could hence compete in the bidding for tenders floated by the water resources ministry for the new project.
"Not only do we have technology and expertise in using the remote sensing for carrying out sedimentation surveys, we have also been training engineers from various state - especially Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu," the MERI official said.
The remote sensing technology has been in use at MERI for 25 years. The geo-informatics centre is fully equipped with all necessary hardware and software, including blade server. The applications so far included sugar cane and grape mapping, reservoir sedimentation studies, catchment area treatment plans, change detection studies, canal field survey and waste land mapping.
"The survey begins during summer when the dams are at their lowest ebb or in monsoon when they are full. Satellite imageries are captured and then the images of the dams are captured during several times of the year. The imageries are studied and calculation leads to the status of sedimentation in the dams," the officer said.
The office is also toying with the ideas expanding the use of remote sensing to other fields. "There are possibilities of using remote sensing to find out the ways and means for water conservation and we are trying to think on the same. We may have some workable ideas, soon," the officer added.
Round Table on Decision Support System
MERI, along with UK Science and Innovation Network, India, will host a two-day discussion on Development of Decision Support System for Water Resources from Monday. MERI officials said the round-table discussion will be chaired by the principal secretary, water resources department and co-chaired by Dr Tom Wells, the deputy head, UK Science and Innovation Network, India, British Deputy High Commission, Bangalore.
The objective is to evolve system to find out the ways and means to fight drought and flood situation at the basic levels. "The focus will be on to enhance the application of remote sensing and GIS tools for development of decision support system (DSS) for water resources," the officer said.
The remote sensing will identify the demands and supply chains of water for the region and also tap the resources of water, ways and means to recharge ground water and strengthen the water use efficiency and irrigation planning with the help of multi-reservoir operations and planning to ensure that best of water was available for optimal use in the region.