A STUDY FOR OPTIMUM UTILISATION OF THE DAMODAR WATER RESOURCES

Abstract

The present study deals with the water resources of Damodar river basin and its optimum utilisation. analytical optimization model namely linear programming model is used to find a reasonable possible optimal water utilization with flood control Industrial and demestic water supply, irrigation, power generation and navigation. The River Damodar originating from chhotonagpur ' Plateau and joins with River Hooghly. It has got total drainage area 22,015 sq.km. (0500 sq.miles) of which 17,900 sq.km(6960 sq.miles) upto the confluence of its main tributory River Barker is named as tipper Damodar area and remaining lower region known as lower Damodar area. The lower Damodar area has so severely and cronically suffered from such widespread havoc from its recurring floods that major protection works becomes in escapable. For this a system of Multi-Reservoirs has been designed for provide adequate flood control for the throatened regions, also produce power for the expanding industrial areas, supply water to the cultivable lands and Industrial areas. To str dy this the system analysis technique (linear programming) has been used to achieve the optimal benefits from the integrated system of all the reservoirs namely Melthon (Multipurpose) P anche t (Multipurpose), Konar (Multipurpose) , Tilaiya (multipurpose) , Tenughat (single purpose) , and proposed Balpahari (multipurpose) .