Hydrological alterations due to anthropogenic activities in Krishna River Basin, India

The present study has been taken up to quantify the impacts of the anthropogenic activities on the hydrology of the middle and lower stretches of the Krishna River over the past sixty years. The Flow Health (FH) method which is based on the Range of Variability Approach (RVA) is used to quantify the hydrological alteration (flow changes) of different flow characteristics. The flow characteristics of pre- and post-dam impact periods are compared and evaluated to understand the ecologically sensitive streamflow parameters. The study is primarily focussed on the impact of human activities such as dam constructions. The wet and dry periods are excluded as they are impacted by climate variability. Results of the study confirmed that the impact of the Nagarjuna Sagar on the Krishna River Basin is the highest among the five dams studied, with an average FH score of 0.54 and that of PD Jurala dam is the lowest, with an average FH score of 0.65. This study will be beneficial to help restore regional water resources and eco-environmental system in the middle and lower Krishna River Basin.