July 2026: Chenab Flood Damages Ratle HEP Coffer Dam in J&K

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Flood spell in Chenab river overtopping and damaging part of cofferdam at 850 MW Ratle HEP in Kistwar, J&K. Source: Greater Kashmir).

The cofferdam of Ratle Hydroelectric Project (HEP) was partially damaged due to a floods in Chenab river on July 23, 2026. The 850 MW project is under construction near Drabshalla village in Kishtwar district of Jammu & Kashmir. The cofferdam was built to divert river flows and facilitate construction of the main concrete gravity dam.

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Agriculture · Bihar

Adaptation as Water Security in the Kosi Floodplains in Bihar

July 28, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

Guest Article by: Rahul Yaduka

1. Paradox of Abundance and Insecurity

Kosi Diyara, the land-waterscape trapped within the embankments along the river Kosi in Bihar, harbours various paradoxes. One of them is that it is a water-abundant region facing recurrent floods and yet witnessing persistent livelihood and water insecurity. This water insecurity manifests in different forms in different seasons. For instance, during the flood period from mid-May to mid-October, the Kharif paddy crop is prone to flooding. On the other hand, during the cultivation of the Rabi crop, viz., wheat, between December and April, the lack of irrigation infrastructure and required capital inputs makes irrigation challenging despite the abundance of water.

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Dams, Rivers & People · Urban Rivers

DRP 270726: Urban Rivers Need Ecological Restoration, Not Concrete, Cosmetic Fixes

July 27, 2026July 27, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Vrishabhavathi river in Bengaluru. Credit: Deccan Herald)

Despite sustaining cities with water supply, groundwater recharge, flood moderation, biodiversity, livelihoods and cultural services, India’s urban rivers continue to deteriorate, as highlighted by several reports this week. The Yamuna in Delhi remains the starkest example – ecologically dead across long stretches due to unchecked sewage inflows, shrinking flows and relentless floodplain encroachment. Similar stories are unfolding across the country, with Mumbai’s Mithi, Hyderabad’s Musi, Chennai’s Cooum, Bengaluru’s Vrishabhavathi, Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati, Vadodara’s Vishwamitri, Jaipur’s Dravyawati, Nasik’s Godvarai, Pune’s Mula-Mutha amd several other urban rivers increasingly reduced to sewage drains or heavily degraded waterways.

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Himalayas · Hydro Disaster · Teesta

July 2026: 25 Workers Killed in NHPC Teesta-VI HEP Tunnel Disaster in Sikkim

July 24, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Joint rescue and recovery operation at Teesta VI HEP tunnel site in Samardung, Sikkim: Image credit: PTI/Source: ETV Bharat)

The methane leak and explosion disaster on 20 July 2026 inside the under-construction ADIT-III tunnel of NHPC’s 500 MW Teesta Stage-VI Hydroelectric Project (HEP) at Samardung in South Sikkim claimed the lives of all 25 trapped workers, making it one of the worst tunnel accidents in India’s hydropower sector.

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Climate Change · Himalayas · Hydro Disaster · Sutlej

July 2026: Recurring Artificial Lake Floods Lippa in Sutlej Basin

July 22, 2026July 22, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Google Earth image showing Lippa village, Pejar and Kerang streams and location of artificial lake in red circle.)

A flash flood triggered by heavy rainfall on 9 July 2026 created an artificial lake in Lippa village under Pooh subdivision of Kinnaur district, Himachal Pradesh. The deluge originated in the Pejar (Pager) nallah, which carried huge amount of boulders, debris and slush into the Kerang stream (Teti khad) blocking its natural flow. The obstruction caused water to accumulate rapidly, creating an artificial lake at the confluence of Pejar and Kerang stream.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 20 July 2026: Wither Dam Safety Compliance in India?

July 20, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Featue Image: A CDO team in May 2025 inspects the Srisailam Dam to assess its structural safety. Souce: TNIE)

It’s been five years since the Parliament passed the Dam Safety Act and the institutions including National and State Dam Safety committees and authorities were set up. However, how safe are our dams and how far have we achieved the Dam Safety Compliance norms? The answer to that question is unlikely to be confidence inspiring. This feeling is reinforced with a number of reports in recent weeks.

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Climate Change · Dam Safety · Himalayas · Landslide · Yamuna River

July 2026: Two Landslide Incidents at Lakhwar Dam in Three Days

July 16, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Trapped and damaged vehicles at Lakhwar dam site following a landslide on July 11, 2026. Source: Amar Ujala)

The under-construction Lakhwar dam site on the Yamuna river in Dehradun district of Uttarakhand witnessed two landslide incidents within three days in July 2026. Although there was no loss of life, both incidents damaged construction machinery, exposed the risks faced by workers, and revived concerns about slope stability, construction practices and the suitability of building such a large dam in the fragile Himalayan region.

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Climate Change · Dams · Maharashtra · River Front Development · Urban Rivers

Riparian Forest 22 degrees Celsius cooler than the Riverfront Project!

July 16, 2026July 17, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

Pune saw some of the warmest summer days and nights this summer. So did several Indian cities. With the recent monsoon, the thoughts of this heat might have washed away but it is important that one does not forget the summer heat. Why? Read More:

*Riparian Forest Photo Credit: Tara Tanmayi S.*

Why run and hurry? Here’s dictionary: Microclimate: Microclimate generally refers to the specific climatic conditions within a small area (such as street, park, riverside, etc.). With rise in extreme events like heat and global warming, microclimate is what make cities/ spaces livable. The temperature difference you experience while driving on a road with no tree cover vs with a tree cover is what microclimate is.

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Yamuna River

Yamuna Manthan July 2026: River without Flows Even During Monsoon

July 15, 2026July 15, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: HKB July 06, 2026 hydrograph showing only 9.97 cusecs flow being released in Yamuna despite substantial rise in inflows. Source: CWC)

It is well known that excessive diversion of Yamuna waters at the Hathnikund Barrage (HKB) in Yamuna Nagar, Haryana over the past two-and-a-half decades has turned the perennial river into a seasonal stream in its upper reaches during the lean season. However, an analysis of the Central Water Commission’s (CWC) hourly discharge figures and hydrographs since July 1, 2026 reveals that the river is now being deprived of its essential flows even during the monsoon.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 130726: Urge to set up Statutory River Authority

July 13, 2026July 15, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: River Ravi at Makora Pattan. Photo: Abhay Kanvinde)

Rivers are the most important eco-systems, providing numerous economic, environmental social and cultural benefits. And in answer to the question, who governs India’s Rivers, we are generally likely to get response blank stares. Same is the likely response about the state of India’s rivers, who monitors our Rivers and so on.

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