Abstract:
The water availability in a river influence significantly due to change in flow regime because of
water transfer from external sources or regulated operations like river diversion, construction of dam, onstream
uses, etc. Present paper deals with the water availability assessment in Kharun river of Chhattisgarh
state which has been found strongly influenced by regulation operations associated with river and the
complex system of water transfer from Ravishankarsagar reservoir to Kharun river and its supply through
the series of anicuts to meet various water user demands in the basin. The study indicated that the Kharun
river is originally an intermittent river having flow mainly during monsoon season with an average annual
yield 1802 MCM. The river receive average 116 MCM of water from Ravishankarsagar reservoir through
direct link and in the form of irrigation return flow, thus river experiences significant rise in dependable
flow throughout the lean period which is being used to meet various user demands. The river which runs
dry during summer season under virgin condition has found significant rise in stream flow due to water
transfer in to the river and dependable flow even at 90% probability of exceedance has been observed
between 2.83 to 3.26 m3/s.
