River Restoration Case Studies

Arvari River Rejuvenation (Rajasthan, India)
•    The Arvari River, a 90 km-long minor river in Alwar District, Rajasthan, had been dry for 60 years due to over-extraction and poor water management.
•    The NGO Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS), along with local villagers, revived the river in the early 1990s.
•    Key Restoration Actions:
o    Construction of Johads (earthen check dams) to harvest rainwater and increase groundwater recharge.
o    The largest check dam was 244 meters long and 7 meters high in the Aravalli hills.
o    By 1995, groundwater levels in downstream wells rose by 2-3 feet annually.
o    Aquatic biodiversity improved, and the river became perennial.
o    A community-led governance model, Arvari River Parliament, was formed in 1999 with 72 villages involved.

2. Kuttemperoor River Restoration (Kerala, India)
•    Kuttemperoor River, a 12 km-long tributary of Pamba and Achankovil rivers, was dying due to illegal sand mining, pollution, and waste dumping.
•    In 2017, the Budhanoor Gram Panchayat revived it in 70 days under the MGNREGA scheme with 700 local workers.
•    Key Restoration Actions:
o    Manual removal of bulky weeds and plastic waste from the riverbed.
o    Desiltation to restore natural water flow.
o    Results:
    Water levels in local wells (within a 5 km radius) improved significantly.
    Normal river flow was restored.

3. Kali Bein River Restoration (Punjab, India)
•    The Kali Bein River (a 160 km-long tributary of the Beas River) was highly polluted due to industrial effluents, fertilizer runoff, and sewage from 40 villages.
•    In 2000, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal led a community-driven revival effort.
•    Key Restoration Actions:
o    Public awareness campaigns to educate villagers.
o    Community-based fundraising.
o    Manual removal of aquatic weeds and plastic waste.
o    Diverting clean water from a nearby canal to improve water flow.
o    Results:
    Thousands of hectares of land were reclaimed from water-logging in Hoshiarpur and desertification in Kapurthala.
    Fish and aquatic species returned to the river.

4. SasurKhaderi Rivulet Restoration (Uttar Pradesh, India)
•    Sasur Khaderi-2, a 46 km-long tributary of the Yamuna, had completely dried up due to siltation and encroachment.
•    In 2013, the District Magistrate of Fatehpur (U.P.) revived the river with 4,000 laborers under MGNREGA.
•    Key Restoration Actions:
o    Desiltation of the source lake and main riverbed.
o    Construction of check dams to regulate water flow.
o    Tree plantation along the riverbanks to prevent soil erosion.
o    Results:
    The river started flowing normally again.
    Water logging issues in nearby villages were resolved.
    Economic conditions of farmers improved.

5. Thames River Restoration (England)
•    The River Thames (346 km-long) was declared biologically dead in 1957 due to industrial pollution, untreated sewage, and urban waste.
•    Restoration began in the 1960s, focusing on sewage treatment and pollution control.
•    Key Restoration Actions:
o    Installation of advanced sewage treatment plants.
o    Strict industrial discharge regulations.
o    Biodegradable detergents and oxygen level monitoring.
o    EU Water Framework Directive (2010) for long-term river health.
o    Results:
    125 fish species and over 400 invertebrate species returned to the Thames.
    Declared one of the cleanest urban rivers in the world.

6. Segura River Restoration (Spain)
•    The Segura River, a major water source in southeastern Spain, faced severe pollution and depletion due to over-extraction and poor urban planning.
•    Spain introduced an Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach.
•    Key Restoration Actions:
o    Pollution reduction through strict regulatory frameworks.
o    Efficient water budgeting and allocation.
o    Habitat restoration projects.
o    Results:
    Biodiversity increased, with fish and bird populations returning.
    Improved flood resilience and reduced drought impacts.

7. Murray-Darling Basin Restoration (Australia)
•    The Murray-Darling Basin spans 1 million square km and is Australia’s largest river system.
•    Due to overuse, climate change, and water mismanagement, it suffered water scarcity and ecosystem collapse.
•    The Australian government introduced the ‘National Plan for Water Security’ in 2007.
•    Key Restoration Actions:
o    Water-efficient farming infrastructure.
o    Sustainable water allocation policies.
o    Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) to regulate water use.
o    Results:
    Water flow variability was restored, benefiting wetlands and fish populations.
    Agricultural sustainability improved.

8. RESTORE Project (Europe)
•    The European Union launched the RESTORE Project to share best practices for river restoration.
•    Key Restoration Actions:
o    International collaboration between policymakers, researchers, and engineers.
o    Creation of the RiverWiki database for restoration projects.
o    Ecological restoration of key European rivers.