Dr Somil Swarnkar’s research team from IISER Bhopal, along with a collaborator from the USA, studied how human activities—especially building and running big dams and other water structures—have affected the Godavari River, the largest river basin in peninsular India. They looked at 50 years of data on water flow and sediment (soil and particles carried by the river). Their study found that building dams in the central part of the river has caused a big drop (about 62%) in the amount of sediment the river carries. However, smaller rivers without dams helped reduce some of the negative effects during high water flow. They also found that building many barrages (small dam-like structures) downstream has further reduced how much sediment reaches the delta (where the river meets the sea). This is a problem because less sediment means the delta cannot grow naturally, which increases the chances of coastal flooding and erosion, especially as sea levels rise due to climate change. This research could help guide better planning and management of dams and water structures in the Godavari basin to keep the river system healthy in the long run. More details at url https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2025.2486160
