NIO Goa experts identify 14 breach-prone stretches along river Godavari in Konaseema

The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO-Goa) experts, under the guidance of Chief Scientist Jaya Kumar Seelam, have pinpointed 14 vulnerable stretches along the Gouthami and Vasista, tributaries of the Godavari river, in the Konaseema region. The Godavari river, originating in Maharashtra, ultimately flows into the Bay of Bengal in Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Konaseema and West Godavari districts.

The river experiences at least two floods annually. During a recent meeting with revenue and water resource department officials, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema District Collector R. Mahesh Kumar instructed them to draft a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and conduct a socio-economic study on the potential impact of embankment breaches on villages, crops, and assets.

Officials were also tasked with measuring water pressure at the 14 identified breach-prone locations. The NIO-Goa experts have suggested employing riprap, a technique involving the placement of stones along the embankment, and exploring the use of geo-textile in certain areas to reduce the cost of reinforcing the embankments. Additionally, officials have been directed to investigate the consequences of silting at the confluence points of the Konavaram and Rameswaram drains, which are causing the inundation of approximately 15,000 acres of agricultural land in the district.