Water Management – Institutional Reforms, Conservation Efforts, etc.

Central Water Commission (CWC)

Note4Students

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level: Central Water Commission (CWC)

Why in the News?

Himalayan glacial lakes are expanding rapidly, posing greater risks to communities and ecosystems according to a Central Water Commission (CWC) report.

Key highlights of the CWC report:

  • Rapid Expansion of Glacial Lakes: Glacial lakes across the Himalayan region expanded by 10.81% in surface area from 2011 to 2024. In India alone, glacial lakes grew by 33.7% over the same period, posing serious risks to local communities and ecosystems.
  • High-Risk Lakes: The report identifies 67 lakes in India with a more than 40% increase in size, placing them in the high-risk category for glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
  • Regional Expansion Trends: The surface area of glacial lakes in the Himalayas grew from 533,401 hectares in 2011 to 591,108 hectares in 2024, largely due to accelerated glacier melt from rising temperatures.
  • Advanced Monitoring: The CWC is employing satellite technologies like Sentinel-1 SAR and Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery for precise, year-round data collection to monitor lake size and potential outburst risks.

About Central Water Commission (CWC):

Details
Establishment
  • Established in 1945 as the Central Waterways, Irrigation and Navigation Commission (CWINC);
  • On the advice of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (a member of the then Viceroy’s Executive Council).
Nodal Ministry Ministry of Jal Shakti under the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
Status Statutory body serving as an advisory entity to the GoI on water resources development and management.
Headquarters New Delhi
General Responsibilities
  • Initiating, coordinating, and furthering schemes for the control, conservation, and utilization of water resources.
  • Compiles and maintains nationwide National Register of Large Dams (NRLD).
  • Conducts hydrological surveys.
Scope of Work CWC deals exclusively with surface water; the Central Groundwater Board (CGWB) manages groundwater resources.
Chairman Chairman serves as the Ex-Officio Secretary to the GoI.
Wings of CWC • Designs and Research (D&R) Wing
• River Management (RM) Wing
• Water Planning and Projects (WP&P) Wing

 

PYQ:

[2020] Consider the following statements:

1. 36% of India’s districts are classified as “overexploited” or “critical” by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).

2. CGWA was formed under the Environment (Protection) Act.

3. India has the largest area under groundwater irrigation in the world.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

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