The Brahmaputra River is the 5th largest river in the world. Whereas hydrology in the lower Brahmaputra (India and Bangladesh) is dominated by monsoon ...
GC23C-0946 Future Visions of the Brahmaputra Establishing Hydrologic Baseline and Water Resources Context Patrick A. Ray, Yi-Chen E. Yang, Sungwook Wi, and Casey M. Brown, The University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA Abedalrazq F. Khalil, The World Bank Group, Washington DC, USA
HYDRO-CLIMATE
AGRICULTURE 9
Estimated irrigation water withdrawal (BCM)
Historically, the issue of principle concern on the Brahmaputra River has been flooding. Irrigation water is not scarce, and most hydropower dams are run-of-the-river. Climate change will likely make monsoon floods worse.
China: Brahmaputra Basin
8 7
Fodder 10%
Irrigation water requirement within the Brahmaputra Basin
Qingke 46% Rapeseeds 12%
6 5 4 3
China
Pandu
Yangcun
Bangladesh
2
India: Brahmaputra Basin
1
Fibres 4%
Tea/Coffee/Rubber 7%
Oilseeds 7% Vegetables 10%
Three of the Brahmaputra’s four riparian states are among top ten most populous countries in the world (China - #1, India - #2, Bangladesh - #7), and an estimated 33 million people live within the catchment, most of whom are rural poor with incomes less than a few thousand dollars a year. Generally, irrigation water is not scarce. Spices 4%
Other Cereals 1%
Fruits 3%
Wheat 2%
Rice 56%
Maize 3%
HYDROPOWER
140
At over 200 GW, its hydropower resources are among the greatest in the world, and also the least exploited. Less than 10 GW of hydropower generating capacity is Hydropower % of basin’s total Capacity currently operational in the basin.
120
Average flow rate (BCM)
The past 50 years have seen an increase in temperature in Tibet, and at least a slightly increasing trend in streamflow in Tibet, which may be partially attributable to meltwater from retreating glaciers in the region.
India
5th
Bahadurabad
Wheat 18%
Soybeans 3%
0
The Brahmaputra River is the largest river in the world. Whereas hydrology in the lower Brahmaputra (India and Bangladesh) is dominated by monsoon processes, the monsoon factors much less into the hydrology of the upper Brahmaputra basin (Tibet Autonomous Region of China). The average flow in the Brahmaputra River at Bahadurabad station in Bangladesh, just before it joins with the Ganges River, is 7 times greater during a typical monsoon season than during non-monsoon months.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Vegetables 11%
100 80 60
China India Bhutan Bangladesh Total
40 20 Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
hydropower potential
53.4 32 14.6 0 100
currently operational (GW)
