RESERVOIR SILT ANY ANSWER FOR SAND SCARCITY?

Any reservoir is bound to get silted up. Reservoirs in Kerala are no exception. However, at the design stage the idea is to not loose the storage quickly in 2 or 4 generations. It may be difficult in respect of the hydel reservoirs in the high ranges of Kerala. But fate of the low level reservoirs built for storing water for irrigation or drinking water supply or different. As these are set in the lower midland of the state and with in the habited areas, tendency for higher level siltation are possible.

The Kerala government has "invented" a wonderful idea of gathering the sandy-silty mud in the reservoirs, washing and sizing it to be sold through the fair price shops or sand depots. Pro-people idea. Unfortunately there is no handle on the sand available in the reservoir beds. As there has not been any study dome before the construction of the dam, coming up with the volume available will be only a gross estimate.

The sand removal process from the reservoir bed is easier said than done. There will huge volume of waste or mud coming off as rejects from the washing plants requiring eco-friendly disposal. The answers are not ready now.

So without any firm data on available sand in the reservoirs, the idea of using reservoir sand will still remain as a wholycow at the best.