Deltares: Alliance with Indian Research Institute

Deltares has had intensive contacts in recent months with the Indian National Institute for Ocean Technology (NIOT) with the aim of exchanging information about a range of subjects. The NIOT is an autonomous research institute that answers to the Ministry of Sciences and it specialises in oceans, coasts and marine life.

Deltares provided it with support during an exploratory study for the Kalpasar project. This is a plan that involves closing off the Gulf of Khambat in the western state of Gujarat. The aim is to boost stocks of fresh water in Gujarat for things like irrigation.

Alessio Giardino, a researcher with Deltares said: “The dam will have to be about the same length as the Afsluitdijk Barrier Dam in the Netherlands. That’s quite a challenge given the tidal differences in the bay of almost 10 metres.”

Delft3D Course

To establish a clear picture of the implications of building a dam for the bay, Deltares trained the NIOT staff in the use of the Delft3D software program, which can be used to model complex catchments like the Gulf of Khambat and map out, for example, the implications for morphology and ecology. It has been agreed that Deltares will continue to provide the NIOT with support for the use of the program.

Study of coastal erosion

There have also been exchanges of knowledge with the NIOT experts about coastal erosion, and visits have been organised to a range of vulnerable coastal areas. Deltares has a conducted a study of coastal erosion around the city of Chennai (Madras), the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. With more than 4 million inhabitants, it is the country’s fourth largest city.

[mappress]

Press Release, July 23, 2013