Why We Measure River Flow at Cuttack

1. Where is Cuttack?

Cuttsck is an historic and culturally rich city of the Indian state of Odisha. It is located geographically at approximately 20.27°N latitude and 85.83°E longitude, between the Mahanadi River and its distributary Kathajodi River. Geographically situated in the Indian eastern coastal plain, the topography of Cuttack is characterized by flat lands interrupted by a long sequence of rivers, canals, and marshes. This has made it a significant economic, cultural, and administrative center in the region. Being close to the Bay of Bengal, as well as river access, has influenced its development over centuries, influencing its trade, agriculture, and way of life in general.

Historically and culturally, Cuttack is an important part of Odisha's past. It was once the capital of Odisha and has a history dating back over a thousand years. The city has witnessed the fall and rise of various dynasties like the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, the Mughals, and the British. All these historical influences find reflection in its architecture, too, with structures like the Barabati Fort, the seat of the former Ganga rulers. The once-magnificent fort, now in ruin, still stands as a testimony to the city's glorious past, housing remnants of ancient palaces, temples, and defensive walls.

Cuttack is also renowned as the "Silver City" due to its centuries-long tradition of silver filigree craftsmanship. Local artisans skillfully create elegant ornaments, utensils, and decorations from the delicate filigree process of twisting and turning of very thin silver wires to create stunning patterns. The craft is hereditary and has not only been a major economic activity but is also an essential part of the city's identity.

Religious festivals are a part and parcel of the culture of Cuttack. The city has many temples, and religious festivals like Durga Puja and Shivaratri are celebrated with great enthusiasm. In Durga Puja, the city comes alive with well-lit pandals (temporary huts), cultural performances, and processions. The Cuttack rivers often serve as the backdrop to much of these festivities, and rituals and offerings are made to the water, testifying to the deep - seated love and connection between the people and the rivers.

Cuttack holds the Mahanadi River and the Kathajodi River to be of indispensable importance. At one time, the rivers had been huge transportation avenues, facilitating the flow of human and material traffic. They were crucial to the city's trade, opening up the export of local commodities such as textile, handicrafts, and produce. The fertile riverbanks boasted a thriving agricultural economy with paddy, jute, and sugarcane being the prominent crops. The rivers also provided water for domestic use, irrigation, and industries. However, in recent times, the rivers have been facing a number of issues. Urbanization and industrialization have caused the discharge of untreated industrial effluents, sewage, and runoff from agriculture into the rivers, leading to severe water pollution. Catchment area forest clearing has increased soil erosion, leading to riverbed sedimentation, degrading the flow and water storage of the rivers. Climate change-induced irregular rain patterns and rising sea levels also present significant risks to the river's ecosystem as well as the water security of Cuttack.

2. What is River Flow around Cuttack?

Several factors are responsible for river flow around Cuttack. Rainfall is one significant factor because the area falls under the tropical monsoon climate. The southwest monsoon that takes place during June to September is responsible for most of the yearly rain. In the monsoon months, the Mahanadi and Kathajodi rivers experience significant water level rise and flow velocity of water because runoff from the nearby catchment areas like the hills of Eastern Ghats pours into them. The rivers get filled up by rainwater, maintaining agriculture production, domestic consumption, and maintaining the local ecosystem. But during October to May, the dry period, water levels diminish substantially, and the flow of the rivers decreases markedly. During some years, especially during severe drought years, parts of the rivers become dry, radically affecting the amount of water available for various uses in Cuttack.

Climate change has further contributed to this issue, leading to increasingly variable cycles of rainfall. There are few years with heavy but short - duration downpours resulting in flash floods and others with long dry spells. These variations disrupt the normal flow regime of the rivers and make flood control and water resource planning difficult. The low - lying region around Cuttack is vulnerable to monsoon flooding due to the low velocity of water, which can easily inundate low - lying regions.

The shape of the river also contributes to the shaping of the flow. The Mahanadi and Kathajodi rivers contain broad and shallow riverbeds in most of their sections, which are composed primarily of sand and silt. This makes them susceptible to the erosion and deposition processes, which can alter the courses of the rivers over time. Human intervention, such as the construction of dams, barrages, and embankments for the prevention of floods and control of water, has disrupted the natural course of the rivers. While these practices protect the city from floods, they may also destabilize the natural eco-system and hamper the flow behavior of the rivers.

Cuttack has faced several hydrological issues in the past. Heavy monsoon rains in [Year] caused over-flow of the Mahanadi River, leading to severe flooding of the city. The flood damaged infrastructure, rendered thousands homeless, and caused disruptions to normal life (Odisha State Disaster Management Reports, [Year]). Alternatively, there have also been cyclical droughts leading to water scarcity affecting household water supply, agriculture, and industry. River flow observation is required to prepare sufficient flood-control measures, arrange water security, and maintain the ecosystem.

3. How to Observe the River Flow in Cuttack?

The surface drift buoy method and anchored boat method are two old methods of river flow observation.

The surface drift buoy method is a simple technique in which floats are released on the surface of the river, and their movement between a known distance in a fixed time is tracked. This provides an estimate of the surface flow velocity. However, the method has severe limitations. It measures only the surface flow, which may not represent flow throughout the entire water column. Secondly, wind, waves, and surface disturbances can affect the motion of the buoys and hence create false readings. Furthermore, floating vegetation and debris in the rivers around Cuttack can also get in the way of the movement of the buoys.

You can employ the anchored boat method where a boat is anchored in one position in the river. A current meter is then lowered into the water at various depths to measure the speed of the flow. This method gives a more detailed image of the flow at that location. However, it is time - consuming, labor - intensive, and dangerous, especially in turbulent or high - flowing water. The measurement from multiple points through this method is a man- and resource-intensive operation, and it may be difficult to traverse through the generally narrow and congested channels of the rivers around Cuttack.

Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) offer a more advanced and efficient alternative. ADCPs estimate the water velocity at multiple depths across the whole water column without physical contact, hence are non - invasive. ADCPs are capable of generating rich flow profiles with relative ease in a short time, scanning vast areas of the river within a short period. This makes them highly suitable to track the rich and dynamic river flows near Cuttack irrespective of the unfavorable environmental conditions.

4. How Does ADCP, Which Uses the Doppler Principle, Operate?

ADCPs operate based on the Doppler principle. They emit acoustic pulses into the water. As these pulses travel through the water, they encounter particles in motion within the water, such as suspended material, plankton, or small animals. When the signals reflect off of these moving particles, the frequency of the reflections changes depending on the speed of the particles relative to the ADCP. By measuring these shifts in frequencies, the ADCP current meter can calculate the velocity of water at different depths, creating a complete profile of river flow. This enables accurate measurement of the flow rates, directions, and general dynamics of the river, information that is useful for hydrological research and water management in Cuttack.

5. What is Required for High - Quality Measurement of River Flow in Cuttack?

For precise river flow measurement by ADCP flow meter at Cuttack, certain equipment characteristics are needed. Material integrity is of utmost concern. The ADCP has to be able to withstand the aggressive river environment, such as contact with polluted water, varying water temperatures, and potential collision by floating debris. High-quality, corrosion-resistant materials, such as titanium or other specialized polymers, ensure the device's hardness and long-term functionality.

Size and weight are also crucial factors. An ADCP that is light and compact is easier to transport and deploy, especially in the thin and sometimes hard-to-reach river section near Cuttack. Portability of this sort allows data collection from different sections of the river to be more convenient.

Cost - effectiveness is also a key consideration. For research institutes and city governments in Cuttack, which may have limited budgets, a cost - effective ADCP with good - quality performance is preferred. This facilitates adequate monitoring of the river flow without burning a hole in the budget, enabling frequent and adequate assessments of the activity of the river, crucial for effective management of water resources in the city.

6. Choosing the Correct Current Measurement Equipment?

Deployment Methods

• Mobile boat (boat-mounted) ADCP: Ideal for conducting surveys, measurement of river discharges, and creation of high-resolution maps of flow of the Kathajodi and Mahanadi rivers. It can quickly scan wide areas and facilitate employment of multiple locations for data collection and achievement of integrated information on river flow patterns. Questionable, however, since it involves using boats to navigate narrow and sometimes packed river reaches near Cuttack.
• Bottom - mounted (fixed) ADCP: Suitable for continuous long - term observation at fixed locations in the rivers. Mount it once on the bed of a river, and it can capture data for extended periods, yielding crucial data on the long - term trends and variations in the river flow. This is particularly useful in examining the influence of the seasonal variations and long - term environmental forces on the rivers.
• Cableway ADCP: In river reaches where a cableway system is viable, a cableway ADCP can be used to quantify the flow over the river at a location. The method can provide accurate and reproducible flow data at key points in the river, which can then be used for calibration and verification of other measuring systems, ensuring the data collected is reliable.

Working Frequency

An ADCP's range and resolution are affected by its operating frequency. A 600 kHz ADCP with a maximum of 70 meters is more suited for relatively shallow reaches of the Cuttack rivers or to get high - resolution information in deeper reaches. A 300 kHz ADCP with a range of 110 meters will be more suited for deeper reaches of the rivers. Choice frequency depends on the specific characteristics of the river and the needs of measurement, such as the needed level of detail and the maximum water column depth to be measured.

Brand Recommendations

Well-known world ADCP brands include Teledyne RDI, Nortek, and SonTek, recognized for manufacturing high-quality and reliable products utilized in many hydrological monitoring and research operations. At an affordable cost, the ADCP supplier Chinese brand’s "China Sonar Panda ADCP" is the best option. Built with all - titanium alloy material, it is extremely durable and trustworthy and best suited to meet the tough river environment of Cuttack. As an "inexpensive ADCP", it provides class - leading performance at a reasonable price. For more information, refer https://china-sonar.com/.

Here is a table with some well known ADCP instrument brands and models.