Oviya Elango Masters 2021-2022Thesisoviya.elango14@gmail.com
Monsoonal landscapes is a project contextualised in the southern peninsula of India across two different river basins originating in the Westernghats mountain range. The project explores how local adaptation through combination of integrated, multi-scalar strategic interventions can reduce risk associated with uncertainty that the Monsoon posses and further synchronise anthropogenic systems with ecological systems that evolve together overtime. It further explores the agency of urban designers to combat water stress emerging out of climate change in southern India along the Periyar and Vaigai river basins.
Territorial Adaptation through Co-habitation in Critical Geographies Masters Thesis Sepulveda Carmona Nikos Katsikis
2
Monsoonal
2022 Transitional Territories Diego Andres
Composed of a largely agrarian society the region heavily depends on the Monsoon for its water. The region experienced extreme weather events in the recent past characterised by frequent flooding, landslides and droughts which has resulted in the loss of life, agricultural produce and property. Upon research, I found that anthropogenic systems such as grey infrastructure in higher altitudes and profit-oriented primary production throughout the river basin are the sole sources of water stress. Firstly the project aims to bring the region out of risk through territorial adaptation starting from the local scale to the regional scale, strategically intervening in vulnerable and urgent areas and designing safe areas for habitation and regenerative cycles of production. The project envisions the Monsoon as an activator of the adapted system, determining the state of the system for the following year. For example, the types of agricultural production, tourism and water management would be determined by the amount of rainfall, adapting from local scales building up to the regional scale. By releasing anthropogenic control over our hydrological systems, aligning our primary production practices to the natural hydrological cycle and valuing the services provided by a healthy ecosystem we could live with the fluctuations in the monsoon. By synchronising these various systems the project attempts at bringing back a dynamic equilibrium to this region. landscapes
These riverbasins are interconnected systems and considering problems of water shortage, deforestation, flooding, drought as isolated events and trying to solve them independently without their implication on another system or a region be unproductive.
6 damIdamalaiyar Kodanad
Periyar
Madurai Mullai-Periyar dam Periya reservetiger Theni Munnar Vaigai dam Vaigai
Ecological systems are not a first outcome of a design process, but have evolved out of multiple iteration and cycles of change which are defined by their past. Ecological systems react to change through stages of succession through time. Sometimes evolving into completely new states of a stable ecosystems, in a way encompassing the learning of the past to evolve into a resilient system capable of absorbing further change in the future.
8
Monsoon System Evolves and fluctuates to statesmultipleNatural system
Humans have altered the hydrological system to extract, exploit and accumulate natural resources for human consumption and profit. This accumulation is achieved by regulatingthemonopolytransformationsusingoperationalisationlargescaleofterritoriesgreyinfrastructure,landandadministratveoverresourcesrenderingsystemofincapableofitsfunctions.
LandscapesMonsoonal
alterationInfrastructural Functions in fixed states TourismDeforestation Extensive agricultureUrbanisation Monsoon Altered system
0 10 30 km20N
BasinRiverPeriyarVaigaiRiverBasin
10 Monsoon as Matter
The South west and the North east monsoon are the only source of water for the Periyar and the Vaigai river basins of south India. The Vaigai and the Periyar river basins have opposing relationship with the monsoon, the former barely receiving 850cm of rainfall on avg. per year while the later receives almost 30004000cm due to the presence of the Western ghats mountain range.
LandscapesMonsoonal
There exist conflicts between the two states with respect to the share of the available water during monsoon aswell as when they experience a failed monsoon season.
0 10 30 km20N
Operationalising river basins with large scale infrastructure is characteristic of this region. The Vaigai depends upon the Periyar for over 80% of its water, through the construction of Mullaiperiyar dam in 1895 and futher building of tunnel connecting the riverbasins.two
Topos as Grey infrastructure
BasinRiverPeriyarVaigaiRiverBasin
12 Primary production as Habitat 0 10 30 km20NBasinRiverPeriyarVaigaiRiverBasin 0 10 30 km20N BasinRiverPeriyarVaigaiRiverBasin Excessive disruptingthethethetourismplantations,bytransformationlandusecharacterisedindustrialagriculture,urbanisationandindustryhavepushedlimitsoftheresilienceofsystem,furtherincreasingneedforwaterandwaterbalance.
BasinRiverPeriyarVaigaiRiverBasin
LandscapesMonsoonalGeopolitics as Power 0 10 30 km20N BasinRiverPeriyar 0 10 30 km20N
TamilNadu and Kerala exercise power over the water resources of the river basin based on their administrative boundaries. These states have a long history of investments spent on grey infrastructure including more than 50 dams in Kerala. While investment is being increased water security is degrading at alarming rates.
14 Pallakad 1412111054321678923 5 5 1 7 7 8 8 4 9 9 3 10 10 11 12 6 6 1903mappedCumulativeThrissurAllapuzhaKottayamKakkanadIdukkiTheni2rainfallfor100years-2013MaduraiVirudunagarRamanadhapuramTiruppurCoimbatoreThe variability of the monsoon mapped over 100 years shows its drastic fluctuation in the past 20 years. Although the region perviously experienced flooding and drought, the events of recent years are 500 year anamolies. Which is claimed to be more the norm of the day in the coming decades. TanksSystem 25.00%0.00%%2%1%1%50.00.000.005.00 UnimprovedimprovemensystemMainimprovementCourseWatersurfaWithincesystemssyrfaceOutsidesustemssurfaWithincesystemssyrfaceOutsidesustemssurfaWithincesystemssyrfaceOutsidesustems/lMediumargeSmal/lMediumargeSmal ReservoirssDWellugsDllpbetulswelallowShtubewellssSnkTaystemsNtankonsystemtanks IRR WellsDugwellsDeep tubewellsSmallTanksNon-System SmalllargeMedium largeMedium systemssurfaceOutside systemssurfaceOutside systemssurfaceOutside improvementcourseWatersystemssurfaceWithin systemssurfaceWithin systemssurfaceWithin improvementsystemMain ReservoirsUnimproved ratereturnInvestment5%10%15%20%25% managementCommunity of waterbody waterbodydetachedCommunityfrom The investment return rate of Dams and other largescale infrastructure is found to be 6-8% while the common wells, tanks and system tanks exhibit higher values close to 25%. This kind of comparisons gives economic value to indigenous practices allowing for its recognition and future implementation. LocalGlobalNationalRegional
The spices and other plantation crops grown in the ghats are monsoonthatevapotranspirationhavetheonofconsumption.forthegrownagriculturaltheinternationally,exportedwhilegrainsandothercropsincreasinglyinlowerbasinsaremostlyregionalWhileallthesehaveanimpactthewatersystems,lossofrainforestsdisruptstheattractstheclouds. USd N
Composition of flow of water accross different topography and diverse settlements ranging from plantations, agricultural feilds, villages and cities with water storage devices from dams, to system tanks to pipes and wells.
500 year maximum flooding extensiveshowsflooding in urban areas, aswell as in feildsagriculturealongthe floodbasins.
The funds allocated for irrigation projects have not been utilised effectively to improve water management. The state which receives rainfall for 8 months in a year requiring such a huge amount of investment for irrigation projects is problematic at its root.
0 10 30 km20 N Pallakad 1412111054321678926
Minor projects 30 km
1903mappedCumulativeThrissurAllapuzhaKottayamKakkanadIdukkiThenirainfallfor100years-2013MaduraiVirudunagarRamanadhapuramTiruppurCoimbatore
International Tourism National consumptionProductionconsumptionProductionTourismforlocalforInternational
Major/Medium projects Investment in million
LandscapesMonsoonal
Vaigaitanks12Ccondition2022WaterwaysDamWaterbodiesinfrastructure:Riverincurrent-IntroductionofsystembyPandiyaKingsandperiyarriver12Ccondition2022WaterwaysDamWaterbodiesinfrastructure:Riverincurrent-Introductionofsystem123 watersheds.Vaigaitanks12Ccondition2022WaterwaysDamWaterbodiesinfrastructure:Riverincurrent-IntroductionofsystembyPandiyaKingsandperiyarriver
321
Waterbodies Dam infrastructure Waterways 2022 : River in current condition 12C - Introduction of system tanks by Pandiya Kings Vaigai and periyar river watersheds.
3
From a natural state of the hydrological flow of water, humans have appropriated these systems through time. Starting from the 12th C inscriptions found along the river Vaigai talk about the efficient water management systems devised by the Pandiya Kings. The Pandiya Kings constructed many check dams across Vaigai river, some of it recorded in inscription in temples. They understood the importance of water management living in a largely agrarian society.(The History of Water Management - The Hindu, n.d.). Cascading tanks system as viable infrastructures, they store water , percolate into the ground and are connected with a series of other tanks which are linked through canals. The construction of the Mullaperiyar dam in 1890s linking the Periyar and Vaigai river basins to supply additional water required for irrigation and domestic purposes. Further the British era brought in a significant change by bringing in macro-level planning and management of water resources, stripping the relationship people had with the water bodies and disrupting the functioning of the tank system. Post-independence the construction of Vaigai dam in 1959 led to the reduce flow of water to the network of tanks downstream and water became increasing inaccessible and centrally managed.
16 3 23
123
2019Dams2018<78WaterwaysLandslidesRainfallDamWaterbodies(map)Slope Rainfall<15<33anomalies of X = X- 7 years mean daily rainfall KeralaMonsoon 0 2 4 8km N Periyar River Basin DamWaterbodies(map) LandslidesRainfall 2018<78Waterways Dams 2019 Slope <15<33 Rainfall anomalies of X = X- 7 years mean daily rainfall 0 2 4 8km N
LandscapesMonsoonal Periyar River Basin
2018 saw extreme events of precipitation in the Periyar river basin. Having recieved rainfall for over a month and additionaly recieving a month’s worth rainfall in a day induced a systemic failure resulting in opening of 54 dams in the state of Kerala. It wrecked havoc throught the state causing flooding and landslide resulting in loss of life, crops and property. Events like these have become extremely common and are expected to be frequent in the future.
1. Floodwater retention 2.Regenerative agriculture. Goals : PilotSponge1 Pilot 2NetworkMicro 1. Slope stabilisation 2. Agro-forestry 3. Eco-tourism Goals : Passage 18 How do we adapt uncertainties?for What if the anthropogenic systems adapts and follows the ecological systems? Seasons Fluctuations Risk Summer Extreme precipitation event Flooding High Drought Average Landslides ExtremeLow scarcity Winter Uncertainty Monsoon/Rainy season Territory Restore interconnectednessthe of the system and give time for systems to recover by performing regenerative Productionagriculture. at industrial scale may fall, but substituting them for less damaging/ ecosystemprovidedYet,theirofproductionregenerativeorothertypesproductionwillretaineconomicvalue.unlesstheservicesbyahealthyisvaluedin economic sense, profit will take over care for the ecological system. Hence a crucial step for the transition is to value ecosystem services.
Landuse Pilot 3 Pilot 4 Pilot 4 2 system states 1. Reforestation 2.Agro-forestry 3.Eco-tourism 1. Riparian restoration 2. Water storage & Aquifer Goals : Interception Goals : Mediator LandscapesMonsoonal Structure RiverTerritorialbasin Network Micro Program Practices Protocols of care Primary Production Habitation Recreation Agency Ecosystem restoration Ecosystem based Placingeconomycare on nature. Aligning to indigenousReintroducingPhenologyrelevantcultureAligningdailylifetoPhenology Adaptation Landscape Infrastructural ResultingMappingRiskdeviceszone landscape Program LowHigh EconomyPractice + Ecology $$ 1 2 3 4 5 6
20 NetworkTerritoryMicro DevicesLandscape2Systemstates Systemic alteration to regenerate natural dynamic equilibrium + acretionSedimentTerracing Hard wood trees:stabilisationslope Agroforestry River retentionwater Gravel piles: stabilisationslope River storagewaterunits Aquifer recharge: system tanks
LandscapesMonsoonal + KeralaMonsoon KeralaMonsoon People and practices Kerala New Year Dreadging festival TamilnaduTamilnadu Harvest Festival
The systemic transition is envisioned with a section that exist between the 2 extreme states of uncertainty using landscape devices for the transition. Gradually building up these resilient sections across the network to the river basin scale. The network scale is chosen with respect to similar morphology, character and composition of the initial section. Once the system is in place at the most local scale simultaneously engaging people in the transition of their profit oriented practices to regulating, regenerative practices to align human systems to ecological systems.
Infiltration Forestry2 2 3 411 Agro-forestry3 3 4 1 2AquacultureSponge:Water retention Passage: Release Interceptor Seasonal Agriculture Recreation Recreation 5
22 Territory 1. Water Balance
The goal for the territory is to restore the water balance by shifting from the current, centralised water management system to a decentralised one through landscape as infrastructure. Releasing stored up water from the large scale dams by loosening our control over it, allowing the river to maintain its ecological flow to restore ecosystems that are dependent on it downstream. Thereby we can restoring the functions of the hydrological system. This requires multi-scalar analysis to determine the areas of retention, release and restore the rain intercepting forest to ensure evapo-transpiration and thereby attracting clouds, which is done at the river basin scale.
LandscapesMonsoonal 2a. Re-naturalisation : Transitioning intensive monocultures to dynamic production landscapes aligned to natural cycles. 2b. Re-introducing nature in cities to By transiting primary production such as intensive plantations(upstream), intensive agricultural monoculture downstream by introducing regenerative agriculture. Allowing time for regeneration of the soil and sustainable methods of cultivation for example implementing Agro-forestry for Tea production. 5 6 Agro+Rain- forests4 Low irrigation Agriculture5 City green networks6 6 Recreation+production 4 5 Sponge SpongeMediator + Recreation
24 Network: Patterns of territorialisation
Sponge Passage
Agricultural land in the foothills of the mountain follow the flood probability in 500 years, branching out along the creeks. Risk zones are identified and possible new habitation areas identified. The creeks flow through these low-lying lands which are taken up to test as a water retention area with wet structures.landslideriverbedofTestingtourismworkinglocalbyterraininislandforIdentifyingagriculture.safeslopesinhabitationleaveslikestructuresthemountainousinhabitedtouristandcommunitiesfortheindustry.micro-storagewateralongthecoupledwithretention
LandscapesMonsoonal
At the city of Madurai, open spaces such as bus stands are identified to open up areas for green networks and roads for blue networks. Further reviving the river by getting rid of debris, formulating water retention at the rivers edge and reviving the system tanks. The river is also envisioned to provide the city with necessary infrastructure.recreational
Interceptor Mediator
At the source of the Vaigai river in Megamalai, tea estates growing like fingers along the river streams are taken to be tested for agro-forestry and introduction of lessinvasive camping structures as opposed to bungalows and resorts are envisioned.
26 Kodanad
Sediment is accreted at the rivers edge allowing water to flow inland filling low lying agricultural land which can be utilised as aquaculture areas during high water levels and exist as rice cultivation during the summer. Terracing the edges of these low lying agricultural area provides water storage infrastructure to capture water from- higher grounds , as well perform sewage treatment. Thus the landscape is used to perform the necessary roles of the systems, which is capable of evolving based on the availability of water. The program of these settlements will vary from Aquaculture to rice cultivation, livestock rearing and fruit tree cultivation based on the availability of water.
LandscapesMonsoonal Processing UnitAquaculture Fruit and Vegetable garden Rice cultivation Sewage treatment Water storage Production cycles Resilience Flood water storage Water TreatedUndergroundretentionwatersewagewater Production Aquaculture Rice/paddy cultivation Fruit ManufacturingProcessingtrees Tourism Eco tourism Knowledge Skill building Jan May SepFeb Jun OctMar Jul NovApr Aug Dec
28 High Monsoon: Resilience peak
LandscapesMonsoonalSummer: Production peak
30 Idukki dam
The design focuses on the settlements in proximity to the dam and devices zone for further inhabitation derived from combining highways, slopes less than 15 degrees and above riverbed. Slopes susceptible to fail are fitted with gravel piles and structural hardwood trees. Secondly, areas with the lowest contour close to the rivers edge are identified and built with water retaining boundary walls made of living blocks alternated with water retaining meshes to use as fresh water storage and also small scale fishing, energy production units in-case of optimal flow of water. Living modules are used to construct the walls of the water storage units to allow for plant and animal growth which would enhance the riparian biodiversity.
LandscapesMonsoonal Living units - Water storageFlexible mobility infrastructure Recreational area Energy generation Gravel piles for slope stabilisation Water storage Resilience Structural slope strengthening Strengthening using forestry Slow down flood water Water TreatedUndergroundretentionwatersewagewater Production Plantation CardamomPepperTea ForestryFishing Tourism Eco tourism Water Hikingsportspaths Camping areas Forest trails Knowledge Environmental learning center Jan May SepFeb Jun OctMar Jul NovApr Aug Dec Production cycles
The vision for the Vaigai river is the rejuvenation of the river through reforestation and sustainable agriculture to maintain ecological flow in the river. Large scale tea plantations populate the side of the river which are proposed to be converted into Agro-forestry. Shading trees which are found in-between tea-plantations are taken as starting points to transform the intensive mono-cultures. The tea has 2 pruning stages at which the distance between the shading trees are increased until the plants reach their maturity. This is used as an advantage here and agro-forestry is introduces to rejuvenate the forest thereby bringing back the rainfall to the region. To supplement the loss of productivity, woodland camping and hiking routes are introduce opposed to resorts and bungalow to minimise the human impact in these wild areas.
32 Megamalai
LandscapesMonsoonal 3. Forest + Fruit trees +Tea plants Year : 3 5. Tea plantations Year : 304. Perimeter forest + Mature tea plants + Tea Year : 10 stagepruningSecond 2. Forest+fruit trees Tea Nursery Year 1 1. Forest stagepruningFirst Resilience WaterAgroforestryretention downstream Aquifer recharge Borrow water from Periyar Production ForestryFishingTea Tourism Eco ForestCampingHikingWatertourismsportspathsareastrails Knowledge Environmental learning center Jan May SepFeb Jun OctMar Jul NovApr Aug Dec Production cycles
34 Madurai
The vision for the city of Madurai is to restore the traditional systems tanks capacity and to envision a riverine water storage system which would act as a recreational riparian edge.
The river channel is designed to hold water in its lower point and introduces recreational zones, grazing areas which bring people to the edge of the river and encourage them to maintain it.
Due to large scale dumping of debris and garbage in the river, initial steps to clean the river are necessary. A solid waste management unit has been established which cleans the river and recycles waste. Water retention tanks along the edge of the river filter ans store water for summer, in case of dry seasons treated water could be used for minimum ecological flow in the river.
LandscapesMonsoonal Grazing patch System tank networks Recreatinal area Cycling track Resilience Agroforestry Water retention downstream Aquifer recharge Borrow water from Periyar Production ForestryFishingTea Tourism Eco tourism Water Hikingsportspaths Camping areas Forest trails Knowledge Environmental learning center Jan May SepFeb Jun OctMar Jul NovApr Aug Dec Production cycles
The monsoon here acts as an activator to start the process, the cumulative rainfall in both the river basins determine the state of the system, in case of high rainfall in Periyar and low in Vaigai the system exists in an average state. Since the two river systems are linked to each other, until Vaigai river is restored to its original state of rainfall the systems will still be interlinked to ensure water security for the people downstream.
For each year after the monsoon season from June to August in Periyar and from September to December in Vaigai the available water is determined and the plan for production is laid. Thus the cycles of production, regeneration and resilience are set, this in fact correlates with the traditional festivals found in the respective states. The harvest season is in August after the monsoon for Periyar river basin while it is in April for Vaigai. The adaptive pathways are determined for every year with consideration of past few years to determine the
Along with construction of essential infrastructure at the 4 site, programmatic change is needed, meaning change in the way we take part in anthropogenic activities such as agriculture, housing, tourism etc.
For the critical sections to exist between the extremes (high or low precipitation), the program with respect to the scenario and time are highly important. Thus the project considers scenarios between High and low additionally a average rainfall year.
High Monsoon LowAvg Monsoon state of the system.
36
The state of the system determines the composition of resilient, productive and skill building program for each of these 4 smallest sections which build up to the network scale and then the river basin as well. Each of these smaller sites are interrelated to the other in its own river basin as well as the whole system. For example the Resilience of Madurai (site 4) depends up the production in Megamalai(site 2). The inter-dependencies are not just in the same category but are across resilience and production.
Territorial River basin Network Goals Monsoon High scenariowater High Flood resilience Water Re-useretentionoftreated sewage water Landslide WaterRestorationmitigationofforestsretentionLowLowAvgAvgHighLow scenarioAveragescenariowaterwater
LandscapesMonsoonal Phasing starting with pilot projects 30TransitionCompleteyears
Could an upstream region which restores and safe keeps its ecosystem for the benefit of downstream consumers gain profit for the resources they provide?
Landslide resilience ES- habitat, maintaining ecological in the
Could the ecosystems western ghats mountain range be compensated for ensuring water security?
flow
reforested
Could ecosystem services be monetised?
38 Floodwater retention ES - Flood resilience Small scale aquatic habitat, water storage, groundwater recharge, Soilrecharge,revitalisation,regenerationESFloodplainAquiferhealthriverbasin
river, resilience.
Could environmental stewards be compensated with so called capital?
Rejuvenation of Vaigai ES- reforested habitat, maintaining ecological flow in the river, Soil regeneration Rejuvenation of securityrecharge,groundwatermicro-climate,ES-VaigaiImproveswater
Possible answer lies at the heart of an economic and behavioural transition.Care for nature, an economy which cares for stewards of nature, values the services provided and understands the long term implications of local intervention to regional systemic transition.
ES Revive riverine habitats, Aquifer recharge, health river basin
Pilot 3 Pilot 4 LandscapesMonsoonal
