Climate Change Impacts on Chambal River Basin Revealed in New Study

Researchers from Banasthali Vidyapith, in a recent study, have analyzed the rainfall variability in the Chambal River basin over the past four decades (1980-2024), focusing on its major sub-basins: Upper Chambal, Banas, Parbati, Kalisindh, and Lower Chambal. The study employed multiple drought indices, including the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), and Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI), to examine the precipitation teleconnections with large-scale climatic indices. The findings have significant implications for policymakers and researchers seeking to address land degradation in the region.

Key Takeaways:

• The study revealed widespread extreme drought conditions in 1987 and 2002 across all sub-basins, with the Banas basin experiencing the most severe impacts.
• Other notable drought years include 1984, 1989, 2000, 2006, 2009, and 2017 across specific sub-basins, while severe and extreme wet events were recorded in 2013, 2019, and 2024, with intense flooding in various sub-basins of Chambal.
• The study's Cross Wavelet Analysis (CWA) and correlation-regression results indicated strong correlation between the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) and precipitation during drought years and between Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) during flood years.
• The analysis highlighted the influence of global climatic oscillations on precipitation variability in the Chambal River basin.
• Extensive Badlands have been identified in the Banas River basin, where tectonic uplift and/or intense monsoonal erosion has caused deep gullies and ravines, rendering large areas unsuitable for agriculture.
• The study highlighted the need for policymakers and researchers to prioritize reclamation strategies to address land degradation in the Chambal Basin.

Statistics:

• 1987 and 2002 were identified as the years with widespread extreme drought conditions across all sub-basins.
• 1984, 1989, 2000, 2006, 2009, and 2017 were noted as specific drought years for particular sub-basins, with severe and extreme wet events recorded in 2013, 2019, and 2024.
• The correlation between MEI and precipitation during drought years ranged from 0.65 to 0.8.
• Correlation between SST and IOD during flood years ranged from 0.6 to 0.7.
• The study identified extensive Badlands in the Banas River basin, covering approximately 30% of the total area.

Sources:

• Quantitative Evaluation of Decadal Scale Climatic Variability In the Chambal River Basin; Focus On the Banas Badlands. Climate Dynamics, 2025;63(6).
• Springer, One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, Ny, United States.
• Climate Dynamics - www.springerlink.com/content/0930-7575/
• M. R. Resmi, Banasthali Vidyapith, School of Earth Sciences, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.