Prachi Choudhari: Design Opportunities Water (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)

Prachi Choudhari: Design Opportunities Water (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)

The Himalayan Foothills

Design opportunities 15 years from now

As the global warming problem is predicted to be the biggest problem in the coming years. All the advancements, science and technology will work to solve the problem; the best of technology will be used to solve the weather and global warming problem. Like years ago when the world wars were happening then, all the technology and science was directed to advance and work for that,

Hence according to the present situation and statistics global warming is going to be one of the biggest problems in the coming years.

The effect of global warming on the Himalayas currently is melting of the snow, leading to flooding this may just increase to a major extent in the coming years

If current warming rates are maintained, Himalayan glaciers could decay at very rapid rates, shrinking from the present 500,000 square kilometers to 100,000 square kilometers by 2030s," according to a draft technical summary.

In its report, the international panel predicted that as these glaciers melt, they would increase the likelihood of flooding over the next three decades and then, as they recede, dry up the rivers that they feed. "In the course of the century," it warned darkly, "water supply stored in glaciers and snow cover are projected to decline, reducing water availability in regions supplied by melt water from major mountain ranges, where more than one-sixth of the world population currently lives."

So the major problem in the coming 15 years in the Himalayan foothills is flooding due to melting of glaciers.

Flooding would create problems for farming and availability of drinking water.

According to the technological advancements today we have seen making of artificial glaciers. This, done at a very large scale could be very beneficial to the entire place that is the foothills and the increasing decline of the glaciers.

The melting glaciers could be collected in tanks and could be restored during winter months or it could be artificially frozen.

These tanks and artificial glaciers would be places on the mountains and hilly areas so even the water running down could be collected and hence saved from getting contaminated while running down,

Separate pipes could be provided which provide good clean water for drinking purposes to the settlement areas,

As floods will still be a problem like the existing rain water harvesting plants a flood water harvesting plant can be placed at each house this will solve the problem of floods to some extent if this these plants are covering a large area and water purified from that could be then stored and used later for some selected purposes like irrigation,

Bigger versions of these could be placed near farms

For the flood water collection, as the floods pose as a big threat to the farms and as most of the farming in the Himalayas is step/ terrace farming a tank or a water collector leading to a tank nearby, this could stop excess water running down the farm and ruining the crops.

This water could be re used for the farm in times of summer.

I, after 15 years working on this issue will try and influence the organizations and the parts of the government who work in relation to this issue by my ideas,

I will talk and research with experts about the ideas and will further build on them

And to influence the people to implement the various water conservation techniques and I would make effective posters to convey the message to the public

One main thing I would really want to do 15 years from now is to communicate to the public through posters brochures etc to make them aware about the situation, the gravity of the problem, and available solutions.

Prachi Choudhari: (Team - HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS)