Water Resources Infrastructure Research Articles

1D-2D hydrodynamic and sediment transport modelling using MIKE models

A comprehensive modeling framework utilizing hydrodynamic and sediment transport models (MIKE Hydro River, MIKE 21 FM, MIKE 21C) was applied to the 33.57 km stretch of the Banshadhara River from Banshadhara bridge, Gunupur to Kashinagar town. Daily discharge, water levels, and sediment data from 2013 to 2022 of Gunupur and Kashinagar gauge stations was used as model input, and calibration–validation of models. Additionally, satellite remote sensing data used for determined Manning’s roughness (n) values as well compared the model outputs. Calibration procedures ensured high accuracy, with MIKE Hydro River achieving 98.3% agreement between observed and simulated water levels. 1D sediment transport model showing significant variability in total bed load values ranging from 0.3 to 3.83 m^3/s. The Wilcock & Crowe gravel bed load formula accurately predicted bed load transport within the expected magnitude, albeit tending to overestimate transport, indicative of supply-limited conditions. 2D MIKE 21 FM simulations highlighted flow dynamics, with rapid flood arrival at Kashinagar and varying current speeds along the river, especially at bends. MIKE 21C, focused on the central portion, indicated erosion processes at river bends with high discharge. Sediment transport model accuracy was approximately 86.7%, capturing general trends despite occasional discrepancies. Over a 10-year simulation, erosion trends and potential river course shifting were observed, particularly near bends. The analysis provides valuable insights for river management, flood risk mitigation, water resource management, infrastructure planning, and environmental preservation in the Banshadhara River basin and similar environments.

Enhancing LSPIV accuracy in low-speed flows and heterogeneous seeding conditions using image gradient

Flow measurement in rivers and channels is crucial for water resource management and infrastructure planning, especially under the context of climate change. However, traditional methods like mechanical current meters and hydroacoustic instruments face limitations in terms of cost, intrusiveness, and accessibility. In recent years, image-based velocimetry techniques have emerged as promising alternatives due to their non-contact nature and cost-effectiveness. Nevertheless, persistent challenges remain, particularly concerning the uniform distribution of surface tracers necessary for precise measurements. These challenges are particularly pronounced in cases involving artificial seeding, where ensuring uniform distribution poses a significant obstacle. To address this issue, this study presents a novel methodology for filtering Large Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LSPIV) data based on indicators of pixel intensity gradients. The methodology was evaluated across various field measurements under low flow conditions, encompassing a wide range of seeding characteristics. The evaluations demonstrated improvements in mean surface velocity profile estimation, showing reductions of up to 70 % in normalized root mean square error compared to not using filters. Additionally, the results were compared with filters typically employed by experienced LSPIV users, such as background subtraction and cross-correlation coefficient thresholds, showing improvements with the proposed filter. Implementation of the proposed strategy reduces the subjectivity in LSPIV implementation, particularly for users with limited knowledge of the technique, but also require minimal post-processing efforts. The methodology is anticipated to be integrated into existing software tools, thereby enhancing the accessibility of LSPIV for individuals with limited expertise in image velocimetry. Overall, this methodology facilitates cost-effective expansion of hydrological information availability, particularly in resource-constrained regions.

The Role of Basic Infrastructure to Strengthen Economic Security in Eastern Indonesia

This study aims to analyze the role of water infrastructure in supporting the development of leading commodities in Maluku and Papua, Indonesia. The 2020 Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) dataset will be analyzed using the Location Quotient (LQ) technique to determine the leading sectors/base commodities with comparative advantages in the Maluku and Papua Provinces. Based on the Location Quotient (LQ) analysis results, it will be combined with a spatial approach to provide an overview of water resources and infrastructure. The results of this study show that water resource infrastructure is related to the housing settlement sector and agricultural commodities in Maluku and Papua. Increasing agricultural productivity has positive implications for Indonesia's food and economic security. Investment in water infrastructure development is needed to support leading sectors.

A hybrid SARIMA-Prophet model for predicting historical streamflow time-series of the Sobat River in South Sudan

Accurate river streamflow forecasting is pivotal for effective water resource planning, infrastructure design, utilization, optimization, and flood planning and warning. Streamflow prediction remains a difficult task due to several factors such as climate change, topography, and lack of observed data in some cases. This paper investigates and evaluates the individual performances of the seasonal auto-regressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) and Prophet models in forecasting the streamflow of the Sobat River and proposes a hybrid SARIMA-Prophet model to leverage the strengths of both approaches. Using the augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and the Kwiatkowski-Phillips-Schmidt-Shin (KPSS) tests, the flow of the Sobat River was found to be stationary. The performance of the models was then assessed based on their residual errors and predictive accuracy using the mean absolute error (MAE), root mean squared error (RMSE), and coefficient of determination (R2). Residual analysis and prediction capabilities revealed that Prophet slightly edged SARIMA in terms of prediction efficacy; however, both models struggled to effectively capture extreme values, resulting in significant overestimations and slight underestimations. The hybrid SARIMA-Prophet model significantly reduced residual variability, achieving a lower MAE of 4.047 m3/s, RMSE of 6.17 m3/s, and a higher R2 of 0.92 than did the SARIMA (MAE: 5.39 m3/s, RMSE: 8.70 m3/s, R2: 0.85) and Prophet (MAE: 5.35 m3/s, RMSE: 8.32 m3/s, and R2: 0.86) models. This indicates that the hybrid model handles both long-term patterns and short-term fluctuations more effectively than the individual models. The findings of the present study highlight the potential of hybrid SARIMA-Prophet models for streamflow forecasting in terms of accuracy and reliability, thus contributing to more effective water resource management and planning, particularly in the Sobat River.

Enhancing reclaimed water distribution network resilience with cost-effective meshing

Water Distribution Networks (WDNs) are critical infrastructures that ensure a continuous supply of safe water to homes. In the face of challenges, like water scarcity, establishing resilient networks is imperative, especially in regions vulnerable to water crises. This study evaluates the resilience of network designs through graph theory, including its hydraulic feasibility using EPANET software, an aspect often overlooked. Novel mathematical algorithms, including Resilience by Design (RbD) and Resilience-strengthening (RS) algorithms, provide cost-effective and resilient network designs, even with budget constraints. A novel metric, Water Availability (WA), is introduced to offer a comprehensive measure of network resilience, thereby addressing ongoing discrepancies in resilience evaluation methods. Practical benefits are illustrated through a case study in which a resilient-by-design reclaimed water network is created, and an existing equivalent non-resilient network is improved. The resilient-by-design network demonstrates remarkably better results compared to the equivalent non-resilient design, including up to a 36 % reduction in the probability of service disruptions and a nearly 65 % decrease in the annual average unserved water due to service disruptions. These findings underscore the enormous advantages of a resilience-focused network design approach. When compared to the equivalent non-resilient design, the resilient-by-design network generated effectively safeguards up to a significant 91,700m3 of water from the impacts of water disruption events over a 50-year operational period. In addition, the resilient-by-design WDN solution incurs a subtle decrease in overall costs compared to consuming tap water from the drinking WDN baseline over a 50-year operational period. These findings highlight the cost-effectiveness of the approach, even offering financial benefits. This paper builds on our previous research by expanding its scope to include resilience considerations, providing algorithms that can be easily adapted from reclaimed to drinking WDNs. Ultimately, we contribute to the enhancement of water resource management and infrastructure planning in ever-evolving urban environments.

Development of an Integrated Observation Data and Global Numerical Weather Prediction System-Based Rainfall-Runoff Forecasting Model as PJT-I’s Effort in Water Resources Disaster Mitigation

Given the vital role of water resources and their vulnerability to climate-driven disasters, especially floods and droughts, the need for effective disaster mitigation strategies in water resource management is evident. PJT-I, a key player in the industry, grapples with this challenge. To address it, PJT-I has embraced the Smart Water Management System (SWMS) platform and innovative enhancements in rainfall-runoff modeling, showcasing their dedication to bolstering real-time monitoring and predictive capabilities. These advances hold the promise of strengthening operational water resource management, spanning allocation and infrastructure operations, and are particularly relevant in the face of escalating extreme weather events. The study’s focus on the Sengguruh reservoir catchment area serves as an illustration, highlighting the creation of two hydrometric-based models: the AWLR Gadang model and the Sengguruh reservoir model. Their effectiveness is validated through data calibration and integration of GFS forecast data, enabling 120-hour forecasting. Rigorous assessment involving correlation, efficiency, determination, and error metrics provides insights into the models’ predictive capacities and limitations amid the dynamic interplay of rainfall-runoff dynamics.

Water scarcity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia (SA) is one of the world's arid, most water-scarce nations without permanent water resources. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of Saudi Arabia's water resources availability and reliability in terms of water supply, demand, and the major challenges that water faces. Saudi has an annual water supply of roughly 89.5 m3 per person as consumption is rising in parallel with the country's rapid population growth and development. SA produces the most desalinated seawater in the world, accounting for 22% of worldwide consumption. Due to changes in agricultural demand, Saudi Arabia's overall water needs in 2020 were 15.98 BCM. Apart from agricultural use, the food industry utilizes up to 80% of freshwater supplies, with only around 20% of rain recharging the aquifer, meaning that the region will still be water-stressed by 2025. In addition to wastewater reuse, water expenses should be split between private investors and the government, and water losses in cities should be collected and recycled. Water development projects must also be safeguarded and have long-term viability for the community's future and well-being. Despite previous conservation efforts (public awareness campaigns, television and other public media messages, drip irrigation, and so on), more work is required, including improving water resource infrastructure, implementing environmental use of friendly technologies, and increasing economic feasibility, social acceptability, and management in light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Characterization of subsurface geology and hydrogeology in Kribi -Cameroon using electrical resistivity soundings and 3D-Implicit modelling: Baseline for groundwater resource management

This scientific article aims to characterize the geology and hydrogeology of Kribi, Cameroon for the purposes of water resources management, infrastructure development, and environmental protection. The specific objectives include mapping the subsurface electrical resistivity structure, identifying groundwater potential zones, and constructing a hydrogeological model for groundwater modelling. The study employed the Schlumberger method to map the electrical resistivity structure of the 3D subsurface and utilized 3D implicit modelling techniques to delineate groundwater potential zones. The study revealed that Kribi exhibits a highly complex geology, characterized by three-layered electrical resistivity models, typical of sedimentary and metamorphic formations. The major lithologies identified include laterite, clay, sand, quartz, and granite. The region encompasses areas with low water potential and brackish zones alongside high groundwater production areas. The study established the presence of aquifers within Kribi, with the unconfined aquifer found at depths ranging from 2 m to 13 m, and the confined aquifer extending from 14 m to 40 m. The aquifers are notably thick and productive, indicating substantial groundwater resources. Static groundwater volumes were estimated at 50,179,381 m3 and 317,118,946 m3 for the unconfined and confined aquifers respectively. Despite this potential, water resources management in the area is non-existent. The study recommends the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) to improve water resource management, with a primary focus on groundwater modelling. The northern and southern regions of Kribi exhibit high permeability, which is advantageous for groundwater recharge and storage projects but also poses challenges for environmental remediation efforts. Consequently, safeguarding the delineated area for groundwater provision is of utmost importance.

Toponymy analysis as geosocial cultural approach on disaster mitigation studies in Sumberagung Village Pracimantoro District Wonogiri Regency

Disaster mitigation studies with a geographical, social and cultural approach can be carried out on a system of place names known as toponymy. Toponomy generally has a relationship with the characteristics of the region. Sumberagung Village, located in Pracimantoro District, Wonogiri Regency, Central Java, has a unique character as a karst area. This study aims to analyze the toponymy of Sumberagung Village which is related to the spatial, social, and cultural context as a study of disaster mitigation in the region. The research method uses descriptive qualitative analysis with interview techniques, documentation and field surveys. The results of the study show that the Toponymy of Sumberagung Village contradicts the factual conditions of the environment. The name “Sumberagung” which means a large water source has the characteristics of an area that is prone to drought. The history of the name Sumberagung Village comes from deep contemplation, prayer and hope to find a large source of water that can be used in mitigating drought. The expectation of a large supply of water forces the community and the government to make efforts which are manifested as policies, tracing karts water sources that are below the surface, and providing water resources infrastructure. These efforts show that toponymy indirectly has a relationship with disaster mitigation in Sumberagung Village.

Anthropogenic aerosols mask increases in US rainfall by greenhouse gases

A comprehensive understanding of human-induced changes to rainfall is essential for water resource management and infrastructure design. However, at regional scales, existing detection and attribution studies are rarely able to conclusively identify human influence on precipitation. Here we show that anthropogenic aerosol and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are the primary drivers of precipitation change over the United States. GHG emissions increase mean and extreme precipitation from rain gauge measurements across all seasons, while the decadal-scale effect of global aerosol emissions decreases precipitation. Local aerosol emissions further offset GHG increases in the winter and spring but enhance rainfall during the summer and fall. Our results show that the conflicting literature on historical precipitation trends can be explained by offsetting aerosol and greenhouse gas signals. At the scale of the United States, individual climate models reproduce observed changes but cannot confidently determine whether a given anthropogenic agent has increased or decreased rainfall.

Spatial-Temporal Dynamic Evolution of Land Deformation Driven by Hydrological Signals around Chaohu Lake.

The frequent occurrence of extreme climate events has a significant impact on people's lives. Heavy rainfall can lead to an increase of regional Terrestrial Water Storage (TWS), which will cause land subsidence due to the influence of hydrological load. At present, regional TWS is mostly obtained from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data, but the method has limitations for small areas. This paper used water level and flow data as hydrological signals to study the land subsidence caused by heavy rainfall in the Chaohu Lake area of East China (June 2016-August 2016). Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to study the interconnection between water resource changes and Global Navigation Satellites System (GNSS) vertical displacement. Meanwhile, to address the reliability of the research results, combined with the Coefficient of determination method, the research findings were validated by using different institutional models. The results showed that: (1) During heavy rainfall, the vertical displacement caused by atmospheric load was larger than non-tidal oceanic load, and the influence trends of the two were opposite. (2) The rapidly increasing hydrologic load in the Chaohu Lake area resulted in greater subsidence displacement at the closer CORS station (CHCH station) than the more distant CORS station (LALA station). The Pearson correlation coefficients between the vertical displacement and water level were as high as -0.80 and -0.64, respectively. The phenomenon confirmed the elastic deformation principle of disc load. (3) Although there was a systematic bias between the different environmental load deformation models, the deformation trends were generally consistent with the GNSS monitoring results. The average Coefficients of determination between the different models and the GNSS results were 0.63 and 0.77, respectively. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of GNSS in monitoring short-term hydrological load. This study reveals the spatial-temporal evolution of land deformation during heavy rainfall around Chaohu Lake, which is of reference significance for water resource management and infrastructure maintenance in this area.

Control of unstable water flow in open channels

The analysis and modeling of hydrodynamic processes in open channels are crucial for effective water resource management and hydraulic structure design. This study investigates unsteady water flow in main channels using the Saint-Venant equations. Analytical and numerical methods were employed to model various flow scenarios. The developed mathematical model effectively describes and analyzes flow characteristics such as discharge, free surface elevation, and flow velocity. The obtained results have practical applications in water resource management, flood forecasting, and infrastructure design for water conservation. Overall, this work contributes to the advancement of knowledge in open channel hydraulics and provides a basis for developing more accurate and reliable water system modeling methods. These equations allow for the simulation of hydrodynamic processes in rivers, channels, and reservoirs, enabling the prediction of water level fluctuations, flow velocities, and pressure distribution under various operating conditions. This plays a vital role in water resource management and the design of hydraulic structures.

Development of water resources infrastructure in the Kyrgyz Republic: conflict potential

The article examines the potential of the infrastructure of water resources of the Kyrgyz Republic through the prism of the economic sustainability of the country, as well as issues of management and use. Water resources management is crucial for the further development of Kyrgyzstan. This includes improving the efficiency of water use in agriculture, responsible and sustainable development of hydropower resources, ensuring access to clean water for all segments of the population. The problems facing the water resources of Kyrgyzstan are noted, which, with the right policies, can use its water resources to promote economic growth and improve the well-being of its citizens. The potential of the water resources of the Kyrgyz Republic, which play an important role in the economic and political security of not only our country, but also the entire region of Central Asia, is considered. The water resources of the Kyrgyz Republic are completely formed on its own territory, and this is the political, economic and strategic advantage of the country. Kyrgyzstan is the only country in Central Asia with impressive water and hydropower resources. This should be Kyrgyzstan’s biggest chance as a “water power”.

2000–2020年喀喇昆仑山洪扎河流域冰川高程变化数据集

Under the influence of climate warming, glaciers in High Mountain Asia (HMA) have undergone significant recession in recent decades. However, stable or even positive glacier mass budgets have been found in the Karakoram Mountains in the past decades, which is termed as “Karakoram anomaly”. The Hunza Basin, located in the western Karakoram, is a region with concentrated glacier development along the Sino-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The glacier mass balance in Hunza Basin plays an important role in water resource utilization and infrastructure construction. In this study, we used the SRTM DEM (2000) and ZY3-02 stereo images (2020) to obtain the glacier height changes in the Hunza Basin by employing the method of Geodetic (GeoTIFF format with a resolution of 30 m). This study covers an area of around 7600 km2, within the spatial extent of 36°N–37°N, 74°E–76°E. The statistical analysis of the residual movement in the non-glacial region indicates an overall accuracy of about 1.1 m. The findings suggest that glaciers experienced a moderate thinning during the early 21st century, with significant spatial variations. Factors such as debris cover, crevasses, supraglacial lake, ice cliff and glacier surge have distinct influences on glacier height changes. This dataset can be used as basic data for the research on glacier mass balance in the Karakoram, as well as water resources utilization, glacier disaster warning and climate change in the Sino-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Policy Interventions to Address Urban Water Problems of highly urbanised area due to Climate Change

In this research firstly, the rainfall pattern of Ahmedabad and Surat, the fast-growing urban areas of Gujarat state of India have been studied and compared. It is detected that what makes Surat city more prone to floods. Then, analysis for rainfall shift in Surat over the last three decades has been carried out. It is interesting to observe that the rainfall pattern of Surat is following the local calendar, i.e. Indian calendar rather Gregorian calendar. This relation of rainfall pattern with Indian calendar shows that the prediction and the climatic condition responsible for rain is following the local calendar based on the planetary position. For the Water Sensitive Urban Design, four different wards in Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) named Adajan, Piplod, Anjana and Pandesara are studied. These wards are selected based on land use, having the highest area in commercial, residential, industrial and institutional in total SMC area. For each ward, the previous and impervious area is calculated, and the runoff is determined. Planning interventions for water sensitive urban design at a building level, street level and ward level have been given for the study area. The study will be definitely helpful for the decision-makers to prepare a policy to follow the local calendar to operate the monsoon protocol and to manage water resource infrastructure, including the planning of harvesting activities.

Development of Intensity–Duration–Frequency (IDF) Curves over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Using CHIRPS Satellite-Based Precipitation Products

The recent flooding events in the UAE have emphasized the need for a reassessment of flood frequencies to mitigate risks. The exponential urbanization and climatic changes in the UAE require a reform for developing and updating intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves. This study introduces a methodology to develop and update IDF curves for the UAE at a high spatial resolution using CHIRPS (Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station) data. A bias correction was applied to the CHIRPS data, resulting in an improved capture of extreme events across the country. The Gumbel distribution was the most suitable theoretical distribution for the UAE, exhibiting a strong fit to the observed data. The study also revealed that the CHIRPS-derived IDF curves matched the shape of IDF curves generated using rain gauges. Due to orographic rainfall in the northeastern region, the IDF intensities were at their highest there, while the aridity of inland regions resulted in the lowest intensities. These findings enhance our understanding of rainfall patterns in the UAE and support effective water resource management and infrastructure planning. This study demonstrates the potential of the CHIRPS dataset for IDF curve development, emphasizes the importance of performing bias corrections, and recommends tailoring adjustments to the intended application.

Geophysical research on the interplays between soil–rock variability and hydrogeological structures: a case study

Understanding the spatial variations in soil–rock profiles is crucial for identifying weathered rock layers and mapping geological structures, particularly in the complex feldspar-rich granitic terrain of Penang Island, Malaysia. This study employs a combination of electrical resistivity and seismic refraction tomographic techniques, along with borehole lithological data, in three distinct areas on the island. Its goal is to provide insights into surficial and subsurface soil–rock characteristics and water-bearing structures within the North Penang Pluton (including a part of the Sungai Ara axis) for sustainable groundwater development, addressing the needs of the region's growing population. The research identifies three distinct geological units at the near-surface: residual soils, highly to moderately weathered/fractured granitic layers and fresh bedrock, each with its hydrogeological properties. Promisingly, the weathered layers offer significant groundwater development potential, with deep weathered and potentially fractured zones exceeding depths of 30 m in the study area. These findings have substantial implications for sustainable groundwater development, especially in tropical hard-rock terrains. In addition, the study underscores the limitations of small geophysical spacings when probing deeper groundwater resources. This knowledge is essential for informed decision-making in water resource management and infrastructure development, addressing the ongoing global challenge of ensuring access to clean water resources amid population growth.

The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus as a tool to develop climate change adaptation strategies: a case study of the Buffalo River catchment, South Africa

Abstract The Buffalo River catchment in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, has limited water resource infrastructure development, and climate change is predicted to increase its water supply deficits by exacerbating water distribution inequalities. This study evaluates and optimises current climate change policy plans on the Buffalo River catchments water system to aid in assessing the sustainability of policies that address the aforementioned challenges. The water–energy–food (WEF) nexus approach, which encourages system thinking by considering interconnections among water, energy, and food resources when developing integrated natural resource management strategies, was used to perform the evaluation. The water system's reliability in meeting projected domestic, agricultural, and energy water demands under climate change conditions was used for gauging the sustainability of the development plans. Findings projected the existing water policy plans to increase the domestic water provision by >70% under climate change; however, the <3% increase in irrigation and energy generation water demand coverage yielded a significant contrast in reliability between densely populated areas and regions with extensive agricultural activities. The optimised policy plans, which improved water provision for all considered sectors increased by >20% under climate change, are thus recommended for future water resource management research and dialogue in the Buffalo River catchment.

Geospatial Analysis of Kurumanpuzha Sub Watershed in the Chaliyar River Basin: A Remote Sensing and GIS Approach for Geomorphological Assessment

Aims: This study aimed to determine geomorphological characteristics of Kurumanpuzha sub-watershed for understanding its hydrological behaviour, erosion susceptibility and geological characteristics.
 Study Design: Morphometric analysis of Kurumanpuzha sub-watershed was carried out using remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) which is pivotal for sustainable resource management.
 Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at Kelappaji College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Tavanur, Malappuram, Kerala during 2020-2021.
 Methodology: The geomorphological characteristics of Kurumanpuzha sub-watershed were determined using GIS offering precise terrain insights to guide water resource planning, erosion control, infrastructure development and ecological conservation. Morphometric parameters were assessed based on linear, areal, and relief characteristics. USGS Earth Explorer platform was employed to download satellite images from multiple sources, including ISRO Resourcesat, Landsat, Sentinel, RADAR, and others. These images were then used to develop a Land Use Land Cover (LULC) map as well as other maps of the study area.
 Results: The sub-watershed had a dendritic drainage pattern with a mean bifurcation ratio of 2.05, indicating easier flood management due to longer durations of low peak flows. The analysis revealed fine drainage, indicating a prevalence of soft rocks prone to erosion. The watershed had high relief and steep slopes, characterized by hills, breaks, and low mountains. The hypsometric curve indicated an equilibrium stage of geomorphic evolution. Morphometric parameters were grouped into three clusters at the sub-watershed level, demonstrating spatial variability. Forest/dense vegetation were the dominant land use, followed by rubber plantations and scrubland.
 Conclusion: The findings of this study contribute to understanding of the hydrological behaviour, erosion susceptibility and geological characteristics of Kurumanpuzha sub-watershed. It is useful for effective watershed management, erosion control and informed decision-making in land use planning and engineering projects.

Contribution of climate and catchment characteristics to runoff variations in Indian river basins: a climate elasticity approach

ABSTRACT The relative influence of climate and catchment characteristics to the variations in runoff in five Indian river basins is assessed using the climate elasticity approach based on the Budyko hypothesis. From 1980 to 1999, catchment characteristics are found to be the main contributor to runoff variation for all of the basins except Upper Mahanadi sub-basin, where climatic factors are the major contributor. Among the climatic factors, runoff is more responsive to changes in precipitation than to changes in potential evapotranspiration. The mean contribution of climate (catchment) to runoff variation is largest at the Cauvery (Krishna) basin. The findings may be useful in planning sustainable water resources infrastructure. Investigation of the relationship between runoff changes in the basins and their land use and land cover changes, as well as the vegetation index, adds to the novelty and usefulness of the study.