Large dam development in India: sustainability criteria for the assessment of critical river basin infrastructure

Historical river basin development for agriculture, power generation and related purposes in India has emphasized supply-side management approaches, often through large dams, with significant failures, deficiencies and conflicts that compromise contributions to sustainability. As India approaches development limits to its finite freshwater supply, rising tensions related to competing demands for river basin resources are likely to occur. Identification of the most suitable and defensible responses will require more holistic assessments to ensure that decisions are comprehensive, far-sighted and focused on maximizing mutually reinforcing benefits, while avoiding irreparable consequences. This paper develops a set of 12 core procedural- and substantive-level sustainability criteria to be used as a guide for clarifying development purposes, identifying potentially desirable options, comparing alternatives and monitoring implementation for infrastructure at the water−agriculture−energy nexus in India. Sustainability-based tools encourage comprehensive attention to issues at the core of sustainability thinking and application. Relative to conventional assessment approaches, assessments applying explicit sustainability criteria encourage lasting benefits within complex socio-ecological systems, through assessing interdependencies and opportunities, sensitivities and vulnerabilities of regional ecologies incorporating systems, resiliency and complexity frameworks. Further research is required to specify the proposed criteria for application in particular watersheds and to develop suitable indicators of criteria satisfaction.