Abstract
Water is one of the most precious elements and since centuries, human settlements have developed around natural water bodies like rivers and lakes. However, in recent times, the haphazard development along the water bodies has adversely affected the natural drainage pattern of these water bodies resulting in increased flooding situations. Chennai, which had one of the successful water & drainage systems In history, is also facing water crises & flooding issues. Many development activities in the city have been done without proper consideration of the natural drainage of the city which has resulted in disturbed natural water & drainage systems. This is apparent from the fact that rapid loss of water bodies and wetlands has been observed which has not only decreased the extent of collective harvesting but also impacted the flood management of the city. There is an urgent need to address these issues as without water system a city cannot survive. My research revolves around these issues and focuses on identifying the various impacts on natural drainage due to human led development in Chennai. The research analyses the historical water system of the city where the tanks were developed along the natural drainage which were used to store water. Loss of water bodies and natural drainage has adverse impact on a large scale and the change in the water bodies and natural drainage result in increased vulnerability to disasters in the city and hence it is important to integrate the natural drainage system while planning cities growth and developments. My research will try to find out the important co-relation between human led developments and its impact on natural drainage system of the City and will come up with suggestive guidelines to integrate natural drainage in city planning.
