A lot of wash load comes to the streams during the rainy season due to the erosion of soil from the catchment and known to flow practically without settling on the streambed. The presence of wash load is known to affect the resistance to the flow. The effect of its presence on transport of bed material load is not well known. The present paper is devoted to a review of the studies regarding concept of wash load, changes in resistance to flow due to the presence of wash load, the effect of presence of fines in suspension on the transport of bed-material.

Analysis of water balance for Upper Kolab catchment was done according to Thornthwaite book keeping technique for six stations located within the catchment and for the entire catchment for the normal climatic year. On annual basis the catchment has a water need, rainfall, actual evapotranspiration, water surplus and water deficit of 1703.7 mm, 1479.82 mm, 1003.13 mm, 476.69 mm and 700.56 mm respectively. There is a water surplus from July to October and water deficit from November to May. The surplus months of June and part of July contribute to recharge the soil moisture deficit.

The Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) is a 167 km long shipping canal, and envisages the creation of a navigable canal from the Gulf of Mannar to the Bay of Bengal to facilitate the movement of ships. The proposed SSCP site is located in a globally significant marine ecosystem – the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, one of world's richest marine biological resources.

The contemporary trend of global warming is aptly highlighted in the IPCC report 2007. There is a strong consensus amongst scientists and planners today that the earth's climate is entering a warm episode, nudged primarily by human activities of fossil fuel burning and land use changes that inject steadily increasing amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. It is also quite possible that the increased concentrations of atmospheric CO2 will also have a direct influence on productive systems of plant species in view of increasing rates of photosynthesis and improved water use efficiency.

The Kabartal wetland situated in the upper Indo-Gangetic flood plains in northern India is significant because of its hydrological and ecological services, and the socio-economic and cultural values that it represents. Despite being designated as a wildlife sanctuary, this wetland is under threat from anthropogenic pressures.