Research & Development

Sand and River Audit

Sand auditing is a systematic procedure used to evaluate the impact of sand mining on a river or a specific segment of it after a defined period. The primary goal is to maintain the overall environmental quality of the river by minimizing the negative effects of sand mining while maximizing the river's health and ecological functions. In contrast, river bank mapping involves quantitatively recording the physical, manmade, and land use features along the riverbank and digitizing this data. This mapping process aims to develop an effective conservation plan based on the current status of the riverbank.

TIES has successfully completed several sand auditing and river bank mapping projects, including Phase 1 of the Muvattupuzha River, covering 15 km in 2015. In 2018, the organization conducted similar assessments for the Shiriya River (16 km) and the Yalkanna River (21 km). Additionally, Phase 2 sand auditing was carried out for the Periyar and Muvattupuzha rivers. In 2023, TIES expanded its efforts by auditing 17 rivers across Kerala, from Trivandrum to Kasargod, contributing significantly to the sustainable management of river ecosystems in the region.