Song River and Water Heritage of Dehradun

The Song river, originating in the Mussoorie hills, flows through Dehradun district providing water for irrigation and recharging the valley's groundwater. The Rispana and Bindal rivers descending from the Mussoorie ridge were historically the water supply for Dehradun town, managed through a system of kuhls (irrigation channels) maintained by village communities. The Kuhls, hand-dug earthen channels with woven grass lining, distribute water from stream diversion points to terraced fields below. Kuhl management is a community governance institution: elected water managers (paldar) regulate turns, maintain channels, and resolve disputes. Rapid urbanisation in Dehradun has encroached on kuhl channels and reduced their catchment areas, leading to water shortages in periurban agricultural villages. The Upper Ganga Canal (originating at Haridwar) brings Ganga water to Dehradun's agricultural plains in the Doiwala area.