Best practices in participatory integrated water management at Devanahalli (in collaboration with ACWADAM)
The taluk of Devanahalli has historically been an agrarian landscape with dependence on open wells and groundwater for irrigation. However, with the construction of the Bengaluru International Airport (BIAL) and establishment of the Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority (BIAAPA), the entire region is set to grow and change, representing a geography in transition. Establishment of the KIADB SEZs and the growing sprawl of urban real estate is all part of the urbanization that the region is experiencing. The transition will not only be in terms of land use but also water and wastewater. Critical to managing the transition and ensuring sustainable urbanization is the management of water resources of the region. The co-management of surface water in the tanks/lakes and groundwater is therefore of utmost importance for which multiple stakeholders need to come together and act. It is with this intention that the Participatory Groundwater Management program (PGWM) was initiated in Devanahalli with support from Wipro Foundation. The study area was ~46 sq km. The objective of the project was to develop groundwater management protocols for each stakeholder and catalyse their uptake.
The activities included the following:
- identifying and mapping existing sources of water in the region,
- documenting existing water management practices of each stakeholder,
- understanding the challenges and barriers faced,
- understanding the geology and hydrogeology of the region to estimate groundwater potential,
- understanding the impact of treated wastewater transfer into the lakes, and
- developing groundwater monitoring protocols for each stakeholder
The final report of the project is being written and will be posted once complete.
Best practices in participatory integrated water management at Devanahalli (in collaboration with ACWADAM)
The taluk of Devanahalli has historically been an agrarian landscape with dependence on open wells and groundwater for irrigation. However, with the construction of the Bengaluru International Airport (BIAL) and establishment of the Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority (BIAAPA), the entire region is set to grow and change, representing a geography in transition. Establishment of the KIADB SEZs and the growing sprawl of urban real estate is all part of the urbanization that the region is experiencing. The transition will not only be in terms of land use but also water and wastewater. Critical to managing the transition and ensuring sustainable urbanization is the management of water resources of the region. The co-management of surface water in the tanks/lakes and groundwater is therefore of utmost importance for which multiple stakeholders need to come together and act. It is with this intention that the Participatory Groundwater Management program (PGWM) was initiated in Devanahalli with support from Wipro Foundation. The study area was ~46 sq km. The objective of the project was to develop groundwater management protocols for each stakeholder and catalyse their uptake.
The activities included the following:
- identifying and mapping existing sources of water in the region,
- documenting existing water management practices of each stakeholder,
- understanding the challenges and barriers faced,
- understanding the geology and hydrogeology of the region to estimate groundwater potential,
- understanding the impact of treated wastewater transfer into the lakes, and
- developing groundwater monitoring protocols for each stakeholder
The final report of the project is being written and will be posted once complete.