Surface Water

Featured Articles
October 11, 2022 In an effort to inform the general public, especially citizen activists, policymakers, researchers, and students, about the current status of the Vrishabhavathi river, Paani.Earth has created the necessary maps, data, analysis, and information to drive conservation awareness and action around the river.
Vrishabhavathi river (Image Source: Paani.Earth)
August 9, 2022 Ensuring irrigation through farm ponds in tribal Chhattisgarh
Many tribal farmers opted for individual farm ponds under MGNREGA ensuring protective irrigation. (Image: Meenakshi Singh)
November 8, 2020 The National Hydrology Project has created a national platform for water data and is working to enhance the technical capacities of agencies dealing with water resources management.
Breakthrough cloud computing facilities and remote sensing applications have helped showthe filling pattern of a water body (tank or reservoir) through freely available satellite imagery at an interval of five days.  (Image: Maithan dam, Wikimedia Commons)
December 26, 2019 Policy matters this week
The Mandovi river disputed between Karnataka and Goa (Source: IWP Flickr Photos)
Ponds of Darbhanga deconstructed!
Darbhanga's many ponds which are centuries-old, are disappearing thanks to land sharks. While local groups are working to protect them, they aren't getting the required help from the authorities. Posted on 11 Aug, 2014 02:37 PM

The vast plain in Mithilanchal (now a part of Bihar) wore a festive look despite the early hour. People had been gathering since the wee hours of the morning. Children wore their festive best while women, flowers in their hair and anticipation in their eyes. The air was redolent with the fragrance of the ceremonial fire and the aroma of roasting gram and fried sweets.

Harahi talaab, Darbhanga
Zabo: The art of impounding water
Kikruma in Nagaland has its own system of water harvesting. Watch a farmer explain this unique method called Zabo, which helps manage water while nurturing the soil and optimizing agriculture. Posted on 06 Aug, 2014 01:37 PM

Located at an altitude of 1270 metres , Kikruma, a quaint village nestled in a rainshadowed area of Phek district of Nagaland is a wonder. Centuries ago, the village evolved a self-organizing system to take care of its water, forest and farm management. ‘Zabo’, which means 'impounding water', is an ingenious method of catching rainwater from running off the mountains.

Ponds as reservoirs for paddy fields located below
Bihar under threat as massive landslide occurs in Nepal
News this week Posted on 05 Aug, 2014 12:59 PM

Massive landslides occur in Nepal and Pune's Malin village

A landslide caused by downpour
Centre allocates Rs.133 crore to conserve 115 wetlands
Policy matters this week Posted on 05 Aug, 2014 12:41 PM

Centre identifies 115 wetlands for conservation and management

Maguri Beel (wetland) in Assam
A bridge on the river Kosi
To reduce the cost of building a bridge on the Kosi, the Bihar govt. set aside the recommendations of its committee. The decision may not have saved money, but the shortcut has destroyed 57 villages. Posted on 03 Aug, 2014 03:05 PM

It is difficult to make small talk with a woman who has lost her all.

A boy stands outside his home on a spur
Solutions to Indore's water problems don't have to be so expensive!
The use of decentralized systems puts the onus on individuals more than the government or central bodies to provide Indore proper water and sanitation according to Rahul Banerjee. Posted on 02 Aug, 2014 01:46 PM

In the last five decades, Indore, in Madhya Pradesh, has witnessed a substantial increase in urbanisation and industrialisation. Its population has also increased from 5,60,936 in 1971 to 2,167,447 in 2011 (Census 2011).

Waiting for water tankers in Indore
Sanitation and trees' are rural employment guarantee scheme's top priorities
Policy matters this week Posted on 30 Jul, 2014 10:40 AM

Centre allocates 50% MGNREGA funds to sanitation and green cover

Proper sanitation in India: A poster
India loses 2 million tonnes of food grains annually due to waterlogging
News this week Posted on 30 Jul, 2014 10:15 AM

2 million tonnes of food grains lost annually in India

Waterlogging in Punjab
Irrigation systems of Himachal threatened by hydropower projects
Small hydro-power projects thought to be least damaging threaten the very existence of Kuhls, the source of water for irrigation. It's no wonder that young Kohlis prefer government jobs to farming. Posted on 27 Jul, 2014 11:04 AM

Pro-dam lobby has long praised the small or micro hydropower projects, especially run-of-the-river units as least damaging. But both the developer/s of such projects and the government seem to have overlooked an important aspect: its impact on Kuhls, the traditional irrigation system of Himachal Pradesh.

Kuhl, Awa khud, Kandbari (Nivedita Khandekar)
House of solutions
Rahul Banerjee, a scientist and researcher, has created sustainable and environmentally friendly home-based solutions to manage his own water supply and sanitation issues in Indore. Posted on 25 Jul, 2014 06:30 PM

Many scientists and researchers have been trying to find solutions to problems related to urban water supply, wastewater management and reduction of energy use in urban areas but very few have succeeded. Rahul Banerjee is one who has.

Rahul Banerjee's sustainable house at Indore
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