This discussion brief summarizes the role of groundwater information and institutional considerations for effective governance. Examples of effective governance, informed by data and science, are provided from Bangkok, Thailand, and California, USA.
Citation: Vishal K. Mehta, Daniel Simcha Spivak, Vivek V., M. Sekhar, Deepak Malghan (2017). Urban Groundwater in India: The Role of Information in Effective Governance. Stockholm Environment Institute, Davis, California.
These maps are interpolated groundwater depths, in metres below ground surface. Between December 2015 and now (September 2017) monthly measurements of depth to the static water table were made at approximately 150 locations across Bangalore. These measurements were largely made at abandoned/unused borewells.
Below, individual interpolated groundwater maps of the static water table can be viewed/downloaded. An animation is also provided. The locations of each well that was monitored are indicated by the circles.
This fact sheet summarizes the principles, benefits and challenges of groundwater monitoring, with a focus on Bangalore, India.
Citation: Daniel Simcha Spivak and Vishal K. Mehta, 2017. “Groundwater Monitoring in Bangalore, India”. Stockholm Environment Institute, Seattle, USA.
Between December 2017 and now (September 2017), the team measured groundwater levels at approximately 150 borewells across Bangalore, every month. This web application allows the user to visualize the time series at each point. Click on each point to see the behavior of groundwater levels at that well.
This map layer compiles more than 1000 measurements of groundwater levels in different parts of the city since 2007. Under the guidance of Dr. Muddu Sekhar, Associate Professor in the Dept. of Civil Engineering, various Indian Institute of Science (IIsc) student research projects have been conducted over recent years within Bengaluru city limits.
This interactive map layer compiles the entire data collected between 2007 and 2013. Clicking on each point brings up corresponding information for that point. This includes groundwater levels for each point, in metres below ground level. The date on which the measurement was taken is also listed.
Thanks to the students and field research teams who collected the data, and to to Dr. Muddu Sekhar for data access. Special thanks to current IISc research staff, P. Giriraj, Sanjeeva Murthy, and Manish Gautam.
Visualization by SEI’s Douglas Wang and Vishal Mehta.