Groundwater Stories

A map of the area under study. Pic: Biome As part of the participatory aquifer management studies in the Yemalur watershed, we conducted a Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) survey to get a clear geological profile of the ground below. A description of the activities is given below. Objective The VES or Resistivity Survey is a non-destructive in-situ test which is conducted  by measuring variations in the electrical resistivity of the ground in order to to locate and estimate the characteristics of the aquifer below. Methodology The survey is done by applying small electric currents across arrays of ground electrodes (depth…

A map of the area under study. Pic: Biome As part of the participatory aquifer management studies in the Yemalur watershed, we conducted a Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) survey to get a clear geological profile of the ground below. A description of the activities is given below. Objective The VES or Resistivity Survey is a non-destructive in-situ test which is conducted  by measuring variations in the electrical resistivity of the ground in order to to locate and estimate the characteristics of the aquifer below. Methodology The survey is done by applying small electric currents across arrays of ground electrodes (depth…

Halanayanahalli- off Sarjapur road is like many other parts of the city depends on groundwater for water needs. Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Center (KSNDMC) has put up a weather station at the Halanayakanahalli Gram Panchayat Office. We obtained the rainfall data from KSNDMC and here are the results... 878.5 mm from April to October 2015. Wonder, how much the total would be if November rainfall data is added.   Month Rainfall (mm) Rainfall days Highest rainfall event (mm) April 111.5 12 28.5 May 73.5 10 20 June 120 18 44.5 July 55.5 12 29 August 186.5 15 45.5 September 171.5 12…

Halanayanahalli- off Sarjapur road is like many other parts of the city depends on groundwater for water needs. Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Center (KSNDMC) has put up a weather station at the Halanayakanahalli Gram Panchayat Office. We obtained the rainfall data from KSNDMC and here are the results... 878.5 mm from April to October 2015. Wonder, how much the total would be if November rainfall data is added.   Month Rainfall (mm) Rainfall days Highest rainfall event (mm) April 111.5 12 28.5 May 73.5 10 20 June 120 18 44.5 July 55.5 12 29 August 186.5 15 45.5 September 171.5 12…

Smart technology can only be as smart as the people who use it, otherwise it only ends up as another fancy gadget in the house! As S Vishwanath, a water expert says, Smart cities is the mantra of our times with a 100 slated to roll out in India. Ideological debates rage over how to define ‘smart’ and whether technology is what makes for ‘smart.’ Barring the debate, a peculiar way though would be to say that smart people make smart cities. And technology can indeed play an important role to aid people in making ‘smart’ informed decisions, especially about responsible…

Smart technology can only be as smart as the people who use it, otherwise it only ends up as another fancy gadget in the house! As S Vishwanath, a water expert says, Smart cities is the mantra of our times with a 100 slated to roll out in India. Ideological debates rage over how to define ‘smart’ and whether technology is what makes for ‘smart.’ Barring the debate, a peculiar way though would be to say that smart people make smart cities. And technology can indeed play an important role to aid people in making ‘smart’ informed decisions, especially about responsible…

Sushant Potdar, an intern with BIOME Trust did a study on the Open Wells in the Yamalur Watershed. The complete report can be seen below and is also available here. The study seems very relevant, especially at a time when borewells deeper than 1000 feet fail and there is no access to water supplied by the BWSSB in this area. Sushant documents 21 wells that have still not been closed. There are many more in the area that are worth documenting and retaining. All wells are privately owned and hence the maintenance of the well becomes a challenge. What is…

Sushant Potdar, an intern with BIOME Trust did a study on the Open Wells in the Yamalur Watershed. The complete report can be seen below and is also available here. The study seems very relevant, especially at a time when borewells deeper than 1000 feet fail and there is no access to water supplied by the BWSSB in this area. Sushant documents 21 wells that have still not been closed. There are many more in the area that are worth documenting and retaining. All wells are privately owned and hence the maintenance of the well becomes a challenge. What is…

Renuka School is right next to Kaikondrahalli Lake (Off Sarjapura Road). Their deep borewells stopped yielding water quite some time back and they relied on tankers for water. About 2 years back they dug an open well about 15 feet deep, struck water and started using that water for keeping toilets clean. The water was just about sufficient in quantity and not of great quality for washing vessels (mid-day meals). BIOME then implemented a RWH system which also recharges their well. Having seen the potential of the shallow aquifer, they have dug 2 more shallow wells in the past 2…

Renuka School is right next to Kaikondrahalli Lake (Off Sarjapura Road). Their deep borewells stopped yielding water quite some time back and they relied on tankers for water. About 2 years back they dug an open well about 15 feet deep, struck water and started using that water for keeping toilets clean. The water was just about sufficient in quantity and not of great quality for washing vessels (mid-day meals). BIOME then implemented a RWH system which also recharges their well. Having seen the potential of the shallow aquifer, they have dug 2 more shallow wells in the past 2…