https://www.indiawaterportal.org/climate-change/from-himalayas-to-deccan-how-droughts-and-glacial-melt-reshape-indias-water-reservoirs https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/nen7qphv/Surface-water-bodies-4.jpg The Pashan lake in Pune. Image Source: Nikhil12sutar via Wikimedia Commons https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/fb3r2ww3/Surface-water-bodies.png The spatial distribution of surface water bodies in India https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/l72gqlfw/Surface-water-bodies-2.png What happens during dry and wet years https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/9d1ceo6i/Surface-water-bodies-3.jpg The spatial distribution of SWBs by shrinkage rate. indiawaterportal en 2026-09-05T12:08:13.553Z From Himalayas to Deccan: How droughts and glacial melt reshape India's water reservoirs surface water bodies, glaciers, rivers, shrinkage, groundwater, droughts, river, mountain frost, monsoon, water management, river basin management, hydrology, water budgeting, lakes, ponds, reservoirs, ecology, sustainibility, biodiversity, ecosystems https://www.indiawaterportal.org/agriculture/livelihoods/watershed-restoration-offers-new-hope-for-maharashtras-drying-rivers-and-farms https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/cwbezsdi/lead.jpg Continuous contour trenches are dug along slopes and above the fields to slow down runoff and recharge groundwater (Image: WOTR) https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/66nank8z/1.jpg Fig. Soil Erosion Risk (SER) zones using AHP approach for the Urmodi River watershed. (Map: Wasim Ayub Bagwan et al) https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/ek14cr46/2.jpg Fig. Potential soil erosion risk zone using RUSLE for the Urmodi River watershed. (Map recreated using Raj et al by Wasim Ayub Bagwan et al) https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/ygoqg0bl/3.jpg Fig. 15. Overlaying view of SER prepared by AHP and RUSLE methods. (Map: Wasim Ayub Bagwan et al) https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/c8iqg11j/4.jpg Fig. Soil conservation measures needed to adapt to control the soil erosion in the Urmodi River watershed. (Map: Wasim Ayub Bagwan et al) indiawaterportal en 2026-09-05T10:43:17.054Z Watershed restoration offers new hope for Maharashtra’s drying rivers and farms Watershed restoration, Maharashtra soil erosion, Urmodi River watershed, GIS mapping, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Soil conservation, Groundwater recharge, RUSLE model, Sustainable agriculture, Climate resilience https://www.indiawaterportal.org/groundwater/rainwater-harvesting/a-call-for-the-kalyani-how-digital-mapping-is-restoring-karnatakas-historic-stepwells https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/i3r7w6v5/BhoganandishwaratempleNandihills118.jpg Kalyani at Bhoganandishwara temple, Nandi hills, Bengaluru (Image: FES) https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/z0g90vgm/7.3-KBL-Chittapur-Dandotti-Kalyani.jpg Historic stepwells across Karnataka, such as the hexagon shaped Chittapura Dandoti Kalyani in Kalaburagi district, continue to serve as critical drinking water sources and ecological buffers when maintained by local communities. (Image: FES) https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/09huyqmk/Copy-of-Sri-Krishna.jpg Multi-tiered landings, arched niches, and precision stone masonry—a testament to how deeply water harvesting was integrated into the spatial planning of the past. (Image: FES) https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/hs61f9tx/01-KBL-Afzalpur-Tp-Bhairamadg-iGP.jpg Centuries of geometry and stone, carved directly into the earth to hold what matters most. Stepwells like this kalyani aren't just historical storage—they were community lifeblood, engineering marvels, and sacred spaces rolled into one. (Image: FES) https://media.assettype.com/indiawaterportal/2026-09-05/0xg0wa3r/1-Jain-Basadi-Halebidu-Belur-TP-Hassan-1.jpeg Stepping into layers of history. Shadow, stone, and arched chambers silent with the memory of water. (Image: FES) indiawaterportal en 2026-09-05T03:44:04.634Z A call for the Kalyani: How digital mapping is restoring Karnataka’s historic stepwells Karnataka stepwells, Kalyani restoration, Digital mapping water commons, Citizen science water conservation, Kalyanis of Karnataka, Groundwater recharge Karnataka, Traditional water harvesting India, Gram Panchayat Development Plans GPDP, Water stewardship Karnataka, Historic water commons India