UDIPUR-IWRM
The research will focus on the Ayad catchment (about 550 km2 ) (Mehta, 2009). The Ayad River rises in the Aravalli hills north-west of Udaipur City, runs through the city, and with its tributaries, drains Udaipur District. The catchment area is characterized as semi-arid with an annual mean rainfall of about 640 mm. The river is monsoon fed giving rise to a seasonal flow system. Regulation and damming of the river at various locations have created several lakes forming an interconnected system of large water bodies and river stretches (Mehta, 2009). The occurrence of groundwater in the district is controlled by the topographic and structural features of the rock formations (Government of India, 2013). In these formations, fissures and structurally weak planes control groundwater flow. The lakes are the major sources of water supply of Udaipur City while groundwater pumping from deep wells and step wells only account for about 10% of the total water supply (City Development Plan, 2014). In addition, interbasin water transfer schemes are implemented to augment the water supply to the city. Due to growing population and expansion of industrial and tourism, the water demand is steadily increasing. The water system is fragile and sensitive to annual variations in climate, notably delays and reduced rainfall during monsoons. Climate change will exacerbate this tendency. Currently, the situation is unsustainable due to overexploitation of the water resources. Moreover, the environmental and ecological balance of the surface water system has deteriorated considerably due to uncontrolled inflow of untreated sewage. To provide a platform for developing sustainable development as well as protection and management of the water resources, better knowledge of the water resources dynamics is urgently required. The research will be organized into six work packages and include the following activities:
