Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a simple method by which rainfall is collected for future usage. The collected rainwater may be stored, utilised in different ways or directly used for recharge purposes. With depleting groundwater levels and fluctuating climate conditions, RWH can go a long way to help mitigate these effects. Capturing the rainwater can help recharge local aquifers, reduce urban flooding and most importantly ensure water availability in water-scarce zones. Though the term seems to have picked up greater visibility in the last few years, it was, and is even today, a traditional practice followed in rural India. Some ancient rainwater harvesting methods followed in India include madakas, ahar pynes, surangas, taankas and many more.

This water conservation method can be easily practiced in individual homes, apartments, parks, offices and temples too, across the world. Farmers have recharged their dry borewells, created water banks in drought areas, greened their farms, increased sustainability of their water resources and even created a river. Technical know how for the rooftop RWH with direct storage can be availed for better implementation. RWH An effective method in water scarce times, it is also an easily doable practice. Practical advice is available in books written by Indukanth Ragade & Shree Padre, talks by Anupam Mishra and other easy to follow fun ways

Read our FAQ on Rainwater Harvesting and have many basic questions answered.

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Featured Articles
September 21, 2022 The unique design and functioning of the Chakla bavdi in Chanderi Madhya Pradesh is another example of the water wisdom of our ancestors, which needs to be conserved and passed on to the future generations.
Chakla Bavdi at Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh (Image Source: Shirole, S. 2022. Architectural eloquence: Water harvesting structure in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh (India). Ancient Asia, 13: 9, pp. 1–13)
July 14, 2022 The river is faced with the dual problem of flood plain encroachment and growing levels of water pollution
Illegal transverse check dams (Badhals) built on Ichamati near a village in Basirhat (Image: Prithviraj Nath @ TheWaterChronicles)
July 11, 2022 The Chauka system of Rajasthan can not only provide a sustainable way to manage water resources in water stressed regions, but also support livelihoods through development of pastures.
Can greening of barren lands happen? (Image Source: India Water Portal Flickr photos)
March 21, 2022 Recognizing women's accumulated knowledge and adaptive capacities in springshed management
Van Panchayat Samiti discussing the matters related to forest (Image: Varun Raja)
November 9, 2021 Building resilient agricultural system through groundwater management interventions in degraded landscapes of Bundelkhand region
Charkhari talab in Bundelkhand (Image: IWP Flickr)
Crop cultivation or construction - tough choice in Andhra Pradesh
Excessive sand quarrying to meet the demands of the construction industry is destroying local irrigation systems in Anantapur. Which will prevail - agriculture or construction? Posted on 17 Jun, 2013 05:29 PM

The construction industry went through a boom in the 1990s due to more people demanding and affording houses. This put a lot of pressure on the Pennar area in Andhra Pradesh. Sandmining, which is the process of taking sand, became rampant at that time.

Gonchi irrigation system in Anantapur
Smaller is better in Maharashtra!
Smaller dams to fight drought, help for Delhi’s rainwater harvesting programme and a flyover that recharges groundwater are the highlights of this week’s news. Posted on 17 Jun, 2013 02:17 PM

Smaller is better in Maharashtra

Smaller dams to be built in Maharashtra
Does your packaged drinking water contain minerals or pollutants?
Unsafe bottled water, the ‘stink report’ and the British rescuing a river are the highlights of this week’s news. Posted on 03 Jun, 2013 08:36 PM

Does your packaged drinking water contain minerals or pollutants?

Unsafe bottled water
The case of the disappearing farmers
Farmers lost every day, Jindal’s hydel shares revoked and more water saving measures are the highlights this week. Posted on 14 May, 2013 08:59 AM

Only 8% of India are farmers - is the census accurate?

A village creates magic…and a river!
Sukha Raula (dry ravine) to Gad Ganga – the transformation in Ufrenkhal Posted on 30 Apr, 2013 09:23 AM

Ufrenkhal – the village
Driving towards Ufrenkhal, a village in Pauri Garhwal (Uttarakhand), I see a lush, green mountain covered with deodar, banj and utees trees. Little did I realize that this diverse and dense forest, which is alive with wildlife, is very new. 40 years ago, this vast area was a firing range!

Ufrenkhal in Uttarakhand
Is your building 'green' enough? - A rating system to measure efficiency of existing green buildings
Green rating program pilot to start, Kerala's projects to increase water quantity & quality and reassessment of Gundia hydel project are some of the headlines this week. Posted on 29 Apr, 2013 05:03 PM

Is your building green enough?

The Karamana River in Kerala – once revered but now shunned
Pollution in Kerala river, growing water scarcity worldwide and increased hydropower projects in the north east are the highlights of this week’s news. Posted on 23 Apr, 2013 08:26 AM

People warned to stay away from river

Karnataka tops the nation in managing rural drinking water scheme
Country topper in managing rural water scheme and states adopting the new version of the National Water Policy hog the limelight this week. Posted on 08 Apr, 2013 10:24 AM

Karnataka emerges as top performer in managing rural drinking water schemes

Expanding access to improved water sources through watercredit - A report on the stakeholders engagement forum, organised by water.org, New Delhi,19th February 2013
This one day session on the challenges faced in access to water and improved water sources through water credit initiatives was organised by water.org Posted on 22 Mar, 2013 09:33 PM

Uday Shankar from water.org welcomed the audience and introduced the issue of access to safe water and sanitation. Gary White, water.org, set the tone of the seminar by explaining his organisation’s vision of ‘getting safe water’ for everyone.

Safe water for all - Some ways we can preserve this natural resource
Maya Ramaswamy shares her views on how discussing "water rights"will be meanigful only if all of us collectively contribute towards preserving and conserving our environment and in turn save our water sources Posted on 21 Mar, 2013 09:36 PM

Water rights are being discussed today as a possibility. This will lead to civil war in this country. Rights are meaningless without paying attention to duties. It is our constitutional duty to preserve and heal our environment. 

If we pay attention to freeing our waters:

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