Maharashtra's Groundwater and Basaltic Aquifers with Vivek Grewal | The WELL Labs Show

Описание: Hydrogeologist Vivek Grewal joins host Pavan Srinath to unpack how Maharashtra’s basalt geology shapes groundwater and why managing it requires thinking in layers.

The conversation explores how the Deccan Traps were formed, how vesicles, fractures and weathered rock store water, and why groundwater in Maharashtra behaves very differently from granite aquifers in South India.
Vivek takes us from mantle plumes and lava flows 65 million years ago to today’s seasonal and perennial aquifers, open wells versus borewells, recharge pits, farm ponds, and the delicate balance between upstream and downstream water security.

The conversation also explores how farmers adapt cropping patterns under seasonal water constraints and why cities like Pune must identify and protect recharge zones to secure their future.

Vivek Grewal (https://welllabs.org/vivek-singh-grewal/ ) is the managing partner with the Technical Consulting programme at WELL Labs. He has around 9+ years of experience in the water sector. He is passionate about taking the science of hydrology to the grassroots organisations.

Pavan Srinath (https://welllabs.org/our-team-pavan-s...) is the Managing Partner for Communications and Development at WELL Labs. Pavan is a communications and public policy professional who has spent over 14 years working in Bangalore's not-for-profit sector.

This episode is essential viewing for anyone working on groundwater management, watershed development, agriculture, or urban water planning in peninsular India.

The WELL Labs Show features rich conversations on water, environment, land and livelihoods, from the people and partners of WELL Labs. Hosted by Pavan Srinath, each episode explores complex environmental and social issues and helps you understand the systems and the dynamics better.

For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit
https://welllabs.org/twls-vivek-grewa...

Chapter markers:
00:00 Highlights
02:22 Intro
04:11 Why Maharashtra’s groundwater is different
06:10 Vesicles, fractures and basalt aquifers
12:40 Open wells and borewells
19:11 Check out the Water Data Podcast
19:32 Seasonal vs perennial groundwater
29:00 Subscribe to our YouTube channel
29:18 Do recharge pits really work?
33:44 Rain shadow vs high rainfall regions
40:20 Managing groundwater in cities like Pune
43:06 Closing

Subscribe to the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs and watch all episodes on the official playlist here (   • The WELL Labs Show  .

Recording by Nabina Chakraborty and Vraj Acharya.
Video editing by Ranjith Kumar S.
Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar and Kanishka Goyal.
Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.