Coupled Human And Natural Systems Environment (CHANSE)

Project summary

The overarching aim of the research is to improve mapping and quantification of dominant interactions and feedbacks between human activities and the hydro-meteorological system of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP). This project will provide information for improved decision-making on water allocation for agriculture, drinking water, ecosystems and other needs. Specifically, CHANSE project will: (i) estimate surface and groundwater availability under current and future short-term weather predictions and anthropogenic activities within the IGP using a fully coupled, land surface-groundwater modelling setup; (ii) investigate the propagation, in space and time, of interactions of water uses and needs within the natural system by integrating novel consumer and ecological flow demand modules; (iii) provide regional predictions of decadal, seasonal and sub-seasonal monsoon rainfall and flood forecasting for the IGP to inform development of alternative water management strategies; (iv) translate the improved understanding of human and natural systems into IGP's water management planning for water, food and ecological security. The project will use the River Gandak sub-basin, which has been impacted by these issues, as a case-study catchment for process-understanding. Water management strategies and feedbacks of water allocation to local climate will be analysed at the IGP basin level.

Lead Investigators

Dr Ana Mijic, Imperial College London 
Dr Subimal Ghosh, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

Co-Investigators

Prof Slobodan Djordjevic, University of Exeter
Dr Chris Jackson, British Geological Survey
Dr Wouter Buytaert, Imperial College London
Prof Pradeep Mujumdar, IISc Bangalore
Dr Roxy Mathew Koll, IITM Pune
Dr Jagdish Krishnaswamy, ATREE
Prof Sunil Kumar Choudhary, University of Bihar

Also from Imperial College London

Dr Jimmy O’Keeffe, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Alyssa Gilbert, Grantham Institute for Climate Change

Funders

UK NERC & Indian Ministry of Earth Sciences
Newton-Bhabha Fund: Sustaining Water Resources for Food, Energy & Ecosystem Services in India programme

Twitter @ChanseIGP