More than 2,000 people in nine Indian Himalayan villages in the Chamoli district, expanding into Almora, gained access to 14 rejuvenated springs. Climate resilience was built in these communities as they adapted to climate change through engineering, vegetative, and social measures based on hydrogeological studies.
These mountain springs were drying up due to the effects of climate change. As their only water source, many communities were acutely aware of the drastic weather pattern changes. To combat this, they learned how to create percolation trenches and plant native grasses and trees using Frank Water’s methodologies to restore water to the springs.
Other key impacts include:
- Formation of women-led Spring Water User Groups to treat and maintain springs.
- Development of protocols for maintaining and operating springs, including the equitable sharing of spring water.
- Upskilling of community members as para hydro-geologists to monitor spring discharge and water quality, ensuring long-term sustainability.
- Submission of plans to protect the spring recharge area from human and domestic animal contamination using ‘bio-fencing’ for local government funding.
- The communities contributed 30% of their labour cost for digging trenches in the recharge area of 14 springs – contributing more than £1,600.