How can water supplies be secured in arid regions whilst also boosting agriculture? HTW Dresden is working with partners in India to develop solutions for climate-resilient water management. The focus is on nature-based methods for groundwater recharge.

Nature-based solutions to water scarcity

Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Dresden - University of Applied Sciences (HTWD) is strengthening knowledge transfer with India on nature-based water treatment methods. Together with Indian partners, the HTWD organised four specialist events in Roorkee and Guwahati in February and March 2026. The focus was on methods for groundwater recharge and the management of water catchment areas within the so-called Water-Food Nexus. The term describes the close interconnection between water resources and agriculture. The aim is to manage water in such a way that agriculture, food security and environmental protection are safeguarded in the long term.

Falling groundwater levels, drying-up springs and declining river flows are exacerbating water scarcity in many places. Arid and semi-arid regions are particularly affected. Arid areas are permanently dry and receive very little rainfall. Although semi-arid regions receive more rain, they regularly struggle with water scarcity and long periods of drought. In many places, this is compounded by high water abstraction for agricultural irrigation. Targeted groundwater recharge, known internationally as Managed Aquifer Recharge, is therefore becoming increasingly important. This involves the controlled replenishment of aquifers whilst simultaneously improving water quality.

International teaching and research in Roorkee

Against this backdrop, 41 postgraduate and doctoral students took part in a two-week specialist course at the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in February. The course focused on groundwater recharge and modelling the Water-Food Nexus. It was organised by Prof. Hemant Kumar from IIT Roorkee, as well as Dr Cornelius Sandhu and Prof. Thomas Grischek from the Department of Water Engineering at HTW Dresden. The course was part of the project ‘Integration of Managed Aquifer Recharge and the Water-Food Nexus into Higher Education’. The GIANT SPARC project is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as part of the GIANT Programme of the Federal Foreign Office, and by the Indian Ministry of Education through the SPARC Programme. 

Also involved were experts from TU Dresden, the University of Tübingen, the National Institute of Hydrology in Roorkee and the water utility Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan. Highlights of the programme included a specialist session at the “Roorkee Water Conclave 2026”, a visit to a well construction site on the Ganges in Haridwar, and a workshop on bank seepage water harvesting for engineers from the Indian water utility. The course programme combined lectures, exercises and practical laboratory and field work. Topics included hydraulics, water quality, water hygiene, site investigations, irrigation control and numerical modelling.

Shared perspectives for climate-resilient water management

International exchange was also the focus in Guwahati in north-eastern India. There, 71 participants gathered for the “International Seminar on Nature-Based Solutions: Strengthening Research, Innovation and Climate-Resilient Systems”. The event was organised by Bineswar Brahma Engineering College in cooperation with HTW Dresden and the Directorate of Technical Education of Assam. In addition to universities, non-governmental organisations such as the SELCO Foundation, PRASARI, Social Apha, Sustain Plus, Tata Trusts and KABIL also took part. They presented projects on nature-based solutions for improving living conditions in rural areas. Dr Cornelius Sandhu highlighted examples of the practical integration of Managed Aquifer Recharge into university education and emphasised the importance of international cooperation.

At the end, the participants signed the “Guwahati Water Declaration”. The aim is to achieve sustainable and climate-resilient water management in north-eastern India. The agreed measures include the promotion of nature-based solutions, the further development of catchment area management, new research and innovation partnerships, and greater involvement of local communities in water management.

In September 2026, HTW Dresden will host the “7th International Summer School on Managed Aquifer Recharge – MARISS” in Dresden. This will be followed by a further workshop in India in February 2027. The summer school is open to interested parties from all over the world.