• WITHOUT IT THERE IS NOTHING OTHER THAN MINERAL FORMS. • IT IS THE SOLVENT, THE MEDIUM WITHIN WHICH THE MAGIC OF NATURE EXISTS. • THE NATURAL WORLD WE SEE AROUND US IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN WHICH WE FIND OURSELVES. • WATER IS A RESOURCE THAT WE CAN MANAGE WELL OR BADLY. • IT IS ONE THAT IS LIMITED, BUT ALSO ONE THAT WE CAN RENEW.
Increasing levels of CO2 in • the atmosphere will change the climate of the India Climate change will surely • effect our water cycle We are unsure how it will • effect our weather patterns, but it is expected to make our rainfall events more intensive and perhaps more erratic. However our best • understanding still comes from observing the world around us.
The bioregion of Auroville
Kaluveli watershed Kaluveli wetland is the single natural outlet of the watershed 754 sq. km 196 tanks Watershed Area : 755 sq.km 160 villages Number of tanks : 196 3,50,000 People
Etang de Kaluvelly: 70 km2 Auroville Pondicherry Cuddalore
GEOLOGY The picture can't be displayed. Auroville Lithology: 273 wells (CGWB, PWD, TWAD) n Aquifers: dune alluvium Cuddalore Kaddaperikuppam Vanur Ramanathapuram n Aquitards: Manavalli clay Ottay clay
• Over exploitation of water resources • Degradation of surface water structures • Erosion • Non Source Pollution • Solid waste • Wastewater • Major infrastructure development • Endemic plant species eradication …
CONTEXT Climate - semi-arid: Since 1970, the number of bore wells PET > Rainfall ~ 9 months/year increased exponentially Efficient rainfall 3 months/year => The water table level decreases drastically Rainfall: ~1300 mm/year with monsoons For example in the Vanur aquifer: SW (Jul.-Sep., 40%) - the water level is 60 m deeper than NE (Oct.-Dec., 60%) 30 years ago - the water level is below 0 msl Tamil Nadu everywhere Available water resources volume -> 28 000 Mm³ Used water volume -> 32 000 Mm³ => A deficit of water already exists Évolution de l'extraction dans l'aquifère de Vanur depuis 1950 140 130 120 volume extrait (Mm³/an) 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 année
What is the ecologically appropriate vegetation of this area? Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest: TDEF
Using elements of the TDEF you can create a Vibrant, Dynamic and Ecologically balanced landscape • There are over 100 plants with relevant daily uses • It is adapted to the local rainfall patterns • There are flowering and fruiting events throughout the year – supporting native populations of pollinators • The permanent shade reduces ambient ground temperatures around buildings
Our Cultural Context
• The water resources we have are limited. • Water is a renewable resource that can be managed carefully. • We need to understand our local environment to understand how we can manage our local water resource. • We can combine clues and hints from the natural vegetation and from the traditional culture of our surroundings with new technological innovations to arrive at solutions. • The more energy we require to sustain ourselves, the less sustainable the solutions we have arrived at.
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