Articles | Volume 24, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4691-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-4691-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Review article
| Highlight paper
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05 Oct 2020
Review article | Highlight paper |
| 05 Oct 2020
| 05 Oct 2020
Hydrology and water resources management in ancient India
Pushpendra Kumar Singh
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Water Resources Systems Division, National Institute of Hydrology,
Roorkee, 247667, India
Pankaj Dey
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science,
Bengaluru, 560012, India
Sharad Kumar Jain
visiting professor at: Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, 247667, India
Pradeep P. Mujumdar
Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science,
Bengaluru, 560012, India
Interdisciplinary Centre for Water Research, Indian Institute of
Science, Bengaluru, 560012, India
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Cited
34 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Rise and Fall of the Grand Canal in the Ancient Kaifeng City of China: Role of the Grand Canal and Water Supply in Urban and Regional Development W. Huang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13141932
- Water resource sources in the ancient town of Si Mahosot, Thailand B. Bidorn et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108804
- Energy–Mass Transfer in Photothermal Desalination: Multi‐Scale Innovations and Distributed Water Solutions toward Sustainability Z. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202510796
- Fate and transformation of microplastics due to electrocoagulation treatment: Impacts of polymer type and shape K. Senathirajah et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122159
- The Urban Environment Impact of Climate Change Study and Proposal of the City Micro-Environment Improvement J. Pokrývková et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084096
- The vedic texts on sustainable development in ancient south asia P. Rai & S. Rai https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-024-11092-9
- Rooftop rainwater harvesting a solution to water scarcity: A review R. Lepcha et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2024.101305
- Need of Revitalizing Sustainable Water Practices along with Modern Technologies to Combat Water Crises in India K. Verma et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41745-025-00471-x
- On the value of a history of hydrology and the establishment of a History of Hydrology Working Group K. Beven et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2025.2452357
- Exploitation, Transport, and Circulation of the Rohri Hills Chert (Sindh, Pakistan) during the Indus Period P. Biagi https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7080200
- Sustainability of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: From Prehistoric Times to the Present Times and the Future A. Angelakis et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15081614
- Água e civilizações H. Maia https://doi.org/10.53727/rbhc.v17i2.985
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- Sustainable and Regenerative Development of Water Mills as an Example of Agricultural Technologies for Small Farms A. Angelakis et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14101621
- The extreme monsoon climate and associated ancient communities, kingdoms, irrigational advancement in Deccan India during the late Holocene P. Annapureddy et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-024-02323-3
- New for Some, Old for Others: Circular Economy Practices in Ancient Time P. Hajoary et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-023-00323-9
- Pre-Hispanic anthropogenic wetlands in the upper Ica drainage, south-central Andes: dating and context K. Lane et al. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2022.103
- Water–energy–food nexus: toward exploring the connection between ancient and modern science in the Indian context B. Das et al. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05383-w
- Tree-ring hydrological research in the Himalaya: State of the art and future directions N. Islam et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/03091333241229919
- Urban Water Supply Sustainability and Resilience under Climate Variability: Innovative Paradigms, Approaches and Technologies A. Capodaglio https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.4c00203
- Movement characteristics of the inclined surface flow of the open channel on the nanoscale surface Y. Chen & H. Yang https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17677
- Evolution of Tunneling Hydro-Technology: From Ancient Times to Present and Future A. Angelakis et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology10090190
- Creation of water management systems and social sustainability: exploring millennial human–spring relationships in semi-arid North China T. Bao et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2026.2682335
- Advances in surface water hydrology research in India T. Chauhan et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43538-024-00234-9
- Overview of Brihat Samhita rainfall prediction methodology over the Indian region and its utilization by machine learning technique J. Yadav et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-025-02672-5
- Assessment of groundwater development in watersheds using novel hydrosociological indicators and machine learning approach R. Eliza et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indic.2026.101220
- Late-Holocene paleoceanographic and climatic changes and their impact on Indian socio-economic conditions: Benthic foraminiferal evidence from the Bay of Bengal S. Mohanty et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836231163505
- Enhancing hydrologic modelling through the representation of traditional rainwater harvesting systems: A case study of water tanks in South India N. Mahmoodi et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.15088
- Bridging the Past and Present: Sustainable Water Management Technologies Through the Lens of Hydro-Science in Ancient India R. Dasgupta et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/09716858241304171
- Drought vulnerability assessment and mitigation strategies for peri-urban province of Pathum Thani, Thailand P. Saguansap et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pdisas.2025.100431
- Indian Wetlands: A Historical Perspective . Ramakrishna et al. https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v124/i4/2024/172853
- Baseflow and transmission loss: A review T. McMahon & R. Nathan https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1527
- A review of India's water policy and implementation toward a sustainable future S. Singh & M. Goyal https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2025.560
- A plural knowledges model to support sustainable management of dryland rivers in western India G. Brierley et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.4219
34 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Rise and Fall of the Grand Canal in the Ancient Kaifeng City of China: Role of the Grand Canal and Water Supply in Urban and Regional Development W. Huang et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13141932
- Water resource sources in the ancient town of Si Mahosot, Thailand B. Bidorn et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108804
- Energy–Mass Transfer in Photothermal Desalination: Multi‐Scale Innovations and Distributed Water Solutions toward Sustainability Z. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202510796
- Fate and transformation of microplastics due to electrocoagulation treatment: Impacts of polymer type and shape K. Senathirajah et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122159
- The Urban Environment Impact of Climate Change Study and Proposal of the City Micro-Environment Improvement J. Pokrývková et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084096
- The vedic texts on sustainable development in ancient south asia P. Rai & S. Rai https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-024-11092-9
- Rooftop rainwater harvesting a solution to water scarcity: A review R. Lepcha et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2024.101305
- Need of Revitalizing Sustainable Water Practices along with Modern Technologies to Combat Water Crises in India K. Verma et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41745-025-00471-x
- On the value of a history of hydrology and the establishment of a History of Hydrology Working Group K. Beven et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2025.2452357
- Exploitation, Transport, and Circulation of the Rohri Hills Chert (Sindh, Pakistan) during the Indus Period P. Biagi https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage7080200
- Sustainability of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene: From Prehistoric Times to the Present Times and the Future A. Angelakis et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15081614
- Água e civilizações H. Maia https://doi.org/10.53727/rbhc.v17i2.985
- Socio-psychological determinants of Iranian rural households' adoption of water consumption curtailment behaviors M. Savari et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-17560-x
- Sustainable and Regenerative Development of Water Mills as an Example of Agricultural Technologies for Small Farms A. Angelakis et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w14101621
- The extreme monsoon climate and associated ancient communities, kingdoms, irrigational advancement in Deccan India during the late Holocene P. Annapureddy et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-024-02323-3
- New for Some, Old for Others: Circular Economy Practices in Ancient Time P. Hajoary et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-023-00323-9
- Pre-Hispanic anthropogenic wetlands in the upper Ica drainage, south-central Andes: dating and context K. Lane et al. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2022.103
- Water–energy–food nexus: toward exploring the connection between ancient and modern science in the Indian context B. Das et al. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05383-w
- Tree-ring hydrological research in the Himalaya: State of the art and future directions N. Islam et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/03091333241229919
- Urban Water Supply Sustainability and Resilience under Climate Variability: Innovative Paradigms, Approaches and Technologies A. Capodaglio https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestwater.4c00203
- Movement characteristics of the inclined surface flow of the open channel on the nanoscale surface Y. Chen & H. Yang https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17677
- Evolution of Tunneling Hydro-Technology: From Ancient Times to Present and Future A. Angelakis et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology10090190
- Creation of water management systems and social sustainability: exploring millennial human–spring relationships in semi-arid North China T. Bao et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2026.2682335
- Advances in surface water hydrology research in India T. Chauhan et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43538-024-00234-9
- Overview of Brihat Samhita rainfall prediction methodology over the Indian region and its utilization by machine learning technique J. Yadav et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-025-02672-5
- Assessment of groundwater development in watersheds using novel hydrosociological indicators and machine learning approach R. Eliza et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indic.2026.101220
- Late-Holocene paleoceanographic and climatic changes and their impact on Indian socio-economic conditions: Benthic foraminiferal evidence from the Bay of Bengal S. Mohanty et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836231163505
- Enhancing hydrologic modelling through the representation of traditional rainwater harvesting systems: A case study of water tanks in South India N. Mahmoodi et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.15088
- Bridging the Past and Present: Sustainable Water Management Technologies Through the Lens of Hydro-Science in Ancient India R. Dasgupta et al. https://doi.org/10.1177/09716858241304171
- Drought vulnerability assessment and mitigation strategies for peri-urban province of Pathum Thani, Thailand P. Saguansap et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pdisas.2025.100431
- Indian Wetlands: A Historical Perspective . Ramakrishna et al. https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v124/i4/2024/172853
- Baseflow and transmission loss: A review T. McMahon & R. Nathan https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1527
- A review of India's water policy and implementation toward a sustainable future S. Singh & M. Goyal https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2025.560
- A plural knowledges model to support sustainable management of dryland rivers in western India G. Brierley et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/rra.4219
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Latest update: 13 Jun 2026
Short summary
Like in all ancient civilisations, the need to manage water propelled the growth of hydrological science in ancient India also. In this paper, we provide some fascinating glimpses into the hydrological, hydraulic, and related engineering knowledge that existed in ancient India, as discussed in contemporary literature and recent explorations and findings. Many interesting dimensions of early scientific endeavours emerge as we investigate deeper into ancient texts, including Indian mythology.
Like in all ancient civilisations, the need to manage water propelled the growth of hydrological...
Special issue