The Water Data Podcast

WELL Labs
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The Water Data Podcast is a talk show on the science, systems, and stories of water hosted by Veena Srinivasan. Every other Tuesday, sit down and listen to researchers, innovators, government officials and business leaders working on the forefront of water systems.  Veena Srinivasan is an award-winning socio-hydrologist as well as the founder and Executive Director of WELL Labs, a water systems research and innovation centre based in Bengaluru, India.  The Water Data Podcast features discussions on what data and research tell us about water systems, about how climate change is affecting them and how human use of water is transforming the stock and flow of water across diverse landscapes and aquifers. The show focuses on how we can collectively manage water systems better. Subscribe to The Water Data Podcast on your favourite podcast app - and catch video episodes on the WELL Labs YouTube channel.

  1. The Art of Good Hydrological Modelling | Hubert Savenije

    5D AGO

    The Art of Good Hydrological Modelling | Hubert Savenije

    How can simple models explain the complexity of rivers, landscapes and water systems?  Why does hydrology sometimes struggle to connect theory and reality? In this episode of the Water Data Podcast, Veena Srinivasan speaks with Prof. Hubert Savenije, Emeritus Professor of Hydrology at TU Delft and one of the most influential thinkers in modern hydrological science. They discuss Hubert’s early journey in hydrology and how intuition shaped his scientific thinking, the importance of embracing uncertainty in water science, and why catchments behave like complex adaptive systems. They explore emergent hydrological behaviour, the limits of top-down and bottom-up modelling approaches, the role of vegetation and root systems in storing water and shaping landscape memory, and the difference between evaporation and transpiration in driving water loss.  The discussion also covers large-scale water balance patterns such as Budyko curves, the challenges of modelling hydrology under climate change, the risks of over-parameterisation and data-heavy modelling approaches, and practical advice for young researchers on building intuition, spending time in the field, and connecting theory with real-world observation. This episode offers a rare philosophical and practical perspective on hydrology- bridging theory, observation, and imagination. The Water Data Podcast is a talk show on the science, systems, and stories of water hosted by Veena Srinivasan.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/wdp-hubert-savenije/ Subscribe to The Water Data Podcast on your favourite podcast app – and catch video episodes on the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs. Subscription links: Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, Castbox, and wherever you get your podcasts!  Recording by Vraj Acharya, Nabina Chakraborty. Video editing by Vraj Acharya. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar. Audio mixing and mastering by Vijay Doiphode. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.

    1h 13m
  2. Nitrogen and Phosphorous Leave a Legacy of Water Pollution | Nandita Basu

    JAN 6

    Nitrogen and Phosphorous Leave a Legacy of Water Pollution | Nandita Basu

    When a lake turns green with algae, or nitrate shows up in drinking water, the most obvious question would be: Why can’t we fix this quickly? In this episode of the Water Data Podcast, Veena Srinivasan speaks with Professor Nandita Basu from the University of Waterloo about nitrogen and phosphorus legacies – the hidden nutrient stores in soils, groundwater, and sediments that keep polluting waterways for decades. They unpack how the Haber-Bosch process transformed agriculture, why nitrogen use efficiency stays low, and how drained agricultural landscapes can rapidly transport nitrates from fields to major river systems and even the Gulf of Mexico. They also explore why phosphorus behaves differently - sticking to soils and sediments, fuelling algal blooms, and creating stubborn feedback loops when lakes turn low-oxygen. Finally, they discuss what can still be done: turning the ‘easy knobs’ like phosphate in detergents, targeting livestock manure hotspots, using small ponds and wetlands as high-impact interventions, and why India urgently needs far more empirical measurement to diagnose problems and track solutions. The Water Data Podcast is a talk show on the science, systems, and stories of water hosted by Veena Srinivasan.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit ________ Subscribe to The Water Data Podcast on your favourite podcast app – and catch video episodes on the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs. Subscription links: Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, Castbox, and wherever you get your podcasts!  Recording by Vraj Acharya, Nabina Chakraborty. Video editing by Vraj Acharya. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar. Audio mixing and mastering by Vijay Doiphode. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.

    1h 8m
  3. Eco-Hydrology with Jagdish Krishnaswamy

    12/09/2025

    Eco-Hydrology with Jagdish Krishnaswamy

    How do forests shape our water security? Why do rivers need to flow? And what happens to fish, turtles and gharials when dams shut off water? In this episode, host Veena Srinivasan speaks with Jagdish Krishnaswamy to explore the science that connects hydrology, ecology, and the people who depend on India’s rivers and landscapes. From the Western Ghats to the Himalayas, from springs to large reservoirs, this episode dives into decades of pioneering field research, where data collection meets cutting-edge science.  Jagdish Krishnaswamy joins host Veena Srinivasan on Season 2, Episode 10 of the Water Data Podcast.  In this episode, they further discuss the complex "sponge" effect of forests in the Western Ghats and how exotic plantations impact water infiltration. They travel to the Eastern Himalayas to understand the drying of springs and the nuances of restoration beyond simple tree planting. The conversation also highlights the concept of "Hungry Water," the critical importance of sediment, and the struggle for survival of the Gharial in the face of flow alterations. Dr Krishnaswamy is one of India’s most respected ecohydrologists, integrating engineering, statistics, and ecology to understand how water and ecosystems co-evolve. His work has informed restoration, protected species, and reshaped water policy debates in India. The Water Data Podcast is a talk show on the science, systems, and stories of water hosted by Veena Srinivasan.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/wdp-jagdish-krishnaswamy/ Subscribe to The Water Data Podcast on your favourite podcast app – and catch video episodes on the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs. Subscription links: Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, Castbox, and wherever you get your podcasts!  Recording by Vraj Acharya, Nanditha Gogate and Pavan Srinath. Video editing by Nabina Chakraborty. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar. Audio mixing and mastering by Vijay Doiphode. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.

    1h 11m
  4. Creating Space for Water Collaboration with Henk Ovink

    11/25/2025

    Creating Space for Water Collaboration with Henk Ovink

    In this episode, host Veena Srinivasan speaks with Henk Ovink who is often called the world’s first “Water Diplomat” for a deep and wide-ranging conversation on trust, global cooperation, imagined redundancy, and the future of water governance around the world. Henk Ovink, joins host Veena Srinivasan on Season 2, Episode 9 of the Water Data Podcast.  Henk has had an extraordinary career shaping water diplomacy and resilience - from serving as the Special Envoy for International Water Affairs for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, to leading Rebuild by Design under President Obama after Hurricane Sandy, to co-chairing the Global Commission on the Economics of Water. He is also the Chair of the Board at IWMI. In this episode, they discuss why trust is the foundation for any collective action and why “everything moves at the speed of trust.” Drawing from his experiences such as Rebuild by Design in the US, Water as Leverage in Asia, and global water negotiations at the UN, Henk illustrates how durable, community-owned solutions emerge. The conversation highlights how the Global Commission on the Economics of Water reframed the hydrological cycle, equity, and valuation for policymakers worldwide The Water Data Podcast is a talk show on the science, systems, and stories of water hosted by Veena Srinivasan.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/wdp-henk-ovink/ Subscribe to The Water Data Podcast on your favourite podcast app – and catch video episodes on the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs. Subscription links: Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, Castbox, and wherever you get your podcasts!  Recording by Vraj Acharya, Nanditha Gogate and Pavan Srinath. Video editing by Vraj Acharya. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar. Audio mixing and mastering by Vijay Doiphode. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.

    1h 13m
  5. Groundwater, Climate Resilience & Africa’s Aquifers with Richard Taylor | Ep 8

    11/11/2025

    Groundwater, Climate Resilience & Africa’s Aquifers with Richard Taylor | Ep 8

    How should we understand groundwater in a warming world? Why has groundwater become the climate resilience resource for millions of people and what do we now know about how fast recharge can occur? What does new data tell us about the future of groundwater across Africa and Asia? And how can communities and governments manage groundwater without falling into the trap of over-extraction? In this episode, host Veena Srinivasan speaks with Richard Taylor who has spent decades studying groundwater systems across East Africa, West Africa, South Asia, and the UK, and has helped reshape how scientists understand recharge, resilience, and climate impacts underground. Professor Richard G. Taylor, a leading global expert on groundwater and climate change from University College London (UCL) joins host Veena Srinivasan on Season 2, Episode 8 of the Water Data Podcast.  Richard has spent decades studying groundwater systems across East Africa, West Africa, South Asia, and the UK, and has helped reshape how scientists understand recharge, resilience, and climate impacts underground. In this episode, they discuss why groundwater is our largest and most crucial distributed store of freshwater and serves as a critical buffer against climate change. They explore how a warming world leads to fewer but heavier rainfalls, and what this means for increasing groundwater recharge, especially in the tropics.  Professor Taylor further explains the science behind rapid recharge, a concept derived from his work in East and West Africa, where water travels through "macropores" to reach deep aquifers in just hours or days. They also touch upon the "Sahelian paradox," a curious case in places like Niger where groundwater levels are rising due to changes in land use. The Water Data Podcast is a talk show on the science, systems, and stories of water hosted by Veena Srinivasan.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/wdp-richard-taylor/ Subscribe to The Water Data Podcast on your favourite podcast app – and catch video episodes on the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs. Subscription links: Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, Castbox, and wherever you get your podcasts!  Recording by Nabina Chakraborty and Nanditha Gogate. Video editing by Nabina Chakraborty. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar. Audio mixing and mastering by Vijay Doiphode. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.

    1h 16m
  6. Environmental Water flows with Kate Brauman and Sejal Worah

    10/28/2025

    Environmental Water flows with Kate Brauman and Sejal Worah

    How do we balance the science of water flows with the spiritual and social lives that rivers sustain? What does it mean to define “environmental flows” in a country where rivers are sacred? How can data, stories, and citizen science come together to restore river health? In this episode, host Veena Srinivasan and guest co-host Nirat Bhatnagar of Dalberg Advisors are joined by two remarkable guests: Dr. Sejal Worah, Programme Director at WWF India, and Dr. Kate Brauman, Lead Scientist at the Global Water Security Center, University of Alabama. Together, they explore the evolution of environmental flows, the quantity, timing, and quality of water flows needed to sustain ecosystems and human well-being. Dr. Worah reflects on WWF India’s 18-year journey from pioneering environmental flow assessments in the Ganga to mobilizing citizen scientists through “Ganga Mitras” to monitor river health. Dr. Brauman, meanwhile, shares insights from Latin America and the U.S. on how data and narrative intersect - how communities, governments, and ecosystems co-create meaning around water. The conversation ranges from the challenges of gathering hydrological data in India to the cultural significance of the Ganga, from payments for ecosystem services in South America to inefficiencies in canal systems in India. Both guests share how values, relationships, and adaptive management are as critical as data itself in governing water. For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/wdp-brauman-worah/ Subscribe to The Water Data Podcast on your favourite podcast app - and catch video episodes on the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs. Subscription links: Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Castbox, and wherever you get your podcasts!  Recording by Dalberg. Audio mixing and mastering by Vijay Doiphode. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.

    1h 7m
  7. Fertiliser overuse and Nitrogen pollution with Esha Zaveri

    10/14/2025

    Fertiliser overuse and Nitrogen pollution with Esha Zaveri

    Nitrogen has been feeding billions, but it is now overloading our soils, waters, and air. Why is the fertilizer that fuels our food supply also creating a massive pollution problem? How do India's large fertilizer subsidies fit into this, and what are the long-term health risks of "legacy nitrogen" already in our groundwater? Esha Zaveri, Senior Economist at the World Bank joins host Veena Srinivasan on Season 2, Episode 7 of the Water Data Podcast. Esha Zaveri is trained as an environmental economist. Her core work addresses issues at the intersection of environmental health, agricultural impacts, water resources, climate change, and development policy, spanning  global to region- and country-level assessments in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.   In this episode, Esha and Veena zoom into India’s use of urea for agriculture, large fertilizer subsidies, low nitrogen use efficiency, groundwater exposure, and the challenge of legacy nitrogen that slows water-quality recovery. Further Esha also lays out how to cut pollution without cutting yields. Esha explains why only a fraction of fertilizer reaches crops, why the rest leaks into groundwater and coasts, the health risks (from methemoglobinemia or blue baby syndrome to emerging low-level exposure links), and the policy levers that work—precision agronomy, enhanced-efficiency fertilizers, extension services, and redirecting subsidies to support farmer transitions. The Water Data Podcast is a talk show on the science, systems, and stories of water hosted by Veena Srinivasan.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/wdp-eshazaveri/  Subscribe to The Water Data Podcast on your favourite podcast app – and catch video episodes on the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs. Subscription links: Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, Castbox, and wherever you get your podcasts!  Recording by Nabina Chakraborty and Ritik Pathak. Video editing by Nabina Chakraborty. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar. Audio mixing and mastering by Vijay Doiphode. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.

    48 min
  8. Groundwater in the Indo-Gangetic Basin with Alan M MacDonald

    09/30/2025

    Groundwater in the Indo-Gangetic Basin with Alan M MacDonald

    What makes the Indo-Gangetic Basin one of the most important aquifers in the world? How do stable isotopes, CFCs, and even traces of pharmaceuticals help us understand where groundwater comes from and how old it is? Can satellites like GRACE and InSAR give us new insights into groundwater depletion and recharge in South Asia? Alan M. MacDonald, Head of Groundwater at the British Geological Survey, joins host Veena Srinivasan on Season 2, Episode 6 of the Water Data Podcast. Alan is a hydrogeologist with over 30 years of research experience in Africa and South Asia, and has published widely on groundwater, climate change, and aquifer systems  In this episode, Alan and Veena dive deep into the Indo-Gangetic Basin, exploring how its young sediments and complex geology shape groundwater availability, why salinity and depletion can exist side by side, and how historical canal records still influence water levels today. Alan explains how tracer studies and isotope hydrology reveal the origins of groundwater, and how modern tools like satellites are transforming our understanding of recharge, depletion, and salinity. The Water Data Podcast is a talk show on the science, systems, and stories of water hosted by Veena Srinivasan.  For all references and further readings related to the episode, visit https://welllabs.org/wdp-alanmacdonald/  Subscribe to The Water Data Podcast on your favourite podcast app – and catch video episodes on the WELL Labs YouTube channel @welllabs. Subscription links: Youtube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Audible, Castbox, and wherever you get your podcasts!  Recording by Nabina Chakraborty and Nanditha Gogate. Video editing by Vraj Acharya. Graphics and artwork by Aparna Nambiar. Audio mixing and mastering by Vijay Doiphode. Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath.

    1h 1m
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About

The Water Data Podcast is a talk show on the science, systems, and stories of water hosted by Veena Srinivasan. Every other Tuesday, sit down and listen to researchers, innovators, government officials and business leaders working on the forefront of water systems.  Veena Srinivasan is an award-winning socio-hydrologist as well as the founder and Executive Director of WELL Labs, a water systems research and innovation centre based in Bengaluru, India.  The Water Data Podcast features discussions on what data and research tell us about water systems, about how climate change is affecting them and how human use of water is transforming the stock and flow of water across diverse landscapes and aquifers. The show focuses on how we can collectively manage water systems better. Subscribe to The Water Data Podcast on your favourite podcast app - and catch video episodes on the WELL Labs YouTube channel.

Information

  • Creator
    WELL Labs
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Water Data Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Water Data Podcast