Centre for Water Resources (CWR), is an autonomous research centre within Anna University. It conducts fundamental, applied and action research to solve water resources related problems in rural, urban and irrigation sectors. This is accomplished through postgraduate and doctoral research programs and through various R&D and consultancy projects conducted by the Centre for international and national institutions, as well as central and state government departments.

The Centre offers doctoral programs supported, among others, by UGC and a South Asian regional program funded by the Government of the Netherlands. It runs three postgraduate (M.E.) programs in Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering; Irrigation Water Management; and Integrated Water Resources Management. The faculty of the Centre offer courses relevant to water resources for B.E. program in Civil Engineering, and the Centre runs an undergraduate program in Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering.

The Centre for Water Resources is multidisciplinary in its makeup, and interdisciplinary in its outlook and functioning. Its faculty brings together expertise in Civil Engineering, Irrigation Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Agronomy, Hydrochemistry, Ecology, Environmental Engineering, Economics and Sociology.

The Centre has a long tradition of research and developmental activities, in most cases followed by their extension for societal benefit. The Centre is currently carrying out research in the areas of water resources engineering and management through projects funded (to the tune of about a crore rupees) by the Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India. Integrated management of water resources, taking into consideration the social, economic and gender issues, in addition to impacts on environment, is the focus for the postgraduate and doctoral scholars working in South Asian Water Fellowship program of the Crossing Boundaries Project (with funding equivalent to about two and a half crore rupees).

Areas of research Interest

• Watershed hydrology and management
• Groundwater modeling and management
• Re-use of domestic and industrial waste water
• Environmental impact of water resources development
• Performance evaluation of irrigation systems
• Participatory irrigation management
• Rainwater harvesting and recharge
• Management of ground and surface water quality
• Enhancing water productivity by micro irrigation
• Experimental hydraulics
• Urban and peri-urban issues in water resources management
• Social and gender dimensions of water resources management

Dr. B. V. Mudgal, Ph.D

Dr. M. Krishnaveni, Ph.D

Dr. Benny Joseph, Ph.D

Dr. Madhavi Ganesan, Ph.D.

Mr.N.G.Anuthaman, M.E

Mr. R. Rajkumar, M.E

Mr. R. Balamurugan, M.Tech

Mr. R. Saravanan, M.E

Mrs. Carolin Arul, M.E

Mr.M.S.Karthikeyan, M.E

Mr. K.Ramesh, M.E

Mr. E.Arunbabu, M.E

Dr. Suriya Vennila, Ph.D

Mr. A. Mani, M.Tech

Mrs. B.Anuratha, M.E

The Centre made efforts towards building social institutions for improved irrigation water management. It also influenced government policy through its applied and action research projects in the field of water resources management. It provided research and consultancy services in the area of rain water harvesting, for example, to Chennai Airport, and designed drainage systems for the New International Airport, at Bangalore.

Central and state government departments, local bodies of governance, corporate firms, and other private bodies sought consultancy services from the Centre which were executed successfully. The Centre is involved in providing independent technical advise to the High Court of Madras, Chennai in writ petitions concerned with preservation of water bodies.

The Centre has hydraulic laboratory with unique facilities for conducting hydrological and hydraulic studies, and a field laboratory, and staff with training and experience in conducting field research. Over the years the Centre has acquired advanced equipment for conducting experimental investigations both in the laboratory and field.