SEEDING WATER Unravelling the sociohydrology of small-scale managed aquifer recharge and drought mitigation in Mexico, Ethiopia, and India

Aquifer depletion, reduced aquifer recharge and increased climatic variability threaten the livelihoods of rural communities that depend on groundwater in many parts of the world. For these communities, small-scale managed aquifer recharge (s-MAR) is a promising intervention that may reduce the threat of water scarcity and drought. This research takes us to Mexico, Ethiopia, and India where local populations have implemented and sustained s-MAR for between one and almost three decades. Drawing on social and hydrological science, I ask why and how people act to restore their water systems, and what happens when they do. My research shows that s-MAR has replenished shallow aquifers and mitigated drought. ‘Success’ did not only depend on the hydrological interventions, but also on how these communities now understand and value water, cultures of reciprocity, institutions that organize action, and connection to place. This research offers insights for those working where water, society, and climate meet.