Urbanization Impact on Redhills Catchment

The study evaluates spatio-temporal changes in the Redhills Lake catchment since 1980, analysing land use transitions, population growth, urbanization impacts, groundwater behaviour, and water quality shifts. Benchmarking global best practices, it proposes a sustainable management framework that integrates hydrological, socio-economic, and regulatory strategies to balance conservation with development. As Chennai’s primary drinking water source, understanding how urbanization and unregulated land use have altered the catchment’s hydrology and ecology is central to safeguarding long-term water security. CUBE contributed through impact modelling, protection strategy formulation, and assessing the feasibility of controlled development within the catchment. Key outcomes include insights into land use change patterns, groundwater and water quality dynamics and an it develops a sustainable management framework that integrates hydrological, socio-economic, and regulatory measures to balance conservation with urban development