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Environmental Water Flows with Kate Brauman and Sejal Worah

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.

Oct 28, 2025

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.

Suggested Readings:

  1. Kate Brauman’s Google Scholar profile
  2. Sejal Worah’s Google Scholar profile
  3. Nirat Bhatnagar’s profile
  4. Brauman, Kate. “We’re (not) running out of water – a better way to measure water scarcity.” The Conversation, 6 June 2016.  

The Water Data Podcast is a talk show on the science, systems, and stories of water hosted by Veena Srinivasan.

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Recording by Dalberg

Audio mixing and mastering by Vijay Doiphode

Podcast production and management by Nabina Chakraborty and Pavan Srinath

 

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