Rainwater Harvesting & Flood Management – Rural Police Headquarters, Ahmedabad

At the Rural Police Headquarters, Makarba- Ahmedabad, recurring waterlogging during monsoons had begun to significantly impact both campus usability and living conditions.

For a campus housing over 2,000 police families, it experienced heavy stormwater accumulation, with rainwater from across the campus accumulating in the parade ground—a natural low-lying zone. During peak monsoons, this led to prolonged waterlogging, affecting campus usability as well as the surrounding residential environment.

The Problem: Where stormwater became a challenge 

The Spread across 70,000 sq. m, the campus generated significant stormwater runoff, with rainwater accumulating in the parade ground—a natural low-lying collection zone.

• Waterlogging reached up to 2 to 3 feet.

• The ground remained submerged for extended periods.

• Temporary loss of usability of key infrastructure.

• Continued impact on residential and operational areas

The Vision: Managing Water, Not Just Removing It

Rather than diverting water out of the site, the focus was to manage and utilize it within the campus itself.

The objective was to:

• Control and regulate stormwater movement.

• Reduce flooding and stagnation.

• Restore usability of the ground.

• Convert excess rainwater into a groundwater recharge resource.

Approach: Engineered Stormwater and Recharge System

Sujalaam carried out a detailed hydrogeological and site assessment, including rainfall analysis, runoff mapping, soil studies, and identification of clogging zones. This enabled the development of a site-specific, data-driven solution.

The implemented system integrates stormwater control with groundwater recharge:

• Swale & Collection System: A strategically designed collection depression - swale, along the parade ground boundary acts as the primary holding and filtration zone, slowing runoff and enabling controlled water movement.

• Recharge Wells: The collected water is diverted into 3 recharge wells, positioned at depths of approximately 120 meters, allowing deep aquifer recharge through natural percolation.

• Monitoring Systems: The system is reinforced with digital monitoring for real-time tracking and performance assessment.

Impact

• Significant reduction in waterlogging and flood duration 

• Restoration of parade ground usability.

• Improved health and sanitation conditions.

• ~90 lakh liters annual groundwater recharge

• Strengthening of local aquifer systems.

The campus has evolved into a water-resilient environment, where rainwater is no longer treated as a problem to be drained away, but as a resource that is captured, managed, and returned to the ground.​

From waterlogging to water stewardship — where every drop is guided back to the earth, not lost, but returned with purpose.