Integrated Watershed Management for Urban Resilience: A Strategic Planning Framework for Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, which is a rapidly expanding urban center within western India, faces very meaningful challenges that relate to water management, for example flooding, water scarcity, also groundwater depletion. Urban sprawl as well as encroachments upon natural water bodies can exacerbate all these issues. Degradation to customary water systems also contributes. Recognizing the urgency of these concerns, this study proposes an Integrated Watershed Management (IWM) framework that will tailor resilience within the city to challenges related to water. The research does employ such a mixed - methods approach as it assesses the current state within Ahmedabad's watersheds. For this approach, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping, remote sensing, field surveys, and also stakeholder interviews are combined. The study assesses policies and pinpoints flood and scarcity susceptible zones, so an integrated framework of ecological restoration, community engagement, and sustainable land use planning is built. Key findings show urban lakes must be revitalized, green infrastructure implemented, and community conservation promoted. To foster a holistic approach to watershed management, the proposed IWM framework stresses that sectors collaborate, policies integrate, with capacity building. For Ahmedabad, this thesis advances discussion of urban resilience through a specific, practical framework. It offers valuable perceptions for policymakers, urban planners, together with community stakeholders if they seek to create a sustainable and water - resilient urban future.