Charlotte EVANS
Doctoral
Doctoral Studentcharlotte.evans-15 AT postgrad DOT manchester
charlotte.evans-15 AT postgrad DOT manchester
Bio
I am a PhD researcher at Manchester University (UK) exploring the historical water management practices in the Kaveri river catchment, South India, with a keen interest in addressing modern water security and climate change challenges. My interdisciplinary approach, spanning geography and history, uncovers insights from the past to guide sustainable solutions for the present. I’m keen to use digital methods including Geographic Information Systems (GIS) alongside traditional sources such as archival material, particularly historical maps.
Research
My PhD project ‘Mapping Water Histories in the Kaveri Catchment’ is an interdisciplinary project, encompassing environmental history, human geography, geographical information systems (GIS), and colonial mapping centered on water. The key research aims concern:
- How can GIS and historical cartography contribute to the advancement of sustainable water resource management strategies, specifically focusing on irrigation tanks in South India?
- To what extent does the cartographic representation of water in the colonial-era Survey of India maps influence contemporary water management practices and the societal perceptions of water within the Kaveri delta?
- What are the advantages that can be derived from an interdisciplinary approach when investigating water-related issues amidst the backdrop of climate change?