Bhargabnanda Dass

About

Civil engineer and field hydrologist with a PhD in Hydrology from IIT Roorkee and over 7+ years of experience in hydrological observatory design and instrumentation, groundwater systems characterisation, and evidence-based water resources management in data-scarce mountain environments.
Designed and operationalised seven multi-parameter hydrological field observatories across Himalayan catchments, generating the first empirical datasets on Himalayan spring aquifer storage coefficients and recession behaviour. Research integrates hydrometric monitoring, hydrogeochemical and stable isotope analysis, GIS-based spatial modelling, and physically based groundwater simulation (MODFLOW, HydroGeoSphere). Native of Assam and graduate of Gauhati University; brings established field and institutional networks across the Brahmaputra basin and the wider Northeast — including active engagement with the Brahmaputra Board, Central Groundwater Board's Northeastern offices, ICIMOD, and NITI Aayog's North East Division.
Demonstrated record of translating scientific findings into national-scale water governance: three Government of India Standard Operating Procedures; contribution to the NITI Aayog Compendium on All-Weather Tap Water Supply (2025); Former Project scientist of India's first National Spring Census (Ministry of Jal Shakti, 2025). Recipient of the Sivapalan Young Scientist Travel Award (IAHS, 2023). Seven peer-reviewed publications in international journals including Journal of Hydrology, Scientific Reports, Water Security, and Hydrology and Earth System Sciences.

Employment

• NITI Aayog Consultant
  2026 - Present

Education

• Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee PhD

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (13)

• Hydrometric assessment of Himalayan springs using classical hydrological methods for springshed management
  SCIENTIFIC REPORTS 2026 DOI: 10.1038/S41598-026-44533-1
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• Mapping Spring Emergence Zones in the Lesser Himalaya, India Using a GIS-Based Multi-Criteria Decision Approach
  EARTH SYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENT 2026 DOI: 10.1007/S41748-026-01154-Y
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• Hydrogeochemical characterization and water quality assessment of mountain springs: Insights for strategizing water management in the lesser Indian Himalayas
  JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES 2025 DOI: 10.1016/J.EJRH.2024.102126
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• NITI Aayog Compendium on All-Weather Tap Water Supply in the Higher Reaches of the Himalayas, Government of India
  NITI Aayog 2025
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• Stable isotope-based hydrological process understanding of a spring catchment in the lesser Indian Himalayas.
  2024 DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu24-755
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• Understanding spring aquifer dynamics through observational data patterns, stable isotopes, and hydrochemistry – An account of experimental pilots in the Indian Himalayas.
  2023 DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu23-702
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• Integrated Water Security Planning and Springshed Management using High-Frequency Hydro- Meteorological Observations, Stable Isotopes, and Water Chemistry -Pilot Application in the Lesser Indian Himalayas
  2023 DOI: 10.22541/essoar.168167403.32970297/v1
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• Informing watershed management in data-scarce Indian Himalayas
  WATER SECURITY 2023 DOI: 10.1016/J.WASEC.2023.100138
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• Investigating spring flow dynamics towards solving water management issues in the Indian Himalayan region.
  2022 DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu22-3559
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• A contribution to rainfall simulator design - a concept of moving storm automation
  HYDROLOGY AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES 2022 DOI: 10.5194/HESS-26-4379-2022
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