Groundwater Recharge

29 Aug 2023

Context:

According to a report by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Delhi recharged more groundwater than it extracted in FY 2021-22.

  • This is the first time since at least 2009-2010 that Delhi’s recharge is more than its extraction.
  • Compared to 2020-21, the number of “safe” tehsils in Delhi has gone up from three to four, while the number of “overexploited” tehsils has dropped from 17 to 15. 
  • However, Delhi is still “critical” in terms of groundwater extraction.

About Groundwater:

  • Groundwater is the water that is present beneath the Earth’s surface within the spaces and fractures of rocks and soil. 
  • It is a vital component of the Earth’s water cycle and plays a crucial role in supporting ecosystems.
Groundwater Exploitation

  • States such as Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana are exploiting groundwater more than the quantity of its recharge. 
  • This overexploitation of groundwater is likely to be the source of geogenic contaminants such as arsenic and fluoride. 

India’s Groundwater

  • India has 4 per cent of global water resources for its use in spite of having 17 percent of the world population. 
    • There are wide spatial and temporal variations in the distribution of water. 
  • Groundwater is the backbone of India’s agriculture and drinking water security. 
    • Contribution of groundwater in agriculture is about 62 per cent, 85 per cent in rural water supply and 50 per cent in urban water supply, respectively. 
  • Main Source: The main source of groundwater resources is rainfall which contributes to nearly 61 per cent of total annual groundwater recharge according to a Central Groundwater Board (CGWB) report ‘National Compilation on Dynamic Groundwater Resources of India, 2022’
  • India’s per capita availability of water has touched the water stressed benchmark, and is likely to reach a water scarce scenario by 2050.

  • Recharge of groundwater: Recharge of groundwater depends on the type of rock formation in a place. 
    • For example, porous formations (such as alluvial formation) in the Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra basin have high specific yields and are good repositories of groundwater.

Ways to Improve Groundwater level:

  • The groundwater level can be increased by two means — artificial recharges and rainwater harvesting.
    •  Artificial recharge: It is a process that increases infiltration either through faster rates or due to availability of source water in a longer time duration.
    • Rainwater Harvesting: Collect and store rainwater for direct use or recharge purposes, reducing the reliance on groundwater for certain applications.

News Source: The Hindubusinessline

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