Groundwater

The main objective is to study and understand the hydrological cycle of the region, to have an overall concept about the type, nature & number of aquifers, the quality of ground water.

This report by ACWADAM based on a rapid hydro-geological appraisal of 2 villages, in Supaul distict in flood-prone North Bihar, gives a good understanding of local conditions as well generates a lot of useful data, that can help in planning groundwater management interventions in a village. Such information is crucial especially for regions such as North Bihar, where current data about the local conditions are literally absent.

The work taken up includes lift irrigation projects, construction of small check dams, rainwater harvesting, promotion of horticulture and timber plantation, promotion of composting and cattle vaccination.

Water harvesting and conservation work was taken up through building check dams, rooftop rainwater harvesting, building percolation and drinking water wells, deepening of ponds, micro-irrigation, cropping pattern interventions and more.

The various initiatives taken up include utilising backwash water for developing Jatropha plantations, recovering waste water, ground water recharging, utilisation of waste steam and reducing steam consumption, increasing cycle of concentration in all cooling towers and more.

This is a detailed introductory presentation about ground water and hydrogeology, and helps to understand the basics of ground water & aquifers. The branch of geology dealing with surface & subsurface water is known as groundwater. The science of hydrogeology is defined as hydrology with emphasis on geology.

In an earlier post Microfinance for Water - How would it Work? I had put up a picture of a woman drawing water out from a pit.

M.S.P Mandal's Deogiri College,Aurangabad, Maharastra is organising an National Seminar on "Groundwater Recharge, Quality and Auditing in Hard Rock"

This paper describes the findings of a study that was conducted to validate the findings of earlier studies and observations that have been conducted in ancient texts in India that describe termite mounds as useful indicators for groundwater exploration.

Photograph by Lynsey Addario