/topics/deep-aquifers
Deep Aquifers
Groundwater recharge needs grassroots solutions: A study of two techniques in Kerala
Posted on 09 Oct, 2020 12:42 PMIn Kerala, around half the urban population and 80% of the rural population depend on open wells on their domestic water needs. But in the last decade, the majority of observatory wells recorded an average annual decline of half a meter.
![Rainwater is captured from the rooftop of the community hall and diverted to the sump before it is pumped into the open well. (Image by Authors)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/groundwater-recharge.jpg?itok=XIeynpwa)
Water wisdom of the Gonds of Garha Mandla
Posted on 03 Oct, 2020 05:11 PMThe Gond dynasties mainly flourished in the Central highlands of India. This region includes Sagar, Bhopal, and nearly half of Narmada valley, including the flanks of Vindhya and the Satpuda mountain ranges of southern Madhya Pradesh. The principal states of the Gonds were Garha-Mandla (1300 to 1789), Devgarh, Kherla and Chanda.
![Kolatal, a traditional tank in Garha region of Jabalpur (Image Source: K. G. Vyas)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/tanks.jpg?itok=Rsaf2pcu)
Where does the water in a well come from?
Posted on 29 Sep, 2020 12:58 PMThe environment versus development debate has increasingly become more polarised, with discussions in the public domain revealing a stark contrast of views. Development has increasingly come to symbolise ‘doing something’ and ensuring ‘visible outputs’, largely in the form of infrastructure.
![An open well in Maharashtra (Image Source: IWP Flickr photos) Image used for representational purposes only.](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/open_well_10.jpg?itok=PJwneVgK)
Uttarakhand: Reaching the unreached
Posted on 11 Sep, 2020 07:48 PMPeople in remote hamlets left out by previous schemes like Swajal and Sector Wide Approach Program of the Uttarakhand Jal Nigam and Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan longed for household-level piped water supply for drinking and domestic purposes.
![Women trudged long distances daily to fetch water for their basic household needs in Rupail (Image: People's Science Institute)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/psi1.jpg?itok=i7WDa172)
Drying veins of Ganga: Can we have ‘Nirmal Ganga’ with dying tributaries?
Posted on 27 Aug, 2020 05:22 PMIndia’s Himalayan rivers have been a cradle of civilisational development and a centre for faith and culture for ages. Ganga being a fertile basin has been a significant contributor to our agricultural economy as well as our river-based agrarian development.
![The Baand river is nearly dry even when the region saw above normal monsoon this year. Much of the riverbed is encroached by farms. (Image: Adeel Khan and Praharsh Patel)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/baand_river_2_2.jpg?itok=kSjTyIGI)
Understanding Atal Bhujal Yojana through the program guidelines
Posted on 10 Aug, 2020 03:59 PMGroundwater fulfills the drinking water requirements of nearly 85% and 50% of the rural and urban Indian population, respectively. 65% of the total irrigated area utilizes groundwater. It also caters to the water needs of the industrial sector in India.
![Community participation is expected to facilitate bottom-up groundwater planning process to improve the effectiveness of public financing and align implementation of various government programs on groundwater in the participating states (Image: Water Alternatives, Flickr Commons)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/groundwater_4.jpg?itok=HkdNjORG)
Pumping groundwater to harnessing rainfall: A tale of two states
Posted on 01 Jul, 2020 12:04 PMGroundwater depletion, a growing challenge for India
![Groundwater decline in India (Image Source: India Water Portal)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/20150902_100433_2.jpg?itok=o02RPJh9)
Need to protect the unique geological features in the Upper Ken basin
Posted on 07 Jun, 2020 12:52 PMKathayi, a scheduled tribe (ST) dominated village in the midst of the forested stretches of Shahnagar block in Panna district faces acute water scarcity during the 3-4 summer months. Through the government schemes, three wells and two hand pumps were installed in this 75 household village in the last 10-15 years, but most of them are dysfunctional now.
![Panghata Kund in village Aloni, Panna (June 2014, after initial monsoon) (Image: Seema Ravandale)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/panghata_kund_in_village_aloni_panna_june_2014_after_initial_monsoon_pic_credit_seema_ravandale.jpg?itok=wYJHgRA-)
Developing an effective participatory groundwater monitoring program at village level
Posted on 16 May, 2020 03:52 PMThe ‘Managing Aquifer Recharge and Sustaining Groundwater Use through Village-level Intervention’ (MARVI) project is being undertaken since February 2012 with the overall aim to improve the security of irrigation water supplies and enhance livelihood opportunities for rural communities in India.
![One of the Bhujal Jankaars measuring groundwater levels manually (Image: Basant Maheshwari)](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/monitoring_of_water_table_in_dug_wells-bj_hari_ram_gadri.jpg?itok=Y3bYQ2KT)
Springing back to life
Posted on 20 Apr, 2020 11:45 PMSprings are the key source of water for rural households in Uttarakhand, yet they have seen an overall neglect over the decades with discharge from many springs declining bit by bit. The depletion of aquifers, changes in land use and ecological degradation have led to several initiatives to address springshed management in the state. We speak to Dr.
![Image: Flickr Commons](/sites/default/files/styles/featured_articles/public/iwp/spring-himalayas_0.jpg?itok=SZ4ZTkQH)