Deep Aquifers

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July 2, 2024 Community governance for groundwater management
Jasmine on the fields as part of the groundwater collectivisation agreement at Kummara Vandla Palli village, Sri Satya Sai District. (Images: WASSAN/Swaran)
June 13, 2024 The rising trend of abandoning open wells for borewells in Chikkaballapur and Annamayya districts, and the potential negative consequences of this shift.
Borewell proliferation may dry up open wells (Image: FES)
May 12, 2024 Rethinking community engagement in the Atal Bhujal Yojana
Towards sustainable groundwater management (Image: IWMI)
July 11, 2022 The Chauka system of Rajasthan can not only provide a sustainable way to manage water resources in water stressed regions, but also support livelihoods through development of pastures.
Can greening of barren lands happen? (Image Source: India Water Portal Flickr photos)
July 29, 2021 Experiences from participatory groundwater management efforts in Maharashtra
Unless work on managing the demand is undertaken, the notion of ‘infinite’ groundwater will be hard to address. (Image: Rucha Deshmukh, ACWADAM)
December 4, 2019 The 2015­-2018 drought, the longest, but less severe of droughts experienced by India raises alarm on the negative effects of future droughts on water security in the country.
India will see more droughts in the future. (Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Groundwater governance in India – A case study by World Bank
This case study by the World Bank aims to understand and address the paradox at the heart of the groundwater governance challenge in India in order to elevate the need for investing in and promoting proactive reforms toward its management Posted on 09 Jul, 2011 11:43 AM

It examines the impediments to better governance of groundwater, and explores opportunities for using groundwater to help developing countries adapt to climate change. It attempts to understand the practical issues that arise in establishing robust national governance frameworks for groundwater and in implementing these frameworks at the aquifer level.

The case study focused on the national, state and local levels. At the national and state levels, it analyzed the policy, legal, and institutional arrangements to identify the demand and supply management and incentive structures that have been established for groundwater management. At the local level, it assessed the operations, successes, and constraints facing local institutions in the governance of a number of aquifers within peninsula India, on the coast and on the plain of the Ganges river valley.

Groundwater scenario in major cities of India – A report by Central Ground Water Board
This report presents the groundwater scenario in twenty eight major cities of the country based on a consolidation of the urban studies carried out by it. Posted on 17 May, 2011 10:35 AM

cover page It covers varying groundwater scenarios in the country including the highly developed metros, the hilly region, the coastal cities, the cities tapping unconsolidated and hard rock aquifers. The report briefly describes the administrative set up, status of water supply and demand, groundwater scenario, feasibility of rainwater harvesting and groundwater development strategy.

It is an updated version of an earlier report on “Groundwater in urban environment in India” (2000). Since then, groundwater regime, urban demography and water demand have changed enormously. This report will form a scientific base for an in-depth understanding of urban groundwater system including aquifer geometry, water level behavior and groundwater quality. The possibility of artificial recharge to rejuvenate the urban aquifers has also been discussed.

Agencies monitoring groundwater level in various parts of India in 2011 A list by the Central Ground Water Board
The Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has recently come up with a list of agencies monitoring groundwater level in various parts of the country. Posted on 16 May, 2011 07:26 PM

Central Ground Water Board

The CGWB has been monitoring groundwater levels on a quarterly basis during January, April/ May, August and November through a network of about 15000 observation wells located all over the country. This data is used for assessment of groundwater resources and changes in the regime consequent to various development and management activities.

Hydrology and quality of groundwater in and around Bangalore city - Review and excerpts from the report released in March 2011, by the Department of Mines and Geology (Govt of Karnataka)
The Department of Mines and Geology, Government of Karnataka recently released a report on the hydrology and quality of groundwater in and around Bangalore city. Posted on 10 May, 2011 08:34 PM


 A welcome and important document, it brings up-to-date our understanding of the rapidly changing groundwater situation in Bangalore.

MonthNew borewells added each monthBorewells registered with BWSSBMonthly % growth
Jan-09 91018 
Feb-09924919421.02
Mar-09705926470.77
Apr-09965936121.04
May-091136947481.21
Jun-09748954960.79
Jul-09904964000.95
Aug-09868972680.90
Sep-092062993302.12
Oct-098381001680.84
Nov-098751010430.87
Dec-0926991037422.67
Jan-1017591055011.70
Total as on Jan-20101448310550115.91

Growth of bore wells during February 2009 to January 2010 in Bangalore city

Addressing the water crisis in Gujarat, India - A report by Columbia Water Center
The paper from Columbia Water Center is on the ground water crisis occurring in the Mehasana region, an area in the northern part of Gujarat. Posted on 28 Apr, 2011 05:06 PM

 A large number of farmers and well operators were interviewed in the process. Data was also collected from the power utility that supplies power to this region. Along with this the climatic peculiarities of the region, farmers and well users perceptions on ground water management and use were also collected.

Proposal for groundwater recharge in National Capital Region - A report by SK Sharma and Green Systems
This study by SK Sharma and Green Systems, details the current situation of the National Capital Region (NCR) area, in terms of geohydrology, climate and water usage. Posted on 22 Apr, 2011 11:53 AM

It also explains the various laws that have been put in place to increase groundwater replenishment.

Guidelines for water safety plans for rural water supply systems - A document by SIAES and WHO India (2009)
Delivery of safe drinking water is vital for protecting public health and of promoting more secure livelihoods. Posted on 20 Apr, 2011 01:10 AM

HandpumpDelivery of safe drinking water is vital for protecting public health and of promoting more secure livelihoods.

The traditional approach to water quality and safety management has relied on the testing of drinking water, as it leaves the treatment works or at selected points, either within the distribution system or at consumer taps. It is referred to as ‘end‐product testing’.

Socio-economic implications of depleting groundwater resource in Punjab: A comparative analysis of different irrigation systems - An EPW paper
This article in the Economic and Political Weekly is based on a comparative analysis of different irrigation systems. Posted on 01 Mar, 2011 06:00 PM

It argues that while the consequences of negative groundwater draft have mostly been viewed as an ecological disaster, the externalities of groundwater depletion pose greater concern for socio-economic equity in the access to this resource.

Groundwater flow modelling and aquifer vulnerability assessment in Yamuna–Krishni sub-basin of Muzaffarnagar district – A study by Central Ground Water Board and Aligarh Muslim University
The study area is an intensive agriculture tract of western Uttar Pradesh where heavy withdrawal of groundwater has set a declining trend of water table over the decade Posted on 02 Feb, 2011 08:24 AM

This report by Aligarh Muslim University and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) deals with groundwater flow modelling and aquifer vulnerability assessment in Yamuna–Krishni sub-basin of Muzaffarnagar district. For evaluation of the groundwater resources and for minimizing the error of estimation, the system has been evaluated through aquifer modelling where water balance is established using partial differential equation of groundwater flow and is solved with boundary and initial boundary conditions.

Regenerating natural resources and rural livelihoods in rainfed areas of India: A civil society consultation by WASSAN to discuss priorities for the twelfth five year plan
civil society consultation was held on “Regenerating natural resources and rural livelihoods in rainfed areas of India” by WASSAN at Hyderabad in December 2010, defining broad contours of twelfth plan with a focus on rural livelihoods the thrust area being policy framework, funding support, institutional arrangements Posted on 26 Jan, 2011 09:13 PM

Rainfed AgricultureA civil society consultation was held on “Regenerating natural resources and rural livelihoods in rainfed areas of India” by WASSAN at Hyderabad in December 2010 to discuss priorities for the twelfth five year plan. The Planning Commission, Government of India has been steering the process of development in India by conceptualizing five year plans and had sought inputs from civil society organizations, activists groups, networks of CBOs / NGOs, donors and others for preparing an approach paper for twelfth plan.

The objective of the consultation workshop was to contribute to the process of defining broad contours of twelfth plan with a focus on rural livelihoods the thrust area being policy framework, funding support, institutional arrangements etc., by -

  • Consolidating the lessons from good practices in promoting and protecting rural livelihoods in the country, that could be integrated in twelfth five year plan.
  • Systematically articulating issues and concerns (bottlenecks) in promoting and protecting rural livelihoods, which could be addressed in the twelfth five year plan.