The north-western part of India covering the states of NCR Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh is reported to have been affected by severe ground water depletion.
In this study, an attempt has been made to assess potential ground water recharge scenario of NW India and its significance in relation to satellite-based GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) gravity anomaly and field-based groundwater level (GWL) fluctuation scenario. The potential groundwater recharge scenario was assessed in the major drainage basins of NW India in terms of terrain suitability for groundwater recharge and average monsoonal surface water column available for underground infiltration. Terrain suitability was assessed essentially based on hydrogeology and terrain parameters such as geomorphology, lithology, soil depth and texture, topographic wetness index, and land use-land cover. On the other hand, the average monsoonal groundwater storage (GWS) change was derived from spaceborne GRACE gravity anomaly based monthly TWS change and pre- vs. post monsoon groundwater level (GWL) fluctuations. Satellite based and ground based monsoonal GWS change data were compared using Pearson product moment correlation coefficient which shows a good agreement between them. The potential groundwater recharge is high in the major part of Upper Ganga drainage basin and in parts of Yamuna and Narmada drainage basins. It is found to be low to very low in Luni-Ghaggar drainage basin including desertic region of Rajasthan and Kutch region of Gujarat states. In the remaining areas, it ranges from low to moderate. While comparing potential groundwater recharge with terrain suitability for groundwater recharge, we observed a sharp disagreement between them in Luni-Ghaggar drainage basin essentially due to very low surface water column available for underground infiltration which is inversely related to terrain suitability factor. The spaceborne GRACE gravity anomaly based average monsoonal GWS change was found to be low in Luni-Ghaggar drainage basin and north-western part of Yamuna drainage basin covering desertic region of Rajasthan, whole of Haryana, NCR Delhi, southern part of Punjab, western part of U.P. and Kutch region of Gujarat states. On the other hand, it is moderate to high in Narmada drainage basin, southern parts of Chambal and Yamuna drainage basins and eastern part of Upper Ganga drainage basin. Similarly, the GWL fluctuation based average monsoonal GWS change was found to be low in Luni-Ghaggar drainage basin and NW part of Yamuna drainage basin. In a large spatial extent of Upper Ganga, Yamuna, Chambal and Narmada drainage basins particularly along the flood plains of Yamuna, Chambal, Narmada, Tapi, Sabarmati and Mahi rivers, GWS change was found to range from moderate to high. Overall, we found a positive correlation between spaceborne GRACE and ground-based GWL fluctuation based GWS change in 97.7% of the study area; out of which the correlation was moderate to high in 77.4 % area. In the comparison between potential groundwater recharge vs. observed GWL fluctuation based monsoonal GWS change, both high and low potential groundwater recharge classes with high increase in monsoonal GWS, which may be considered prospective and/or safe in terms of groundwater sustainability, occupy only 34.3 % of the study area. On the other hand, both high and low potential groundwater recharge classes with low increase in monsoonal GWS, which may be considered poorly prospective and vulnerable to groundwater depletion, occupy 62.1 % of the study area. Furthermore, the remaining two classes with decreasing monsoonal GWS (negative GWS change in the monsoon), those are at severe risk in terms of sustainability of groundwater, occupy 3.6 % of the study area. They are mostly confined to Luni-Ghaggar and NW part of Yamuna drainage basins covering parts of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and western U.P. states.
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