National Project on Aquifer Management

January 10, 2013 January 10, 2013

Aquifer are rocks that hold and transmit groundwater. An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt) spread across different areas (from 10s of hectares to 100s of square km) that are capable of allowing accumulation and movement of groundwater so that sufficient quantities are available to wells and springs.

Why Aquifer Mapping is important?

Mapping of aquifers can help determine the quantity as well as quality of groundwater in a particular area.
It can define how much water can be extracted using water well or for how long.
It can help to determine the if the water is contaminated by pathogens, iron, arsenic, fluoride and other such elements.
Understanding aquifers also includes precisely locating their natural recharge and discharge areas.
This information can e used to develop a strategy of groundwater management for a particular village, city, district or state.

Has Aquifer Mapping been used in India ever?

For the first time, aquifer mapping is to be taken up in the 12th five year plan. In 2011, the planning commission had received report of Himanshu Kulkarni working group of 14 members from across the country.
The report largely recommended aquifer mapping that would facilitate the formulation of strategies for groundwater management.

How aquifers are mapped?

Observation of wells

According to a published statement of Himanshu Kulkarni, “The easiest way to map aquifers is through the observation of wells, which are abundant in India. There are three crore wells and a well can give information about the aquifer characters to a good geologist. If the wells are simultaneously monitored for one year—for their water level, quality of water, exposed rocks and other aspects—half the work of mapping the aquifers of India will be done. Other than observation of wells, inputs from the local population are critical in determining the characteristics of an aquifer. After aquifer mapping, a well-informed groundwater management strategy can be devised.”

Other activities

Exploratory drilling for establishing subsurface aquifer geometry
Evaluating aquifer parameters
Collecting water samples

National Project on Aquifer Management

National Aquifer Management Programme is being implemented in the 12th Plan and may be continued in 13th plan.
The objective of this programme is to achieve equitable, safe and sustainable management of India’s groundwater resources through improved systems of resource mapping, utilization and governance.
The Purpose of aquifer mapping is to prepare maps of the complex geometry of different aquifer systems of the country, defined by hydro-geological settings, with a clear cut linkage to strategic actions on the ground water management strategies. In order to standardize the procedures for aquifer mapping to be followed throughout the country.

Pilot Study of Aquifer Mapping

To establish a methodology for the National Project on Aquifer Management, the Central Ground Water Board has undertaken a pilot study of 6 areas in different hydrogeological terrains. The methodology integrates multiple disciplines and scientific approaches, including remote sensing, hydrogeology, geophysics, hydrochemistry, drilling, groundwater modelling, and management approaches. The pilot areas are in: