Analyzing terrestrial water storage change from the NASA Gravity Recovery and
Climate Experiment Satellite (GRACE), Rodell et al. (2009) have identified a
declining trend of groundwater level at the rate of 4.0 Æ 1.0 cm/year and a depleting
trend of groundwater storage at the rate of 17.7 Æ 4.5 km
3 /year over the northwestern states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi during 2002–2008. They have
estimated depletion of about 109 km
3 groundwater during this time span over these
states.
Mukherjee et al. (2018) have mentioned that fall in water level in several lower
reaches of the Ganges is related to reduction in base flow of groundwater, resulting
from depletion of groundwater storage. They have estimated decline in groundwater
level and depletion of groundwater storage in the Gangetic aquifer at the rate of
À0.30 Æ 0.07 cm/year and À2.39 Æ 0.56 km
3 /year.
Based on analysis of observed well water level data and satellite-based observation, Mukherjee and Bhanja (2019) have pointed out uneven changes of groundwater
level (GWL) and groundwater storage (GWS) during 1996–2014 across India. They
have observed a declining trend in groundwater level in maximum parts of the
Indus–Ganga–Brahmaputra basin and slight rising trend of groundwater level in
several parts of southern and western India. Satellite-based estimate indicates decline
in groundwater level in northern and eastern parts of India at the rate of
À1.40 Æ 0.14 and À1.16 Æ 0.35 cm/year; and depletion of groundwater storage in
northern and eastern India at the rate of 14.02 Æ 1.37 and 14.49 Æ 4.36 km
3 /year,
respectively, during 2002–2016. Findings of this study reveal that in some states of
western (Gujarat) and southern (Andhra Pradesh) India, groundwater storage has
been reduced at the rate of À05.81 Æ 0.38 km
3 /year and À0.92 Æ 0.12 km
3 /year, but
during 2002–2014 groundwater storage has started to increase at the rate of
2.04 Æ 0.20 km
3 /year and 0.76 Æ 0.08 km
3 /year.
y = 0.0475x - 85.319
R² = 0.2098
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
)
l
g
b
m
(
l
e
v
e
L
r
e
t
a
w
d
n
u
o
r
G
Year
Declining Trend of Annual Average Groundwater
Level in India
(1995-2019)
Fig. 6.6 Increasing trend of declining groundwater level in India
6 Impact of Climate Change on Groundwater Resource of India: A Geographical. . .
145
Climate Experiment Satellite (GRACE), Rodell et al. (2009) have identified a
declining trend of groundwater level at the rate of 4.0 Æ 1.0 cm/year and a depleting
trend of groundwater storage at the rate of 17.7 Æ 4.5 km
3 /year over the northwestern states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi during 2002–2008. They have
estimated depletion of about 109 km
3 groundwater during this time span over these
states.
Mukherjee et al. (2018) have mentioned that fall in water level in several lower
reaches of the Ganges is related to reduction in base flow of groundwater, resulting
from depletion of groundwater storage. They have estimated decline in groundwater
level and depletion of groundwater storage in the Gangetic aquifer at the rate of
À0.30 Æ 0.07 cm/year and À2.39 Æ 0.56 km
3 /year.
Based on analysis of observed well water level data and satellite-based observation, Mukherjee and Bhanja (2019) have pointed out uneven changes of groundwater
level (GWL) and groundwater storage (GWS) during 1996–2014 across India. They
have observed a declining trend in groundwater level in maximum parts of the
Indus–Ganga–Brahmaputra basin and slight rising trend of groundwater level in
several parts of southern and western India. Satellite-based estimate indicates decline
in groundwater level in northern and eastern parts of India at the rate of
À1.40 Æ 0.14 and À1.16 Æ 0.35 cm/year; and depletion of groundwater storage in
northern and eastern India at the rate of 14.02 Æ 1.37 and 14.49 Æ 4.36 km
3 /year,
respectively, during 2002–2016. Findings of this study reveal that in some states of
western (Gujarat) and southern (Andhra Pradesh) India, groundwater storage has
been reduced at the rate of À05.81 Æ 0.38 km
3 /year and À0.92 Æ 0.12 km
3 /year, but
during 2002–2014 groundwater storage has started to increase at the rate of
2.04 Æ 0.20 km
3 /year and 0.76 Æ 0.08 km
3 /year.
y = 0.0475x - 85.319
R² = 0.2098
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
)
l
g
b
m
(
l
e
v
e
L
r
e
t
a
w
d
n
u
o
r
G
Year
Declining Trend of Annual Average Groundwater
Level in India
(1995-2019)
Fig. 6.6 Increasing trend of declining groundwater level in India
6 Impact of Climate Change on Groundwater Resource of India: A Geographical. . .
145