The declining trend of groundwater level is very prominent in the states of
Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry,
Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat. The projected groundwater levels have
been estimated for these critical states (Table 6.7). If the present trend continues,
within the year 2050, groundwater level of these states/UTs will have fallen in the
range of 4 to 26.5 m, resulting in immense depletion of shallow aquifer storage. The
IPCC climatic projection predicts a slight increase in precipitation over India but its
spatial pattern will not be uniform (IPCC 2014). In rainfall-deficient areas of India,
particularly in western and northern India and in southeastern India, rainfall is likely
to be decreased (Salvi et al. 2013). It is evident from previous analysis, in states or
UTs of this region, that the groundwater reservoir is already shrinking because of
excessive withdrawal; therefore, increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation will multiply the intensity of the crisis.
On the other hand, in the west coastal, west central, eastern, and northwestern
parts of India, increased rainfall in the monsoon season may boost recharge to the
aquifers (Salvi et al. 2013). However, rise in evapotranspiration resulting from
elevated temperature and the persistence of prolonged dry weather in the
non-monsoon seasons may necessitate huge extraction of groundwater through
pumping for agricultural production, resulting in overexploitation of this resource.
Rise in sea level is the most predicted outcome of climate change that will directly
affect the coastal low-lying aquifers of India through salinity intrusion, causing
reduction in available fresh groundwater storage.
As a consequence of increasing temperature, melting of the Himalayan glaciers
will accelerate during the upcoming decades, increasing surface runoff, which may
increase potential recharge to the aquifer. As the snowmelt-based runoff begins to
decrease, decline in surface runoff may decrease groundwater recharge (Shah 2009).
Under these climate change scenarios, the groundwater resource base of the country
will be spatiotemporally more diversified and complicated.
Conclusion
To cater to the huge and growing population of the country, groundwater is a proven
key resource for its multidimensional usage in agricultural, industrial, and domestic
sectors. In different states of India, however, aquifers have already reached a critical
condition as extraction has outstripped the replenishment of groundwater. Long-term
trends of groundwater level and groundwater storage show that in the near future
many areas of the country will face problems of groundwater shortage that will
eventually disrupt regional food security, economic growth, and livelihood.
Although the incidence of global climate change is an established fact, relatively
limited research has been conducted on the impacts of climate change on the
groundwater system. It is high time to give more attention to the forthcoming
complex relationships of these two dynamic variables. All that have been studied
so far highlight that effects of climate change are significantly greater on the
6 Impact of Climate Change on Groundwater Resource of India: A Geographical. . .
149
Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry,
Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat. The projected groundwater levels have
been estimated for these critical states (Table 6.7). If the present trend continues,
within the year 2050, groundwater level of these states/UTs will have fallen in the
range of 4 to 26.5 m, resulting in immense depletion of shallow aquifer storage. The
IPCC climatic projection predicts a slight increase in precipitation over India but its
spatial pattern will not be uniform (IPCC 2014). In rainfall-deficient areas of India,
particularly in western and northern India and in southeastern India, rainfall is likely
to be decreased (Salvi et al. 2013). It is evident from previous analysis, in states or
UTs of this region, that the groundwater reservoir is already shrinking because of
excessive withdrawal; therefore, increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation will multiply the intensity of the crisis.
On the other hand, in the west coastal, west central, eastern, and northwestern
parts of India, increased rainfall in the monsoon season may boost recharge to the
aquifers (Salvi et al. 2013). However, rise in evapotranspiration resulting from
elevated temperature and the persistence of prolonged dry weather in the
non-monsoon seasons may necessitate huge extraction of groundwater through
pumping for agricultural production, resulting in overexploitation of this resource.
Rise in sea level is the most predicted outcome of climate change that will directly
affect the coastal low-lying aquifers of India through salinity intrusion, causing
reduction in available fresh groundwater storage.
As a consequence of increasing temperature, melting of the Himalayan glaciers
will accelerate during the upcoming decades, increasing surface runoff, which may
increase potential recharge to the aquifer. As the snowmelt-based runoff begins to
decrease, decline in surface runoff may decrease groundwater recharge (Shah 2009).
Under these climate change scenarios, the groundwater resource base of the country
will be spatiotemporally more diversified and complicated.
Conclusion
To cater to the huge and growing population of the country, groundwater is a proven
key resource for its multidimensional usage in agricultural, industrial, and domestic
sectors. In different states of India, however, aquifers have already reached a critical
condition as extraction has outstripped the replenishment of groundwater. Long-term
trends of groundwater level and groundwater storage show that in the near future
many areas of the country will face problems of groundwater shortage that will
eventually disrupt regional food security, economic growth, and livelihood.
Although the incidence of global climate change is an established fact, relatively
limited research has been conducted on the impacts of climate change on the
groundwater system. It is high time to give more attention to the forthcoming
complex relationships of these two dynamic variables. All that have been studied
so far highlight that effects of climate change are significantly greater on the
6 Impact of Climate Change on Groundwater Resource of India: A Geographical. . .
149