9
Water Resources of Madhya Pradesh:
Contemporary Issues and Challenges
S. K. Sharma
Abstract
Madhya Pradesh has vast surface water
resources drained by the rivers radiating from
this state toward all directions and being
utilized by the bordering states much before
this state could think of it. There is wide
regional variation in potential as well as
utilization of water resources within the state
following the variations in hydro-geological
aquifers, precipitation pattern, land use and
cropping structure. Groundwater is resource in
real sense because it is being utilized within
the state for irrigating more than two-thirds of
net irrigated area besides for domestic and
other uses. Though slightly more than half of
the groundwater potential could be utilized, 95
development blocks present symptoms of
excessive exploitation. Most of them are
confined in the Malwa region, which is
deprived of any major river valley project.
Besides lowering of water level and depletion
of groundwater, certain other issues such as
large scale displacement of people, their
rehabilitation and resettlement in amicable
way, Interstate River Water Disputes, rapid
silting of reservoirs, water pollution, water
logging and salinization have come on the
way of proper management of water resources
in the state.
Keywords
Aquifer Á Water level Á Potential water
resource Á Surface water Á Groundwater Á
Safe Á Semi-critical Á Over exploitation
9.1 Introduction
Water is essential for the existence of the human
being and his biotic world. It is required nearly
for all activities of man and nurtures the socioeconomic development. With the advancement
of the society, awareness and requirements of
water resources have been increasing phenomenally. List of uses of water has been expanding
from traditional use for drinking, domestic and
irrigation purposes to generation of power,
industrial ingredients, and media of transport,
waste remover and purifying agent as well as a
recreational agent. People now emphasize on
quality of water. Contrary to expanding demand,
its supply is limited and is being depleted or
made unusable by excessive utilization, pollution
or careless management. Uneven distribution is
another characteristic of water resources. Under
such conditions, coordination between demand
and supply as well as between different sources
of water resources are imperative.
S. K. Sharma (&)
Department of Geography Dr. H.S, Gour University,
Sagar, MP, India
e-mail: shrikamal.sharma@rediffmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
B. W. Pandey and S. Anand (eds.), Water Science and Sustainability, Sustainable Development Goals Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57488-8_9
109
Water Resources of Madhya Pradesh:
Contemporary Issues and Challenges
S. K. Sharma
Abstract
Madhya Pradesh has vast surface water
resources drained by the rivers radiating from
this state toward all directions and being
utilized by the bordering states much before
this state could think of it. There is wide
regional variation in potential as well as
utilization of water resources within the state
following the variations in hydro-geological
aquifers, precipitation pattern, land use and
cropping structure. Groundwater is resource in
real sense because it is being utilized within
the state for irrigating more than two-thirds of
net irrigated area besides for domestic and
other uses. Though slightly more than half of
the groundwater potential could be utilized, 95
development blocks present symptoms of
excessive exploitation. Most of them are
confined in the Malwa region, which is
deprived of any major river valley project.
Besides lowering of water level and depletion
of groundwater, certain other issues such as
large scale displacement of people, their
rehabilitation and resettlement in amicable
way, Interstate River Water Disputes, rapid
silting of reservoirs, water pollution, water
logging and salinization have come on the
way of proper management of water resources
in the state.
Keywords
Aquifer Á Water level Á Potential water
resource Á Surface water Á Groundwater Á
Safe Á Semi-critical Á Over exploitation
9.1 Introduction
Water is essential for the existence of the human
being and his biotic world. It is required nearly
for all activities of man and nurtures the socioeconomic development. With the advancement
of the society, awareness and requirements of
water resources have been increasing phenomenally. List of uses of water has been expanding
from traditional use for drinking, domestic and
irrigation purposes to generation of power,
industrial ingredients, and media of transport,
waste remover and purifying agent as well as a
recreational agent. People now emphasize on
quality of water. Contrary to expanding demand,
its supply is limited and is being depleted or
made unusable by excessive utilization, pollution
or careless management. Uneven distribution is
another characteristic of water resources. Under
such conditions, coordination between demand
and supply as well as between different sources
of water resources are imperative.
S. K. Sharma (&)
Department of Geography Dr. H.S, Gour University,
Sagar, MP, India
e-mail: shrikamal.sharma@rediffmail.com
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
B. W. Pandey and S. Anand (eds.), Water Science and Sustainability, Sustainable Development Goals Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-57488-8_9
109