Dynamic groundwater resources of National Capital Territory, Delhi: assessment, development and management options

• Published in: Environmental earth sciences Vol. 59; no. 3; pp. 669 - 686
• Main Authors: Chatterjee, Rana, Gupta, B. K., Mohiddin, S. K., Singh, P. N., Shekhar, Shashank, Purohit, Rajaram
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-12-2009; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aquifers; Biogeosciences; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Environmental Science and Engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Floodplains; Geochemistry; Geology; Groundwater; Groundwater management; Hydrogeology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; Hydrology/Water Resources; Original Article; Rain; Terrestrial Pollution; Water harvesting; Water level fluctuations; Water levels; Water resources; Water resources management; Water supply; Asia; India; Delhi India; Yamuna River; India, Delhi; Ground water resource estimation methodology—1997; Rain water harvesting; Groundwater regulation; Groundwater recharge; Yamuna flood plain; National Capital Territory Delhi; Over-exploitation; Annually replenishable groundwater resources; floods; rainfall; ground water; ground-water recharge; Ground water resource estimation methodology-1997; water supply; rain water; exploitation; floodplains; water resources; aquifers; fluctuations; plains; regulations; water resource management; hydrographs
• ISSN: 1866-6280; 1866-6299
• DOI: 10.1007/s12665-009-0064-y

Groundwater is one of the important source of water supply to meet the requirements of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, India which is a fast developing urban conglomeration. An assessment of dynamic groundwater resources of NCT Delhi has been attempted based on the methodology known as Ground Water Resources Estimation Methodology—1997. The methodology includes assessment of annual replenishable groundwater resources using water level fluctuation approach and empirical norms, estimation of the annual quantity of groundwater withdrawal and categorization of the assessment units based on the status of groundwater utilization and water level trend. Annual replenishable groundwater resources of NCT Delhi is about 297 million cubic meter (mcm) while the annual groundwater draft is about 480 mcm. This is because of over-exploitation of replenishable resources in seven out of nine districts of the Capital Territory. Based on the assessment of dynamic groundwater resources, a broad groundwater management plan has been proposed in this paper. This include augmentation of groundwater resources through rain water harvesting schemes to be implemented on a large scale, regulation on groundwater withdrawal in vulnerable areas, development of Yamuna flood plain aquifer and declaration of Delhi ridge as groundwater sanctuary.