Mapping aquifers under the 12th Five Year Plan

A Planning Commission working group will submit its report recommending aquifer mapping.

In a first,aquifer mappingthe study and mapping of rocks that hold and transmit groundwateris set to be part of the 12th Five Year Plan,signifying the importance of sustainable groundwater management in India. A working groupunder the chairmanship of Punes Himanshu Kulkarniof 14 members from across the country is set to submit its report to the Planning Commission later this month. The report largely recommends aquifer mapping that would facilitate the formulation of strategies for groundwater management.

Until recently,much of the work in India on groundwater management has not included aquifer mapping. In 2009,the Planning Commission assigned Kulkarni,of the Advanced Centre for Water Resources Development And Management ACWADAM,and two other experts the responsibility of preparing a midterm appraisal report on the groundwater situation in the country. The report,amongst other things,recommended an aquifer mapping exercise for effective groundwater management.

Aquifers are rocks 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. Mapping of aquifers can help determine the quantity of groundwater in a particular area,the quality of groundwaterwhether it is contaminated by pathogens,iron,arsenic,fluoride and other such elementsetc. Understanding aquifers also includes precisely locating their natural recharge and discharge areas. All such information is required to develop a strategy of groundwater management for a particular village,city,district or state, says Kulkarni,executive director,ACWADAM.

The easiest way to map aquifers is through the observation of wells,which are aplenty in the country. Kulkarni says,India has three crore wells and a well can almost talk to a good geologist about aquifer characteristics. If these wells are simultaneously monitored for one yearfor their water level,quality of water,exposed rocks and other aspectshalf 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,Kulkarni says.